North America Books

The essays and poems in this collection, which would make a good gift book, are meaningful, and the American Indian tone is meditative and enriching. Even the cover, in dark colors and smooth to the hand, encourages contemplation.

This book is a beautiful collection of stories and references to ceremonies, a good addition to any library of books on native ways or shamanism. It is not a "cookbook" of rituals or ceremonies, but a book that honors the beliefs and energies behind the ceremonies as important.

The primal wisdom that emanates from these ancient teachings lifts up the spiritual practice of reverence-one that is often lacking in modern times. Horn demonstrates a kind of radical amazement, a deep feeling tinged with both awe and wonder as he sees the sacred in all things. These ceremonies touch the heart because they arise out of a felt sense of participation in the universe, a kinship with all beings and with matter.

Anyone wanting ceremonial richness in their own lives will cherish this book and will feel emboldened to start where they are right now-even in the middle of a city, far from the kind of natural surroundings available to the ancients. "It is the spirit of the ceremony that is most important," reassures a grandmother. This is treasure to own and consult, a treasure to give.-SA

The Book Of Ceremonies is an intensely sensitive, reverent collection of Native American sacred songs, poems, stories, observations, and ceremonies. It's prayerful tone is beautifully underlined by the delicate, perfect black and white art work by the author's son, Carises Horn. Drawing from a variety of sources, The Book Of Ceremonies unifies and presents thoughts on Preparing, Greeting and Gratitude, Love, Marriage and Divorce, Birth and Death, Dreams and Visions, and Seasons and Healing. An additional list of recommended reading includes Native Heart: An American Indian Odyssey by Gabriel Horn, and other selected books by Kent Nerburn, Jason Gardner, and Loree Boyd. The Book Of Ceremonies is a beautiful book to be treasured and shared.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer

Clear instructions, and helpful advice. The many humorous asides and fascinating photographs (black and white) make for great reading even if you never intend to actually make a bow. Mr. Hamm also covers arrows and traditional Native American bow decorations and quivers. This book will be of infinite help to those intrepid bowmakers out there.

Jim Hamm's book is very entertaining as well as enlightening reading. As an archeologist I am indebted to this author for filling in many blanks for me. My understanding of a primary technology for prehistoric peoples has increased many folds due to the work and clear presentation in Hamm's book. In my two professions as Archeologist and Indian Arts Dealer as well as an archer, this publication has filled a void in knowledge. I'd finished re-reading "Ishi in Two Worlds" just prior to picking up Hamm's book. Jim Hamm has provided understanding of "primitive" lifeways, technology, and the skill and diversity regarding a fundamental weapon and food gathering tool for me. I'd begun to read only to be able to comment to customer's inquiry about the title in our Indian Arts shop, but Hamm's engaging writing style and obvious command of his subject drew me in. I recommend the title not just for those who would build their own bow and arrows, but also for archeologists, anthropologists, pre-historians and the intellectually curious. "Bow & Arrows of the Native Americans" would be an excellent supplementary text for academic Anthropology courses. Could we hope for a publisher to overcome the "out of print" condition for this book? Of course, I am now intrigued by the other Hamm titles.

Every book but this one says simply to cut a branch, work it a bit, cut some sticks for arrows and have at itBR hamm tells how to do it righBrHis methods are not easy, but then, nothing worthwhile isBRInstructions are clear and complete, however, discussion of point making is limitedBRThe only things omitted were the cut fingers and blistersBRFrustration is well coveredBRPThis is not a book for someone wanting an analysis of bow styles among the different groups, but a book for someone who wants to make a "Primitive Bow" that shoots true, fast, and accurately , and is adequate for big game hunting BRHighly recommended

The book was wonderful. Even if I never get to make my own bow, I'am still glad I bought the book. Very well written and easy to understand. The last chapter is worth the price of the book.

This book is well done. Full of good information for the beginning bowyer. The only criticism I have is that it does not cover all of the woods used by the american indian. overall I rate the book as excellent.

