Big River's Daughter

March 15, 2013
Never heard of Annie Christmas or Mike Fink? Miller calls upon her storytelling voice to weave anecdotes from folklore about these two larger-than-life characters into a novel, casting a river pirate's daughter at the helm of this eddy of an adventure. When the great earthquake of 1811 causes the Mississippi to run backward, River Fillian's father is killed in a fire, leaving her alone with just his carved spyglass. Annie Christmas takes her under her wing, along with her nine sons (all with "C" names: Cully, Cam, Coby, etc.), and together they set off to find Blackbeard's treasure, buried by Jean Lafitte. They pick up historical and legendary figures along the way, including Mike Fink, and River rescues a young tiger, which becomes her protective sidekick. A passel of scoundrels pursues them through the swamps and bayous around New Orleans. This strong-girl-heroine tale is abundant in descriptions of river life, but the colloquial language tends to impede the narrative flow, and although it's an adventure, it's almost too packed with action for the pages to contain it. The cover depicts River and her tiger in a lighthearted moment, suggesting a "prettified story," which River assures readers it's not. "There you are and there you ain't....[T]hat's life on the raggedy edge." A breakneck tale that never quite catches its breath. (author's note, bibliography) (Adventure. 9-12)

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June 1, 2013

Gr 5-9-Life on the great Mississippi in 1811 is stomping hard and full of rough-and-tumble, but, for the river rats eking out a living, it's also full of possibility. Aptly named River Fillian is just as scrappy as they come. Raised by her father, a keelboat captain and the river pirate king, she has spent her whole life on the Mississipp. After she overhears his plans to recover Blackbeard's treasure, an earthquake hits, and her beloved Da is killed, leaving her with a spyglass that he handcrafted. Joining forces with tall-tale legends Annie Christmas and Mike Fink, River must outsmart the notorious pirate brothers Jean and Pierre Lafitte and their plan to overtake business on the river while maybe finding a little treasure along the way. This highly enjoyable, fast-paced adventure captures the flavor of river life and the diversity of New Orleans. The ending's abruptness is a bit disappointing, but is somewhat atoned for in the epilogue. The author's note is incredible in its thoroughness, including information on characters and events mostly based on reality. Miller weaves numerous individuals and historical events into a cohesive tale that captures the American spirit through the eyes of a likable and spunky heroine. She is also spot-on with colloquialisms, providing the book with its unique voice. Truly, this tale would not have been so interesting without River's distinctive dialect and penchant for storytelling.-Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2013
When River loses her pirate father after the 1811 Mississippi Valley earthquake, she joins up with African American keelboat pilot Annie Christmas. Peopled by both historical figures and tall-tale characters, this slangy-voiced yarn depends on its back matter for context, but readers may not care as they follow River's search for her Da and for Blackbeard's treasure.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)