Customer Reviews

Indian Shoes

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My response to INDIAN SHOES is similar to my reaction to Smith's other two books, JINGLE DANCER and RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME. It is rare to find realistic fiction that captures the lives of today's Native people----stories that present us as we are, not in some mystical, romantic, exotic or savage way. (We are a Pueblo Indian family.) Smith's stories and her fine command of her craft is a treasure in our home. Her stories make us laugh, give us quiet moments for thought, uplift us. As a professor of children's literature, I highly recommend INDIAN SHOES to pre-service and practicing teachers and librarians, and parents who seek literature that provides an authentic look at Native people.

My daughter (age 6) and I loved this book, which is about the relationship between a young boy and his grandfather. What was nice about it was the unexpectedness of it. It was not the usual school or historical stories written for this age group. Rather, they are just quirky unusual tales. I also think it is great that Ms. Leitich Smith presents Native Americans not only as traditional, ritualistic people who sit around telling allegorical stories, but as a living, breathing group. As such, this book is the perfect antidote to the usual "Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims" fare. My daughter lost her grandfather a few years ago, but Indian Shoes captures the essence of that relationship and is wonderful! We won't soon forget Ray and Grandpa Halfmoon.

Ray and Grampa Halfmoon share the kind of relationship every kid should have with a grandparent, somebody who's there for you in good times and goofy ones, somebody who always tries to understand how you feel. This collection of contemporary Native American stories is funny and fun, but a underlying is a real heartfelt and wholesome love. Musical writing and gorgeous illustrations. Set in Chicago and Oklahoma, this beautifully crafted book is a great choice for third and fourth graders.

Indian Shoes is an astonishing achievement that captures, in lyrical and sometimes magical language, the spirit and love that bonds Ray and his Grampa Halfmoon. Divided eloquently into episodes that explores their relationship and how they must bond their hearts and souls in order to retain their trust and faith and love in each other, Indian Shoes, in simple, yet powerful language, is a must read for all ages. From easing Grampa's homesickness, to figuring out how how to save the animals during a Christmas power outtage, these characters are complex-driven, fighting to retain the courage and love they have for each other while still maintaining their spiritual Native American connections. Heartfelt, almost poetic in its language, and full of moments of humor and pathos, Indian Shoes is a perfect read!

In this collection of six tales about a boy and his grandfather, Ray Halfmoon goes to live with his Grampa Halfmoon in Chicago after Ray's parents were killed in a tornado. They used to live in Oklahoma, and still visit Uncle Leonard and Aunt Wilhelmina once in a while, but Ray can tell that Grampa Halfmoon is very homesick and would like to go to Oklahoma more often. In the title story of these six tales, their beat-up old pickup truck has finally broken down --- there's no way it will take them to Oklahoma. Ray can't do anything about the truck and he can't afford to buy a bus ticket, so Ray is trying to figure out some way to help ease Grampa's homesickness. Would a new pair of Seminole moccasins help? Does Ray have enough money to buy them?

These short stories are written for younger readers who like rhythms and repetition in what they read. The book is divided into episodes about the lives of Ray and his Grampa Halfmoon. It shows their love for each other, and how they try to do things to help each other. Ray learns the lesson of sticking with things that he starts. And both he and Grampa have to figure out how to help the animals they're taking care of during the Christmas holidays when the electricity goes out. Eventually, Ray learns what the biggest thing in life is --- even bigger than the biggest bass in the lake.

--- Reviewed by Tamara Penny

Indian Shoes by Cynthia Leitich Smith is a find -- one of those books that expresses the rhythms of real life as lived by a believable family. It reminded me of a) the Ramona books, and b) the kinds of stories families can tell each other at reunions or around the dinner table -- full of subtle humor and loving detail. Though they have known tragedy, its aftermath does not define the way this boy and his grandfather live. The book is partly about having your heart in two places (in this case, Chicago and rural Oklahoma), partly about helping your neighbors, partly about feeling a little "different" but knowing you belong to both family and community. I hope we'll be hearing more from Ray and Grampa Halfmoon.

This collection of short stories about Ray and his Grampa Halfmoon is entertaining, heart-warming, and fun. The first story has to do with Ray wanting to buy a pair of moccasins for his Grampa because it reminds him of the old days, but a someone else seems to want to buy them, too. The second is an amusing tale of Ray being a ring-bearer in a wedding. The third, my personal favorite, is a Christmas tale of Ray and Grampa caring for their many neighbors' pets. There are three more stories as well. Each story is filled with poetic descriptions that bring clearly to the mind of the reader the sights, sounds, and smells of Ray's world. The characters are real and each tale made me smile at the end. Very sweet with a touch of humor. As with her picture book, JINGLE DANCER, and her novel, RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME, Cynthia Leitich Smith uses lyrical language that makes her stories sing and her characters shine. I look forward to reading this book with my daughter.

Indian Shoes is a great children's book in that it is simple to read and understand as well as gives a great depiction of what the life is like for the modern Native American. What I really liked was that the book was divided in to several chapters that end up being short stories that all connect to each other. This book was different from many others that usually talk about Native Americans. Instead of being a history or cultural lesson, the book follows a young boy and his grandfather. It talks about everyday situations that any young person could be involved with/relate to such as baseball games, family visits, etc. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a young child (early education group). This is a great start for a young child to read about Native Americans and to break the current stereotypes of what people assume Native Americans to be. It's great practice for reading in general as well as something not usually taught, especially at such a young age. I would not recommend this book for someone above the elementary age level since the book may be too easy of read. However, I would recommend this book if you are doing research on children's literature and want to include this one, specifically a text centering around Native Americans. I would not necessarily recommend this a leisure read for older kids/students simply because it is specifically designed for a younger audience so it would be less of a challenge for them to read and also it is not as informative as a more advanced text would be as to the actual history and culture.

In this book Ray Halfmoon lives with his Grandfather. It is a collection of 6 short stories about their lives as Seminole-Cherokee living in Chicago. These stories are enduring and heart warming. The stories are:

Indian Shoes
Don't Forget The Pants!
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
The Accident
Team Colors
Night Fishing

From stories about pants not being delivered with a tux for a wedding, to a Christmas menagerie, these stories will be fun to read as a family again and again. You will find yourself rooting for Ray, and surprised by his grandfather's kindness, gentleness and ingenuity in solving problems and making things right. It is a wonderful book by an amazing author.

"Indian Shoe" is the book that shows the light at the end of a dark tunnel. There is life and hope after a disaster! This book is a story of a beautiful relationship between a boy "Ray" and his grandfather. The author of this book, artistically, pictures the current lives of Native Americans in the mind of the readers. Although there are complexities in this book, there is a unique simplicity and a calming tone to it which makes it a "good read". The reader will go through different emotions including sadness and humor while reading this book.
The six tales of this book make it an "easy read" as well. As a teacher and a school librarian, I recommend this book to my student. It also makes a great gift from a grandfather.