This is a unique piece of literature that gives you a sense of pride for those unsung heroes of the past who made significant history. Great pictures and autobiographical sketches. This should be in every American's household library!

"Here is a picture of the emergent civil rights movement plunging forward, adeptly taking its strategy of nonviolent direct action to the national stage" writes Eric Etheridge in the introduction to this wonderful book.

Etheridge found approximately 320 mug shots of Freedom Riders who had been arrested in Mississippi in 1961. Ironically, the mug shots were warehoused by the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, a Mississippi agency formed in 1956 "to protect the sovereignty of the State of Mississippi...from encroachment thereon by the Federal Government." The Commission got the mug shots and arrest records from Jackson and Mississippi State police. (The Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission: Civil Rights and States' Rights is an excellent history of the Commission.)

Etheridge has worked as a magazine story editor and on various Web-related projects. He was able to track down and photograph and interview more than 100 Freedom Riders. Many of the modern photos appear next to the original mug shot, as well as the all of mug shots of every Freedom Rider arrested in 1961 in Jackson.

A sample entry (for Larry Bell) consists of the two photos and the following text:

"Born: March 5, 1942, in Monroe, GA. Grew up there and in Los Angeles, where his family moved in 1950.

"Then: Freshman, Los Angeles City College.

"Since then: Returned to Los Angeles, working as a janitor during the day and attending City College at night. In 1966 was one of the first blacks to go to work for United Airlines in California. When he retired in 2000, he was a flight-attendant supervisor and also trained newly hired flight attendants. Still lives in Los Angeles.

"Quote: The clothing that they gave us in Parchman was a t-shirt that was military green and some green boxer shorts. No shoes, no. And as we began to protest, they took them from us and left us with nothing. Then they took the mattress, so now we had to lie on a metal slab with them little round holes--and boy, you talk about some hard sleeping at night? When you're sleeping on the thing, there's that indentation where your skin goes through that little round hole, and there you are, half of you is like being suffocated and the other half is being cut out, you couldn't sleep any way you tried. So we sat up and we debated all night, and we got more boisterous in our songs."

As Etheridge notes: "The irony here is that the Sovereignty Commission documented the success of the Civil Rights movement instead of defeating it, and left behind a great visual record and the names of everybody involved."

There are two excellent histories of the Freedom Riders: Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement and Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice (Pivotal Moments in American History).

Etheridge's excellent book adds a human element of great power to the story.

***

Reviewer's Disclosure: I worked on various Civil Rights matters in Mississippi between 1961 and 1970 as a law student and later as young lawyer.


Robert C. Ross 2008

My review is not in anyway impartial or detached. Forty seven years ago tomorrow (June 2) myself and five fellow Riders were arrested in Jackson. Three members of our group are no longer with us today, with this disclosure in mind I will now review "Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders" by Eric Etheridge.
The book is beautifully printed and the portraits are of outstanding quality. The text is, of course, minimal but to me at least, provacative in the extreme. The interviews Mr. Etheridge was able to conduct and include were the flesh on the bones. Incidently, I spoke with Mr. Ehteridge and was advised that the interviewing connected with his project is continuing and they will eventually show up on the internet.
This book is a perfect complement to Raymond Arsenault's "Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice"(see my review). For primary history enthusiasts, I cannot strongly enough recommend: Mississippi Department Archives and History (MDAH Digital Collection). To get a feel for the real situation in Mississippi of what segregation meant in that state.
Perusing the portraits was like a portal back into time. Bittersweet memories of accomplishment and failure. Yes, we accomplished the immediate objective of integrating interstate travel and in the ensuing years(at the cost of a lot of blood) removed most overt forms of discrimination. But, sadly if one takes the time and energy to peer into her or his surroundings(locally and globally) the idealism of that time is rarely observed.
WE SHALL OVERCOME?

Captures the youthful optimisim of peole who knew they were doing the right thing and were willing to spend time in jail for their belief in the equality of human beings. The police mug shots, although very impersonal, convey the moral presence of these young people. The contemporary interviews and photos give the reader a glimpse of another era. You can also look at this book as an art book......the black and white photos really draw you into the written text. I think this makes a wonderful coffee table book meant to stimulate conversation and would be a great gift for a graduating student during these times when again it seems like our country has lost it's moral compass.

