News of the World by Paulette Jiles - ADVISABLE

News of the World by Paulette Jiles, 209 pages.  William Morrow (Harper), 2016.  $16.

Language: PG (9 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT – ADVISABLE

Since his wife passed away, Captain Kidd has occupied himself by wandering through northern Texas entertaining small town folks by charging a dime per person for dramatic readings of news of the day.  But then he is approached by some acquaintances, offering him $50 to deliver a little girl to her surviving family in the deep south of Texas.  She was kidnapped by Indians in 1866, now four years later she has been released and needs to be returned.  Southern Texas is still pretty unsettled, so there will be some danger, but the biggest danger may be to Kidd’s heart as her gradually draws the girl out of her shell, teaches her how to communicate, and coaxes her back to the world of the white man.

This was pure indulgence for me as a reader.  Whether you are a fan a Texas, love reading stories about children who lived with Indians, or just like a new piece of historical fiction, there is something for you to love in this.  

Cindy, Middle School Librarian