Youth Books

When he begins his journey to manhood, a young Lakota boy is given a Gift Horse by his father, who had brought some new horses back from a trading visit with the Cheyenne. Flying Cloud names the horse Storm and the two become the best of friends. Storm is so fast that the boy is named Flying Cloud by the people. The two play games together and when Flying Cloud becomes lost in a raging prairie blizzard it is Storm that gets him home. Most of this story tells of not only the adventures of Flying Cloud and Storm, but also of what it was like for a young Lakota boy preparing to enter manhood. The climax of the story comes when a group of Crow, the enemies of the Lakota, steal most of the horses from Flying Cloud's tribe, including Storm.

S. D. Nelson is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in the Dakotas, and Flying Cloud was the name of his great-great grandfather. In an extensive Author's Note in the back of "Gift Horse," Nelson explains about the history of the Lakota (including how history books ended up calling them the Sioux instead) and focuses on the importance of horses in the culture of the Plains Indians and the rite of passage by which a Lakota boy entered manhood. For young readers who are interesting in finding out more about these subjects, Nelson gives them plenty to look over before they go on to other books or start searching the Internet.

The colorful artwork is done in acrylic paint on a wood panel and is based on the ledger book drawings done by Plains Indian artists done between 1865 and 1935. The bold illustrations will capture the attention of young readers, but the story is impressive as well, especially in terms of how it depicts the life of a young Lakota boy. "Gift Horse" is Nelson's first children's book and since this came out in 1999 he has added "The Star People: A Lakota Story." He has also illustrated other children's book as well, most notably "Crazy Horse's Visions" and "Jim Thorpe's Brightest Path."

This is a beautifully told and illustrated story inspired by the author's great-great grandfather, a Lakota Indian named Flying Cloud. In the story, Flying Cloud earns his name from the way he stirs up dust as he flies across the Plains on Storm, his horse. The relationship between boy and horse inspires several adventures: they get lost in a storm, they hunt buffalo, and when Storm is stolen by Crow horse thieves, Flying Cloud must rescue her. But this is more than the story of a boy and his horse. Nelson also concentrates on Flying Cloud's desire to prove himself and become a great Lakota Warrior. Different aspects of the lifestyle of Plains Indians are depicted, including the buffalo hunt, the sweat lodge, and the vision quest. The illustrations are particularly beautiful, and the writing is both spare and poetic. Highly recommended!

S.D. Nelson's book The Gift Horse is a beautiful story of a young boy's coming of age. The story teaches values of becoming a man that include all nationalities. The illistrations are breath taking. The colors are vibrant and alive. Drawn in the traditional style supports the traditional way of the Native Americans. A new book is Crazy Horse, the Legend

I knew many of the people Laverne talked about in this book. In my teen years, I spent a few weeks staying with my uncle Jiggs Collins. Jiggs lived in Trinidad when I first stayed at his house. He had a wild baby bobcat residing in his living room that winter.

Jiggs introduced me to the songs of Ramblin Jack Elliot. Jiggs was a LADIES man. Lots of ladies loved the old guy. He was one of the nicest and most considerate men I ever met, except that he could not manage to keep appointments. Jiggs's brother Bob said that Jiggs "woke up in a new world every morning." I asked Laverne why she loved Jiggs. She said he was handsome and was a gentle lover. He was not gentle when he killed a bear or rode a horse.

Jiggs moved to Weston and built a stone house at age 60+. He built it from scratch, working the stone then setting it. I miss him.

I agree, this story would make a great movie.

You wouldn't guess at the power of this book from it's size. As finely written as the complicated, intricately tatted lace fancywork Laverne's mother tatted into bleached sugar sacks, "still whole after fifty years." Stories as gripping and gritty as anything Hemingway ever wrote, featuring hailstorms that break every window in the house, treacherous horses, dogs, and rattlesnakes, and scandalous cowboys. Frequent flashes of wise, deep humor, understated and droll, that catches you unawares and leaves you laughing out loud. This was a woman worthy of the name. Would make a terrific movie.

