SOLVED. American Indian captured girl remembers how to read. [s]

[Sharon]

I read this book in the late 1960's when I was in junior high. I presume it is a literary classic since that is what filled most of my family library.

Synopsis, or as much as I can remember: chapters alternated between experiences of young girl held captive by Plains Indian tribe and men searching for them. Searchers may have been cavalry on an expedition in the region. Tribe finds what they call "the talking Leaves," pages from a book or newspaper. Slowly the girls starts remembering how to read, and the Leaves talk to her, much to the amazement of her captors. In another scene, she has to crawl under a buffalo robe with a snake to avoid a prairie fire.

Sorry, I do not remember much more, only that I was fascinated one summer while I read this book. I do remember that as the omniscient reader, you knew the searching men were going to run into that tribe eventually, and that her ability to read would set her apart from other people of the tribe.

Any ideas? I have always called it "The Talking Leaves," but am certain that was just my pet name for it.

[Natasha]

Perhaps The Talking Leaves by William O. Stoddard. First edition in 1882, and originally subtitled "A Pioneer Story of a Captive White Girl Among the Indians".

Covers of various editions:
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https://s3.amazonaws.com/bookcenter-i...

[Sharon]

Very good! And here at thought I had imagined the title of the book. I will write that one off from a memory of almost fifty years ago...

Thank you so much for your help! One of the the images you attached even had the same picture that I remember. I intend to order this so I can add it to my own library.

[Natasha]

Glad to help you reconnect with your book!