Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears

It is the spring of 1838, and nine-year-old Soft Rain lives with her parents, younger brother Hawk Boy, blind Grandmother, and dog Pet, in their Tsalagi (Cherokee) community of North Carolina. One day Soft Rain’s teacher reads a letter stating that as of May 23, 1838, all Cherokee people are to leave their land and move west. to what many Cherokees called “the land of darkness.” Soft Rain believes that her family will not have to go, because they have just planted corn for the next harvest. However, soon after, while Father and Hawk Boy are away, soldiers arrive to take Soft Rain and her mother to be held in a stockade and then walk the Trail of Tears, leaving the rest of her family behind.Soft Rain knows some of the white man’s language, so she soon learns that they must travel across rivers, valleys, and mountains. They are forced to eat the white man’s food and see many of their people die. Will they make it all the way? Do they ever get to see Father and Hawk Boy again? And what happens to Grandmother and Pet? Author Cornelia Cornelissen is a former elementary school teacher whose great-grandfather experienced this journey when he was about ten years old. One reviewer called Soft Rain a “Really good book that brings to life the pain and agony suffered by an already established civil society at the hands of greedy European settlers.” Well, all reasonable people certainly recognize that the United States government’s treatment of the Cherokees and other Indians, especially under President Andrew Jackson, was what Publishers Weekly called “a painful period of American history” or what School Library Journal called “a shameful episode in U.S. history.”At the same time, all the Native Americans were not always ipsy-pipsy perfect. It would have been better if everyone had just learned to get along. There were good and bad on both sides. The book does show some kindness by whites to Indians along the way. One reviewer complained that it “doesn’t depict the happenings of the Cherokee Trail of Tears very well.” While Cornelissen does make clear the hardships which these Native Americans endured and the injustice of their exile, she does so in a way that is appropriate for children. Yes, there is sadness along the way, but Kirkus Reviews says, “The characters themselves transform a sorrowful story of adversity into a tale of human resilience.” The historical novel is readable and would be useful as a supplement to social studies units with a good introduction to the Trail of Tears and an eye-opening glimpse of a disappearing culture.

Really good book that brings to like the pain, agony suffered by an already established civil society at the hands of greedy European settlers. It is a Trail of Tears for those who endured it and for those who read its history. It is written by an elementary teacher whose grandfather experienced this journey in his youth. It is very well written and would be good for children.

Great introduction to learning about the horrors of our history as told through the eyes of a child. It provides an emotional perspective without the politics or horrid details without discounting the truth. It’s age appropriate. As my children (ages 8-10) get older I plan to teach them in greater detail.

Great book that my son could read on his own! My sons 2nd grade teacher read this book to her classroom. My son liked it so much I bought it for him so he could read it at home.

This book was listed in our curriculum as a recommendation during our historical fiction unit (I teach 4th grade). The story really captivated the kids and it was a great resource to use when identifying the characteristics of historical fiction. I also liked that this book came on Kindle - I bought the Kindle version and then projected it onto my board so we could all read along together.

Purchased for my 3rd/4th-grade class.

My fifth grader came home with a question about the trail of tears]. This book answered her questions and she loved it.

It is a good read for grade school children. We all need to read about the Original Americans and how we as a country treated them.

I read it to my 6 year old Cherokee grandaughter and we both found it touching if shocking and sad in places. It was certainly informative on the history of The People. I put it in a book bag with a dressed Cherokee doll and other things from the story which made it more enjoyable.Jane Dent

Really nice book