Breach of Peace is a great book for several reasons. It is beautifully designed and printed, with very high-quality reproductions of Etheridge's exceptional contemporary portraits of 1961's freedom riders and of their mug shots, recovered from the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, which had been formed in 1956 to protect the state from Federal encroachments like the recent Brown v. Board of Education decision.

The featured freedom riders' pages display their portraits and mug shots, their stories then and now, and a quote from the interviews which Etheridge conducted as he traveled through the United States to meet them. Each story is moving but the accumulated effect of reading all of the stories is almost breathtaking. Courageous in their youth, these exemplary Americans have gone in many directions but all seem to have dedicated their lives to freedom, education, and equality.

You see in the mug shots dozens of youthful citizens who proudly traveled to Mississippi, knowing they would be arrested and imprisoned, staring with heads held high at the police cameras. There was no shame and little apparent fear, just a confidence that they were engaged in a mighty cause. Of course none of them could have imagined that these mug shots would have been preserved and found more than forty years later.

The juxtaposition of the mug shots with Etheridge's modern portraits is fascinating. I might find interesting any collection of portraits of people matched with their younger selves. But Etheridge's multitonal black and white pictures are particularly beautiful, and they work incredibly well next to the stark black and white mug shots of 1961.

Breach of Peace is organized chronologically, so that you see how various groups of freedom riders arrived, week after week, in Mississippi, and how the youth movement, first mostly black, led to the later participation of more young whites and then older, already-engaged progressives. At the end of the book, there are a number of extended interviews.

I think this book would be a cherished gift for many people, including teenagers and college students who may be questioning their innate idealism in the presence of what might appear to them to be a cynical and dystopian culture. There have been few books which so successfully allow us to observe dozens of people, initially attracted to participate in a seemingly impossibly challenging confrontation with racism, who have committed their lives to improving our society.

I confess that I am a major afficionado of B. Traven. My politics have mellowed over the years but I enjoy Traven's political perspective. I believe B. Traven was an ararchist at heart. He attacked big government and big business as evil but saw the uncorrupted individual as nobel and good. In the rural Mexican Indian community he found, for himself, the most ideal form of government he had ever encountered. His Jungle Books were a tale of conflict between good and evil; peasant and capitalism. His book, The Bridge in the Jungle, is his ode to the Indian peasant community. He brings us into their midst throught his vagabond American who stumbles upon a small village at the time a tragedy is unfolding. A young boy has drowned and we witness their suffering and their coming together. We see the corruption of their society by misunderstood influences from the outside world. The example I remember best is the musician who, when asked to play something during the funeral march, comes up with "Yes We have no Bananas". Neither the musician nor anyone else except our American narrator comprehends the total inappropriateness of the song. All in all, a beautiful story of a disappearing society.

By chance I came upon Traven at the library when I noted that he had authored "Treasure of Sierra Madre," a film classic that I automatically associate with Hollywood's old Bogey.

Not knowing anything more than that I picked-up "The Bridge in the Jungle," and what I found most fascinating was finding a story that so honestly stripped away cultural biases and opened a window to another universe. It revealed the dignity of a community dealing with death of a young boy in an obscure jungle town in early nineteenth century Mexico, and it also provided a vivid account of a proud Aztec culture on the threshold of extinction.

I wish I could see more modern American writers, who, like Traven, would more readily examine how cultural biases skew our understanding and appreciation of the quiltwork of cultures that inhabit our amazing World.

In this book, Traven captures the essence of comunity life in a village in the jungles of southern Mexico. I use the term "village" loosely. The community is described in the book as a nameless group of huts beside a nameless river.

An American identified only as Gale travels to this remote place to hunt alligators. He looks up an old acquaintance named Sleigh (a minor character who deserves to have an entire book devoted to him). Sleigh welcomes him and gives him a place to stay.

