From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-- Hoyt-Goldsmith and Migdale continue their fine series of photo essays of Native American children with this title featuring 10-year-old Bridget Russell, a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. The book contains an impressive variety of information, rendering it more useful for report writing than one might assume from the format and brevity. Cherokee history is covered, explaining how the people got to Oklahoma from their southern Appalachian homeland and describing how the Cherokee Nation governs its citizens today from the its capital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Bridget then introduces her family and traditions such as basket making, blowgun making, and crawdad hunting. Each of these brief sections is enhanced by superb photographs, and the captions present additional information. The Cherokee alphabet is included, as is a recipe for the traditional "hog fry" that is served at the stomp dance. Another valuable effort from this team that is highly recommended for public, school, and tribal libraries. --Lisa Mitten, University of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
An engaging look at the history, traditional culture, and current way of life of our second-largest Native American group, narrated by Bridget, a ten-year-old from northeastern Oklahoma. Beginning with the ``Trail of Tears'' (the removal of the Cherokees from their Eastern homelands), the book describes present-day tribal organization and introduces Bridget's family and the traditional skills practiced by her grandparents. There's an interesting discussion of the Cherokee language, with a display of its graceful syllabary and several Cherokee words, and a legend about a boastful possum; the author also highlights the stomp dance, an important ceremonial gathering. An excellent addition to this team's highly regarded series of photoessays on ethnic groups (Hoang Anh: A Vietnamese-American Boy, 1992). Many good color photos; map; glossary; index. (Nonfiction. 7-11) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
