White Falcon by Elliot Arnold is a YA novel based on the life of John Tanner. In 1789 Tanner was captured by Ojibwa Indians from his family homestead in Kentucky. He grew up as an Ojibwa and became fully assimilated in their customs and language. He married an Indian woman and eventually served as a guide for European fur traders as well as working as an interpreter. Although this story is quite dramatic, it is considered a fairly well-rounded and authentic account of this white boy who became an Indian.

At first John Tanner’s life was quite difficult as even though he tried to fit in, the other Indians did not accept him. He was then adopted by an older woman who took him with her to live with the Chippewas, who more readily accepted him as one of their own. He did however, have a strong opponent in the Chief’s son, which lead to many difficulties. Having one foot in both camps enabled him to help the first white settlers that arrived in Manitoba’s Red River Valley and he assisted these settlers to bridge the gap between themselves and the Indians that lived in the area.

I became a fan of Elliot Arnold many years ago when I read his book Broken Arrow, the fictional biography of Cochise, that was made into a film in 1950. White Falcon didn’t have the same impact as that book did but it was a lively adventure read that I quite enjoyed. ( )