On the second evening of Gale's stay, Sleigh and Gale attend a community dance in the yard of one of the huts. During the festivities, a young mother searches for her child, casually at first and then frantically. The entire community and the neighboring communities soon join in the search. Hours later, all hope of finding the boy alive is gone.

The narrator, Gale, observes the interactions and rituals and meditates upon each detail. Thinking upon the poverty-stricken but emotionally-rich lives within this simple community, he challenges organized religion and society to come up with something better.

In this book, tragedy brings into sharp focus the most meaningful aspects of life, death, grief and community. For a book which takes 36 chapters to cover a three-day period, it is surprisingly fast-paced. Traven expresses the deepest of concepts and most poignant of emotions in remarkably simple language. His book is nothing short of a humanist masterpiece.

This book was dedicated by Traven to the mothers of the world. It is a cold, crude and, at the same time, compasionate and tender view on a child's death and the terrible, extreme pain it produces on his mother. It also describes the quite particular, "uncontaminated" and honest reaction the event creates among a small Indian community in Chiapas. All this is told by Gales, the main character, an American adventurer that hardly tries to undertand what is actually going on and how he feels about it.

Although the plot is very simple, this novel has some passages of an extraordinary literary intensity. It is also full of irony and sometimes sarcasm too.

Well, it can be said The Bridge in the Jungle is a sad, tragic novel but it is beautifully written and that is what matters.

"The Bridge in the Jungle" is one of those strange books you don't know how to respond to at first. On one hand it's absolutely tragic and, on the other, it's filled with some of the funniest passages imaginable. More or less condensed into a twenty-four hour period, Traven describes how an Indian community bands together, sometimes with folly but often with strength, when a young boy disappears into the bush.

Throughout the story Traven gives an intimate account of peasant life in southern Mexico, nevering missing a detail of how the campesinos live, think and act. In fact the narrative is filled with so many astute observations that you feel, at times, Traven works better as an anthropologist than as a novelist.

But, unfortunately, some of these observations sound a little sentimental. It's the only work by Traven that seems to run in circles, at times even becoming boring. He praises the spiritualism of Indians one too many times and focusses on their diet rather than moving on with the plot.

He does, however, redeem himself with the character of Sleigh, an expat who's made the jungle his home. He's like a good-natured version of Kurtz -- wise, crazy, but harmless.

On top of all this, Traven makes his usual attacks against the oil industry and organized religion.

If you enjoyed any of his "jungle books," then gives this one a read.

Excellent book! Some events bring me back to my childhood years growing up in the Bay area.

Frank Chin's collection of essays is magnificent. The book is a course in itself on the authenticity of the Chinese-American experience in American culture. Chin's ideas are well researched, even scholarly in origin, but they are presented in ways that are eminently accessible. Each of the essays is provocative of the reader's thinking. I loved the essay on "Lowe Hoy & the 3 Legged Toad", for its exposition of strategy in Chinese social experience, and for its use of authentic Cantonese colloquialisms in his interviewees' speech.

I love the essays of Frank Chin. I just wished that the editor would put in "Racist Love" in this anthology. Anyway, this book is a treat because you'll have a commentary of Sun Tzu's ART OF WAR. Over and over again I've heard Chin mention how well ART OF WAR reflects Asian thinking. Well, it's now available to you guys, written by Frank Chin himself!

This book is a work of art. I loved every page of it. Thank you Mr. Chin

There is no question that when it comes to specific, focused cultural criticism, Frank Chin has the task nailed down. I don't know the time frame spanned by these essays, but in terms of content they cover all the bases. Any student of Asian-American history and culture can profit from Chin's sometimes tongue-in-cheek, sometimes frightfully serious analysis of several aspects of the Asian-American experience. Chin deals with immigration/migration; gang subcultures; folk history and mythology; and others. But the thing that makes this book so impressive, beyond its coverage, is Chin's writing style -- fast and loose, comfortable and razor-sharp. The jacket describes him as a "literary gangster" -- never have I heard a more apt description of an author. He wrangles words from the oral histories he obtains and makes them work for him. But he is a respectful gangster -- the subjects of his interviews seem open, warm to him and to his neverending questions. The text can get heavy at times, but this is a function of the content it taps. A very, very powerful book.