I wish you could all have met Dr. Hanners! Janet Reno wrote to Dr. Hanners praising her mutual memory of growing up wild and free while trying to control nature and nature in the form of a pony. These are real people, many of whom still live in Kenton, Oklahoma, population 52.

Point of Grace is a popular Christian singing group with a particular attraction to teenage girls. As part of their ministry they regularly have conferences called Girls of Grace that are directed at teenage girls. This book is a collection of common questions and answers from those conferences. The questions cover a vast area of concerns from dating, friends, family, boyfriends, love, sex, faith, emotions, and other issues. The end result is a book of Christian based answers and guidance for girls going through common teenage issues. Q & A with Point of Grace is a highly recommended book both for teenage girls and for parents seeking to understand, or remember, the problems of being a teenage girl and how that has changed today.

Being a Christian teenager is sometimes difficult. Often it's hard to be true to your faith and your values when your friends are pressuring you to be part of the crowd. It's hard to say no to temptation. You may also have questions that you just don't feel comfortable asking your parents or your minister.

Q&A with Point of Grace seeks to answer those difficult questions and give young Christian girls advice on how to embrace their faith and uphold their values even when they are tempted to follow the crowd. The members of Christian pop group, Point of Grace answer the questions that real teenage and young adult girls want to know about in an openly and frank manner from a loving Christian point of view. Each answer is also complete with a biblical quote to help reinforce each message.

In this outstanding book we have some real questions and some real answers from our Point of Grace gals, Denise, Shelley, Heather and Leigh.
Questions gathered from teen girls are placed before them. Topics range from, "What do you do if you really like a guy and he doesn't like you back?" to "How do you deal with stress?" The answers are truthful, upfront and are laced with spiritual wisdom. The gals also answer some personal questions, like how did they meet and were all of you friends before you started singing. Very interesting.
This is a neat little book and will really be an asset to a young person whose head is full of why?, what to do?, how come?, and just questions about life in general as they struggle with growing-up. A book that is well worth your attention; one great read that fills a large need.

This book should be required reading for all people of all ages. It covers everything from basic manners to goal setting and methods to achieve any goal. I read this in Jr. High and wish I'd had this book read to me in the cradle. It is applicable to any situation. Buy this book for your child - for yourself! Learn it, know it, live it!

A must read for all parents to give to their children as soon as they are old enough to understand what "attitude" is all about!

I read this book when I was a teen and it had an enormous effect on my concept of what is possible in life. A great graduation present for kids 12 - 18. Although I re-read it when I was older and got benefit then too. I am now 28 and still consider this to be one of the most influential books that changed my attitude when I was growing up

I agree with the thoughts and philosophy in this book. After reading it a spark was lit in my heart. I couldn't wait to go back to my class and use some of the ideas that were suggested in this book!

I agree with the thoughts and philosophy in this book. After reading it a spark was lit in my heart. I couldn't wait to go back to my class and use some of the ideas that were suggested in this book!

I am so glad that Carrie has the voice to speak to those who have and work with children about teaching them that there is more out there to life than video games and tv. Thank you for showing us that God is really Beyond Macaroni and Cheese!

The simplicity of this book is amazing. They say so much with so few words and it is all inspired by the Word of God. It is filled with the practical application of the Word, and I constantly find myself going back to it for reference. At the end of each chapter, there is a section of specific bullets on how you can practically apply all that was talked about in that section.

The book is tiny. It really is about five or six inches tall, about six or seven inches wide and maybe 1.5 or 2 inches thick. So it's portable! Not a bad buy at all.

This book has answered so many of my questions as I search for a clear way to be a Christian in today's world, as a young adult. The chapters like "Arrange Your Priorities" and "Contentment Is Good for the Soul" are arranged in easy to read passages, with great biblical quotes and little suggestions on how to be a better Christian. Some suggestions are easy and will help you right away, some are definitely things to work on and keep in mind for the long haul. I found myself nodding with every passage though- it's so right on! A definite recommend to everyone!

This book is very clear in its message. It gives great advice about how to live a Chritian life. I was very impressed by the straitforwardness of the book. This book is a definate must for both the newest Christian or the oldest beleiver.

