SOLVED. Native American Novel. story of Indian captivity that pits 13-year-old Lewallen Collier against the Comanches for the allegiance of his little sister Eula Bee. Left unprotected when Pa and big brother Johnny join the Confederates [s]

[Wuraola]

I can't remember much but it's about a boy and his sister captured by the native americans. Thier family were burned and skinned I think and they were captured. The boy got separated from his sister. His sister was young and was adopted into one of the clan's families. In order to find his sister, the boy worked to gain the trust of the chieftan I think. He eventually found his sister but by then she had forgotten him and forgotten english. I think there was a song they used to sing and when he sang it, she kind of remembered him and called him by his nickname. I think the nickname was 'lewti' or something?
Does anyone have any idea what book this is?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

When did you read it or when was it published? Is it children's, YA, or adult? Author female or male? Remember the cover?

[Wuraola]

Probably YA or adult. It was a plain-looking cover. The picture of a brown field with a boy and herd of black bulls or some other animal.

[``Laurie]

Here's the link to a list that might help you find your book:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

Do you remember what area of the country this took place - such as Texas ?

[Angela]

Wait for Me, Watch for Me, Eula Bee by Patricia Beatty, maybe?

This review from Kirkus hits on some of the plot points you mentioned, including the sister having a favorite song that the brother sings, and the brother worrying that his sister has been fully absorbed into the tribe's culture:

"A slightly offbeat, carefully tempered story of Indian captivity that pits 13-year-old Lewallen Collier against the Comanches for the allegiance of his little sister Eula Bee. Left unprotected when Pa and big brother Johnny join the Confederates, the two are captured in an Indian raid which also wipes out the rest of the family. Advised to "show bravery" by fellow-captive Tomás Cabral, his once-slighted ten-year-old "Mexican" neighbor, Lewallen stands up to a vicious Kiowa (whereas, apparently, no Comanche is all bad) and, for dauntlessly singing Eula Bee's favorite song, wins the sobriquet Sings His War Song. Then, tipped off by Tomás, Lewallen escapes; but at the nearest Confederate fort he finds that only Tomás' father, away when the raid occurred, is ready to act. And Mr. Cabral is suspect as a Comanchero, one who trades with Comanches. How, at Lewallen's insistence, the two team up; Tomás and Mr. Cabral are wantonly killed in a Union attack on the Comanches (a deliberate balancing of wrongs); and Lewallen, latching onto Cabral's Comanchero relatives, eventually frees Eula Bee--all this makes for a tense, twisting tale that may have over-many historical facets (like the Comanchero encouragement of Indian drinking) but doesn't strain credulity until the snap rescue (ostensibly because the Indians are drunk). Then, with Lewallen, we watch to see if Eula Bee has in a year become, as he was warned, "more Comanche than Collier." Though West Texas in the Civil War serves as something of a sociocultural microcosm, on the whole the plotting is strong enough to sustain the interlinked messages. (Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 1978)"

[Wuraola]

Angela wrote: " Wait for Me, Watch for Me, Eula Bee by Patricia Beatty, maybe?

This review from Kirkus hits on some of the plot..."

Yes, this is it! Thank you, Angela. :-)