That's the driving spirit behind this wonderful book -- Texas' missing National Park.

At one time, in the early 1930s, the National Park Service was looking at a national park at least 150,000 acres, and as much as 1 million acres, for Texas' Panhandle caprock. That's right, 1 million acres -- 1,600 square miles or so.

What happened? Don't blame the Depression; the NPS bought land in Texas at the tail end of the Depression to create Big Bend.

Lack of political will and a dime-store solution on the cheap are what happened.

After helping the state of Texas create Palo Duro Canyon State Park -- around 15,000 acres, not 150,000, let alone 1 million -- the NPS simply didn't carry that through. So all we have today is Palo Duro and another dime-sized state park, Caprock Canyons (Copper Breaks is not a canyon, per se, and it's not in the Caprock).

Flores, who once had a rough-it/hippie house in Yellow House Canyon, on one of the Caprock forks of the Brazos River, knows this land intimately and personally -- including the vast majority of the Caprock still in private hands.

Read this intimate account of what many of you may be missing who haven't visited either of the two state parks in Texas' Panhandle, and for those of you who have been to Palo Duro but not explored the rest of the Caprock, see what could have been -- and what Flores dreams still could be.

I paid over-due fines on this book twice at the Austin library...I wouldn't return it until I was finished. It was worth it though. Flores writes in simple terms and speaks from the heart. This book educated me while causing me to reflect on my life...Imprinted DNA from old relatives...I've believed this for years.

it might not be fair to comment, but i haven't read this book. nevertheless i was flying to san francisco from miami the other day and as the pilot mentioned that we just passed over texico, nm i noticed one of the most arresting sights i have ever seen from a plane.

seemingly endless plains, farmed into a quilted patchwork of green squares and circles, abruptly dissolved into a brownish red fractal universe.

at 34.946 north 103.438 west is one of the most striking features. you can check it out online at the terraserver or on any map program. of course they could never do justice to what it really looks like. i've been obsessing over this area for a few days now, although i hope it'll pass before i crank out bucks for yet another book i don't really need.

I paid over-due fines on this book twice at the Austin library...I wouldn't return it until I was finished. It was worth it though. Flores writes in simple terms and speaks from the heart. This book educated me while causing me to reflect on my life...Imprinted DNA from old relatives...I've believed this for years.

Having lived in the Caprock area of Texas for a few years I never knew what history and hidden geography were just beyond the flat, flat plain across the highway! After reading this book I must return to the Caprock to discover these things on my own! There is much beyond the state parks that Texans should claim as a part of their heritage and strive to better understand. Get this book and see if you don't agree!

Adrian Louis kicks butt! Ceremonies of the Damned is the best poetry book I've read in years. He's sad and funny at the same time. He sees right through this pile of crap we call "America." I really loved this book. Check out his hilarious "Copulation" poem. Yeah!

Adrian Louis's Ceremonies of the Damned seems to have been written over a relatively short period of time. Louis writes in direct, aggressive and emotional voice, making extensive use of line breaks to emphasize words or phrases. He incorporates slang and profanity into his work and, while this is sometimes excessive, generally he chooses specific words or phrases because they communicate exactly the idea or emotion he wishes to communicate -- not for their shock value. His writing appears to be well-disciplined and well-focused. Louis demonstrates an ironic sense of humor. This humor, while enjoyable, is clearly used to make a point. For example, in "Dead Rez Land Dream" (47-48), Louis lays a scenario of an Indian man surrounded by cavalry who are shooting at him from all sides. He gleefully relates, "I only have a bow, but then a miracle happens./ I whip out a Thompson submachine gun/ with a huge wheel clip and start to/ mow the bluecoats down." This boyish wish to beat impossible odds is related in a humorous way, but it communicates the despair that would be felt by the Indian trapped by cavalry without a machine gun. Ceremonies of the Damned is a tightly-focused, well-constructed poetic work. The writing style is well-disciplined, coherent and easily understood. His manner is aggressive and emotional. His writing is rich in meaning and rewards careful reading.