I received this book as an eighth grade graduation present. I read a little then, but stopped reading. Recently, I decided I wanted to further my religion studies outside of Sunday school, so I started reading. It is fabulous! There is a little title to describe that page's theme, then a short anecdote relating to the title, and a Bible verse to support it. The passages relate to everything in a teen's life. You can carry it everywhere, too; I took it to the hair stylist yesterday to read while I wait. It is succinct and clear; my only complaint is that there is not a sequel!

God's Little Devotional Book for Teens is an inspiring compilation of short stories intended to motivate the audience, specifically teenagers, to action in life towards striving for a better character and a closer relationship with God without really pushing the religious aspect of the book, which is appealing. This book is unconventional in its methods of incentive for a closer relationship with God because it does not over-emphasize man's humanness and sin; contrarily, this book highlights man's God-given goodness and potential. The stories involved mainly deal with unlikely people achieving "impossible" goals under daunting circumstances. Other stories also within the book have to deal with the qualities that define an admirable individual. Also, throughout the book are scattered noteworthy quotes and uplifting Bible verses that make a lasting impression. I feel that the book is enjoyable and encouraging, and although it is short, it effectively makes its purpose very evident and understandable.

This bok is really awesome. My favorite quote is " When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced, live your life in such a manner, that when you die, you rejoice and the world cries." It really makes you think. I love it!

My childhood memories of Fairbanks (where I was born) of the FE Company (where my father worked), the close-knit community of Alaskan mining families like the Crawfords, the Boswells, the MacDonalds, the Loftuses, and the incredibly beautiful and dangerous arctic were brought back with sharp focus by this amazingly well-researched and -documented account of an extraordinary way of life.

Kathleen Hennessey (nee Doheny--granddaughter of David and Jenny Strandberg)

Even for Alaska Fairbanks is remarkable. The rest of us can see why people live in remote areas of the Interior; they are either in their ancestral home village or solitary sorts who enjoy living off the land. But why do they live in a city where you can frost your lungs in the winter just going to the store for a loaf of bread? This charming memoir of Fairbanks in the 1950s and `60s provides part of the answer.
Isto is careful to state she is not writing a community history, but her father was a mining engineer and later general manager with the FE Company, the firm that restored the gold rush town's fortunes by using dredges to mine gold. Also, various relatives came to Fairbanks, so the extended Crawford family was a good part of local history from the 1920s until the late 1960s.
Life on the mining creeks outside town during the summer for children was delicious freedom to explore, pick berries, admire and beware of wildlife, and generally roll in the grass and play twenty-four hours a day while the grown-ups worked before they could play.
In winter, among other cultural pursuits, her mother, Alta, held a weekly "at home". Guests could take five minutes to divest mukluks, wool stockings, and extra wool headscarves to reveal their socially proper tea-gowns, heels, hose, and white gloves.
The real flavor of the book is in the writing. The author discusses the lessons of honesty, kindness, civic duty, and the work ethic her mother and other women taught their children by examples, then summarizes "...to be reasonably clean once a day, and to work out differences with others while avoiding serious verbal or physical injury. But we were not asked to achieve high-status goals: to be smarter, prettier, or more athletic than our classmates. Our parents did not press vicarious ambitions on us, and we gave little thought to the longings of our parents."
Of her older sister, Jane, when she was a junior in high school. "Jim was engrossed in work, so it was Alta who made sure that Jane knew how to build a wood fire, shoot a rifle, drive a car, behave on a date, and use proper etiquette in formal situations."
At the obligatory teas, women not only had to balance teacups and sit decorously, but chat. "Appropriate conversation included weather, recipes, kindly gossip, upcoming social events, and compliments on clothing. Politics, religion, money, and emotional turmoil were reserved for kitchens, coffee mugs, and a few trusted friends."
On an all-female road trip with her mother and sister. "A hotel that seemed quiet when we rented a room at 7 pm erupted in clamorous joy when the bar opened at 9 pm. A dormitory-style room with a bathroom down the hall seemed worse than eccentric when we discovered that to get to the ladies' toilet it was necessary to first walk through the gentlemen's."
"Local cash registers finally held more paper dollars than silver ones, and the penny drawer was full" nicely sums up the growth of Fairbanks when the military spending hit.
Enough. You're going to have to buy the book yourself to enjoy the gentle wit and humor. You will not regret it. D.L.

