The cabin door crashes open-and in a few minutes Regina's life changes forever. Allegheny Indians murder her father and brother, burn their Pennsylvania home to the ground, and take Regina captive. Only her mother, who is away from home, is safe. Torn from her family, Regina longs for the past, but she must begin a new life. She becomes Tskinnak, who learns to catch fish, dance the Indian dance, and speak the Indian tongue. As the years go by, her new people become her family . . . but she never stops wondering about her mother. Will they ever meet again? "A first-person narrative based on the true story of a young woman held by Indians from 1755-1763, related with all the impact of a hard-hitting documentary . . .Wonderful reading." (School Library Journal) "I Am Regina is an enthralling and profoundly stirring story, historical fiction for young people at its very finest." (Elizabeth George Speare, Newbery Award-winning author of The Witch of Blackbird PondMy Comments:This is really a very exciting and somewhat brutal book (at least in the beginning). Regina's father and brother are killed by the Indians who also take her father's scalp. She and her sister are captured, and when her sister tries to escape, the Indians recapture her and almost burn her at the stake. What I didn't like too much is the depiction of some Indians as savages, especially her captor, Tiger Claw, who later in the book tries to force himself on her sexually. Regina is a captive for almost 12 years during which time she almost forgets how to speak English. When she is finally "rescued" she has no idea how she will find her mother again because she has few memories of her mother, but she starts singing a song she knew from childhood and her mother recognizes her from the song. A very appropriate ending and a particularly likeable book because it is based on a true story.
By putting the reader into the mind of Regina Leininger in present tense, Keehn is able to create a dramatic tension that holds the reader. Based on the actual Indian captivity of a 10-year-old girl during the French-and-Indian War, I AM REGINA follows Regina from the Indian raid that tears her family apart through to the final, emotional, climatic reunion with her mother and brother nine years later.Although Keehn based her story on resources that were available at the time she wrote this book, she still made a lot of assumptions. Often her descriptions of Native American actions and events are based on traditional tellings that are either unproven or known to be untrue. In addition, Keehn uses many traditional "Pioneer" motifs and details that do not fit either the time period or the region of the story. Still, this is a good, fast-paced read that should and does appeal to many middle grade and early YA readers interested in a true story about the American frontier.
Do You like book I Am Regina (2001)?
For as much of a history buff that I am, I feel like I didn't often go back as far as the time of the French and Indian War. The first half of this book it was at hard times to get into or stick with, however, as the book went on, I really appreciated how it kept me engaged. The author did a very good job of portraying Regina's situation and her thoughts to help the reader understand what it must've been like to live as a captive of the Indians for many years. Will Regina ever reunite with her family? And if so, what will she be like?
—Jeff
My fifth grade son heard about this story when he went to history camp a few years ago so when he saw a friend had this book he asked if he could borrow it. He read it quickly and told me about each chapter as he read it. The story really drew me in so when he was finished, I picked it up to read too. Very good book and I enjoyed it a lot. Sometimes it seemed to move quickly without enough detail for me so that explains the four star rating. I am sure this was mainly because it is aimed at children so the author kept the book more simple. I loved hearing the references to the town Carlisle, PA which is where I live.
—Jodi
This was a great read. I picked this book up because I thought it looked interesting, and felt the itch to read something new. I started this book and could not put it down! The author writes in a way that makes you want to read a book from start to finish with no interruptions, so I did just that. One of the best things about this book is the fact that the author does not take sides. It is not the "white man's" fault nor is it the native's fault for the things that occur. The author depicts both sides of the story and it is impossible to take a side. You feel the emotion and frustration of both the natives and the English, and Regina’s story is one that will warm your heart. The only thing I did not really like about this book was the ending. As other readers have stated it was hard to tell if it was a happy conclusion or not. Other than that, this was a nice story and it is heartbreaking that it was an actual story not only for Regina, but also for everyone who faced the same difficulties of that era.
—Chloe