Ceremonies of the Damned literally knocked the air from my lungs. One of the harshest and most beautiful poetry books I have ever read. Get it!

Ceremonies of the Damned by Adrian Louis is truly a collection of poems that is wrought with moral destruction. Louis leaves a lot to the imagination. Did he really sleep with his student Serena? He never really answers this. He lets the reader's imagination run. And what about his wife's Alzheimer's? How do you blame a man for being unfaithful to a woman who is just a shell of the woman he once loved(?). This collection of poetry is some of the best poetry that I have ever read. Louis paints a horrifying picture of reservation life that is decorated ever so slightly with a love for his wife that keeps his guilt alive and strong. I read this book beginning to end several times. Spellbinding!

Adrian Louis's Ceremonies of the Damned is a book wrought from love so rare that it destroys down to the last particle the image of the emotionless Indian man. It is the personal tragic journey of dealing with the tragedy of losing one's life partner to a debilitating disease, Altzheimers, and is a pain-filled love story. Ceremonies is the best book of poetry written by a Native American man in the whole history of native literature. It begins with the human contradicitions in character in a poem entitled "Petroglyphs of Serena," in which Louis documents an affair. The stage is set for what comes later. We have to question if the disease that afflicts his wife is a direct result of infidelity? Maybe. Without this preface, though, I believe, we would elevate Louis to sainthood. In the end, without this poem, we as readers would not be privey to the real human contradictions at work in Ceremonies. There are implications to our own lives. The last poem, too, is a remarkable testimony of human resiliency wherein Louis, despite his pain, is still able to ask if there is still the possibility of love. Between the two ends of this spectrum are: beauty, pain, tragedy, and anger. Louis is a fine-tuned poet that pulls you from laughter to tears in a few lines. I read this book from front to back in one sitting; I could not put it down. When I finished reading it, I wept.

Cherokee Sister is a historical fiction story about two girls from different backgrounds that form a lasting friendship. Allie McAllister is white and comes from a farming family that is struggling to make it during hard times. She has only one dress to wear and has difficulty reading. Leaf Sweetwater is a Cherokee Indian. She is raised by her grandmother who owns the trading post used by the Cherokee people. Leaf can read and has manyy nice clothes to wear. Despite their many differences Allie and Leaf become the best of friends. The two girls like to play in the sunshine, Allie doesn't hed her mother's warning to wear her bonnett and is getting "as brown as your dog". One Sunday, Allie slips out of church to visit Leaf at the trading post. While at Leaf's house Allie notices the beautiful white animal skin dress Leaf has in her closet. Allie puts on the dress and here is where the adventure begins. While wearing the dress an army captain comes to the door to take the Cherokee Indians away to The Dark Land. Allie is mistaken to be a "half-breed". Allie is taken along with Leaf's family down the Trail of Tears. Allie and Leaf's friendship strengthens as they make this journey together.

Cherokee Sister is a historical fiction story about two girls from different backgrounds that form a lasting friendship. Allie McAllister is white and comes from a farming family that is struggling to make it during hard times. She has only one dress to wear and has difficulty reading. Leaf Sweetwater is a Cherokee Indian. She is raised by her grandmother who owns the trading post used by the Cherokee people. Leaf can read and has manyy nice clothes to wear. Despite their many differences Allie and Leaf become the best of friends. The two girls like to play in the sunshine, Allie doesn't hed her mother's warning to wear her bonnett and is getting "as brown as your dog". One Sunday, Allie slips out of church to visit Leaf at the trading post. While at Leaf's house Allie notices the beautiful white animal skin dress Leaf has in her closet. Allie puts on the dress and here is where the adventure begins. While wearing the dress an army captain comes to the door to take the Cherokee Indians away to The Dark Land. Allie is mistaken to be a "half-breed". Allie is taken along with Leaf's family down the Trail of Tears. Allie and Leaf's friendship strengthens as they make this journey together.