The author's father Jim put his expertise in the "technology of gold dredges" to work in forty years employment with the Fairbanks Exploration Company (subsidiary of a larger, global mining company) mining for gold in the northern Alaska wilderness. The city of Fairbanks was the company's headquarters. Although in summer months, the Crawford family would live in rough quarters in the mining fields. The mother, Alta, was capable and spirited in the routines and occasional challenges of the spare or spartan, but not primitive or rough, family life. The successful mining company provided well enough for employees and their families. Roads and railroads connected Fairbanks to the rest of Alaska and beyond. Sarah Isto--now a retired physician--recounts the family life from her perspective as a child with vignettes and also material on the technology and business of mining. A caption of one photo notes the rafts seen in a pond made from the dredging of a giant dredger separating gold out from sludge "support power cables." The author's growth from young child to teen graduating from high school as class valedictorian is paralleled by her father's promotions in the company. The roughly 40 years covered are from the Depression to the Vietnam War with occasional references to these. The memoir is enjoyable for its engaging tone and also its picture of a bygone commercial enterprise in remote areas and the way of life surrounding this.

This has been the most useful book I've found on this subject in 18 years of facilitating adolescent support and therapy groups. The author's clarity, clinical sense, and humor made this a pleasure to read.

MaleKoff's book is an extraordinary resource for any who hope to understand the world of adolescents,and the skills that are necessary to work successfully with them. Malekoff brings to his writing several decades of work with these young adults and he has a profound understanding of the difficult and often frightening world they inhabit.The book is sound counceptually, and refers freely to the literature. Malekoff writes with grace,and empathy, as well as with humor.This particular quality,important for work with all ages, is essential in work with this age group.Malekoff also is a published poet, and the book often uses poetry,his own and that of others,to teach and inform the reader. Work with groups has been neglected for many years, as professionals have tended to find it too difficult and unpredictable. Now, Malekoff has shown us the way, and his book will be of great use for social workers with groups, for teachers, and for others who want to work effectively with these young people.The book also is a powerful testimony to the effectiveness of the group work method of social work practice in serving this population.

Andrew Malekoff does a wonderful job of sharing what real group work is all about. He is humble, has a sense of humor and true appreciation for adolescents. He shares his years of experience and the wisdom he has gained in a generous and very understandable way.

It was full of great stories that make you laugh one second and shiver the next at the thought that these "cute" stories really happened. The book is educational for kids but addictive fun for adults as well. The elephant sitting down on top of their car was scary but hilarious. It was just one of many great adventures. I highly recommend this book.

"Growing Up In Africa" is a book which is entertaining, as well as educational, and one that I couldn't put down. It's about amazing, true-life adventure stories, told through the eyes of the authors' oldest daughter. What a wonderful five-year educational experience this had been for this family! I was most impressed by the way the authors were able to bring every detail to life; I felt as though I was living a lot of their experiences, and believe me, some of them were quite chilling! I especially l-o-v-e-d the story about Chester the monkey who was always charming to everyone until...well...you'll just have to read it for yourself.
My 7 year old granddaughter was especially intrigued with the story about the "The Haunted Yacht", so much so that she has asked me to read all of the stories to her. She's even read a little of it on her own, but said that some of the words were still a little too hard for her. Also, at the end of each story there are questions prefaced by "Did You Know?", that I bet would make a wonderful "must read" book for educators and their students. Are there any teachers out there? This is a MUST read!!!

Sharon F.
Brentwood, CA

I really enjoyed reading this book and the wonderful stories. They really are true stories as my cousin Ginny and husband are the authors. I was facinated and couldn't put the book down until finished. How thrilling too have had such an adventure in this life. I highly recommend this book.

Barbara Bell
Ls Quinta, Ca.