I used to read this as a kid so I’m assuming was published pre-1980. At the beginning the setting is the American Colonies during the French & Indian War and it describes a Native American messenger running between tribes with a bead belt (belt contains a message in the beadwork).
I don’t remember how it happens but the main character (pre-teen/young teen boy) is captured, goes through the gauntlet of the tribe and is then adopted. One of the scenes I remember is of his new father shaving/plucking his scalp to give him a mohawk.
At the end of the book the American Revolution has started and the boy has linked back up with his family (brother & sister?) and is on raft going down a river. I think they were headed to a fort, there may have been a scene that described the fort occupants melting metal for bullets.
The copy I had may have had a tortoise on the outside cover (no just jacket).
Could this be The Boy Captive of Old Deerfield by Mary P. Wells Smith?
This isn’t going to be too helpful, I’m afraid. I remember a book that I thought was called Captured by the Abenaki (or maybe Prisoner of the Abenaki) by an author named something like Philbrick or Philbreck. Unfortunately, I can’t find it. I’m not even sure if it’s the right book, but it was very similar.
One book that I kept coming across while trying to find the one I remember was Abenaki Captive, by duBois. I don’t know if that might be it, but the timeline would work.
Another author who wrote a bunch of white kids spending time with native americans was William O. Steele. You might check his books to see if one is the right one.
Good luck!
Aside from the introduction with pre-Revolution scene, the rest of your description sounds a lot like Moccasin Trail, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. That book is set during the Oregon Trail era though. Still, just in case you’re blending two different books, it might be worth checking out Moccasin Trail, which is a wonderful book.
Bit of a long shot, but it could be The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter.
This is almost certainly Time of the Tomahawk by Robert Edmond Alter, illustrated by Dirk Gringhaus, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1964. “Sixteen year old Whit Martin is an ideal hero — smart and athletic. In the 1760’s just after the French and Indian War and before the Revolution, his settlement lies in the path of the great chief Pontiac. Whit’s father, an old frontier Indian fighter, had taught the boy all he knew about woodlore, Indian customs and hand-to-hand fighting. When Whit was kidnapped by the Abenakis and survived their gantlet ordeal through the perfect coordination of brain and muscle he was adopted as a son of the tribe. The plotting and raids that follow, as the resisting Abenakis are swept up by Pontiac’s scheme, are effectually hampered by Whit’s presence, for he fights against the all too easy assimilation and remains loyal to his own palefaces. The action is fast as fort after fort falls to Pontiac’s raiders. Whit’s know-how in wilderness fighting and survival comes over well in an adventure story for boys that clips right along and is slickly well-told.”
I just checked my copy of the book and it matches all the memories listed in your original query. Alter is a great writer for teens and this is an exciting novel.
That’s it! Just looked it up on and recognized the cover instantly. Thank you so much!
For what its worth – `The White Indian Boy’ by Elijah Nicholas Wilson – filmed as `Wild River’. Saw a film with similar story line – East German production – `Blauvogel’ (Bluebird) I don’t understand GDR interest in Native Americans!
I actually have the book! It’s called Captured by Abenaki , it’s in my closet, i took it out on loan from the library in 1976, never returned it, a bit overdue lol!! It was my favorite book as a child