Cherokee Sister is a historical fiction story about two girls from different backgrounds that form a lasting friendship. Allie McAllister is white and comes from a farming family that is struggling to make it during hard times. She has only one dress to wear and has difficulty reading. Leaf Sweetwater is a Cherokee Indian. She is raised by her grandmother who owns the trading post used by the Cherokee people. Leaf can read and has many nice clothes to wear. Despite their many differences Allie and Leaf become the best of friends. The two girls like to play in the sunshine, Allie doesn't hed her mother's warning to wear her bonnett and is getting "as brown as your dog". One Sunday, Allie slips out of church to visit Leaf at the trading post. While at Leaf's house Allie notices the beautiful white animal skin dress Leaf has in her closet. Allie puts on the dress and here is where the adventure begins. While wearing the dress an army captain comes to the door to take the Cherokee Indians away to The Dark Land. Allie is mistaken to be a "half-breed". Allie is taken along with Leaf's family down the Trail of Tears. Allie and Leaf's friendship strengthens as they make this journey and endure many hardships together.

Historical fiction about the Trail of Tears describes the friendship of a teenaged Cherokee girl, Leaf, and her Georgian 12 year old best friend, Allie. When soldiers arrive to drive the Cherokee Nation to Oklahoma in 1838, they mistake Allie for a Cherokee and take her with them. The reader sees the forced march through the eyes of Allie. Allie's Dad finds the trail of beads she has dropped like Hansel's pebbles in Hansel and Gretel and rescues Allie and Leaf. Leaf's grandmother is a strong female role model, a businesswoman, knowledgeable about medicinal herbs, and courageous and generous. Her love pervades the novel, providing strength to herself and everyone. Provides insight into Native American and "white" pioneer American family values, and customs of the time. Includes an explanatory author's note describing the historical background and her connection to the Trail of Tears.

This is a wonderful way for a child to learn about a time in our history that is not taught the way it should be. The beautiful friendship of Allie and Leaf was touching. This shows children that although racism has been around for a long time, even then there were people willing to stand up agoinst it.I would encourage any child that is learning about this part of history to read Cherokee Sister. It gives an extememly realistic picture of the way life was at that time, the lack of medical knowledge, communication, and the importance of family. Keep the tissues close!

As a teacher, and one who is sensitive and well aware of Native American lives and cultures, all I can say is BUY THIS BOOK!

A good survey of native kids' lives, activities that emphasizes their ongoing cultural contributions to life in the multicultural climate of today's America. Great color photos, text at about third grade level, this ought to shatter stereotypes right and left. Glossary, resource guide included.

As a teacher I have always been interested in exploring the diverse history of Native Americans with my students but have been unable to locate a book that is both educational and fun...until now. Children of Native America today is a book that engages young people while showing them how Native American children are as diverse and heterogeneous as any other group. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in teaching young students about Native Americans.

The collaborative effort of Yvonne Wakim Dennis and Arlene Hirschfelder, Children Of Native America Today introduces young readers to the lives and cultures of Native Americans all across the nation. Ranging from the Ojibway and Cherokee peoples, to the Pueblo and native Hawaiians, Children Of Native America Today is enhanced with color photographs illustrating an outstanding survey which broadly touches upon a variety of different Native American tribes and cultures -- rather than going for an in-depth on any particular one. Careful attention to what life is really like, and emphasizing the importance of not allowing stereotypes to cloud one's judgement, make Children Of Native America Today a highly recommended addition to school and community library Native American Studies collections for young readers.

As the authors explain in their preface, the goal of this book is to break stereotypes about Native Americans -- and it does this very well. All too often we think of Native Americans only in terms of powwows and costumes, and then only the "war bonnets" or beaded buckskin dresses of the Plains tribes. Some of the children in this book are wearing native dress (in many different styles) for traditional occasions, but they also wear modern clothes for everyday activities like sports, hiking, fun on the playground, etc.

