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The Light in the Forest
The Light in the Forest
Author: Conrad Richter
Though reared as a Lenni Lenape Indian, fifteen-year-old True Son, once called John Camera Butler, was ordered back to the white man. It was impossible for True Son to believe that his people were white and not Indian. He had learned to hate the white man. And now he learned to hate his new father, his new house, his new family. He hated the nam...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780553256680
ISBN-10: 0553256688
Publication Date: 9/1/1984
Pages: 128
Rating:
  • Currently 4.7/5 Stars.
 3

4.7 stars, based on 3 ratings
Publisher: Bantam
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

havan avatar reviewed The Light in the Forest on + 138 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
John Cameron Butler is abducted by indians during a raid when he's four but he's adopted by one of the raiders and lives the next 11 years as True Son a full member of the Lenni Lenape tribe. When the tribe agrees to a peace treaty and to return all "captives" True Son is an unwilling re-patriot into the world of the white man.

Written in 1953 this book has been largely forgotten, but is relevant and feels no more outdated than it probably did when first written. At 120 pages this book is a lightning fast read dealing with alienation and defining one's role in society, issues that modern teen boys will just as readily identify with as those in the 50's.

This book is remarkably well-balanced and somehow manages to avoid painting either the native culture or the white culture as being the villain or the utopia.

This book is well worth the reading time, if you can find it.
Veronika avatar reviewed The Light in the Forest on + 103 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I didn't relly like this book. I found it depressing. The Sign of the Beaver, in my opinion, is a much better book.
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reviewed The Light in the Forest on + 8 more book reviews
great indian tale
reviewed The Light in the Forest on + 37 more book reviews
Excellent story of a caucasian boy trying to fit back in with the world of the white after living with Indians for 10 years.
VeronicaNagy avatar reviewed The Light in the Forest on + 48 more book reviews
The classic adventure story of a frontier boy raised by indians.
reviewed The Light in the Forest on
I would recommend this book for all 6th - 8th grade students to read. This book is on my summer required reading list for 8th grade.