In the Forward by folksinger Buffy St. Marie (whose music first raised my awareness of Native issues back in the 1970s), she correctly points out that every child belongs to at least one culture, but that children are not ONLY their cultures. "Even kids from the most traditional Native backgrounds have much in common with other children," she writes. "They have families, they grow and change every day, they love and work and play."

There are over 500 Native tribes in the United States, each of which has its own language and customs. This book covers 25 tribes representative of the various geographical areas, from Maine to Hawaii, with a map showing their locations. There's also a section on urban communities. (Which city has the largest Native population? New York!)

The authors describe their photo essay as "a book of few words and many pictures." The bright, colorful photos are indeed fabulous, and the "few words" are well-chosen. Each tribe gets a two-page spread, with child-friendly facts about history and daily activities that range from sports (Lacrosse is originally a Native game) to harvesting clams, making maple syrup, riding horses or carving totem poles. Sidebars give the total population of each group, its geogrphical location(s), and names of some famous people. Throught the bookj, the focus is always on things that children do, with lessons about about diversity, respect, tolerance, ecology, and other issues gently woven in and not at all preachy. I myself learned a lot myself from reading this book, and the photo on page 11 finally cleared up the mystery about an odd old tool I found on my hobby farm -- it's a "comb" for harvesting cranberries!

There is also a teacher's activity and resource guide (sold separately) that goes with this book. The Guide has biographies of contemporary members of various Native groups, with suggested investigative activities focusing on that person's accomplishments and/or expertise. For example, the page on Lori Aviso Alvord, the first Navajo woman surgeon, has a discussion of traditional forms of holistic healing, and suggestions for investigating different healing approaches used in the world today. Taken together, the activities in the Guide cover the whole gamut of contributions that Native Americans have made in all areas of society and life.

The authors are currently working on another diversity book about children's ceremonies around the world. (In fact, that's how I learned about this book. Author Yvonne Dennis queried me for details about a traditional hair-cutting ceremony for Hasidic boys. I was very impressed that she actively sought to include Jewish children, because so many diversity projects do not see Jews as a culture.) The goal of their new book will be to help children relate to each other through learning about the ways that children are special in each culture. I look forward to reading it when it comes out.

The book Children of the longhouse is a great historical fiction book by joseph Bruchac. Even though i'm only eleven years old it is a greatbook for all children, even adults. My mom read the book with me and thought it was a great book too! Well the Children of the Longhouse is about a boy and girl twins, like me. Other Native Americans and the boy love Tekwaarathon (Day-ghaah-la-lot), also known as lacrosse.I gave Children of the longhouse four stars because it was not the best book of all but it was the best book I ever read!

I read "Children of the Longhouse" aloud to my fourth grade classes each year as a wonderful springboard to teach NYS Native American history in alignment with NYS Social Study Standards. The story-line holds the interest of the students and is packed with historical information and Native American customs and culture that the children are interested in and retain. It also peaks the students interest to investigate present Native American issues. Reading this book is a pleasant way to learn about a valuable topic.

The Children of the Longhouse is a great historical fiction book by Joseph Bruchac. The Children of the Long house is about twins. The main two characters are the to twins they are boy girl twins. The boy loves love Tekwaarathon also known as lacrose. Even thuogh I;m only ten years old, my mom and I read children of the Longhouse together. my mom and I loved the book so I gave it 5 stars.

If you like books about Native Americans, I recommend this book. In the Iroquois culture they would play a game called Tekwaarathon, which is lacrosse, for people who are sick to make them feel better. In this book it works!

Children of the Longhouse is a thrilling book about a Native American boy named Ohkwa're and his twin sister Otsi:stia. Ohkwa'ri overhears some boys planning to start a battle with the Anen:taks, a neighboring tribe. He told on them and saved his village from a war. Wanting revenge, the boys bully him and soon put his life in danger. You should read this book because it's exciting and I couldn't put it down when I started reading it. Also, I learned about the daily lives of the Mohawks. It was interesting how they played sports, how they used plants to make medicine and how they celebrated holidays. The end was suspenseful and I would recommend this book for kids to read.