The Legend of Blue Jacket [Hardcover]

Michael P. Spradlin (Author), Ronald Himler (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

He was only sixteen when the Shawnee Indians took him from his home. But he wasn't captured. He went willingly. And, after many years of proving his bravery in battle against the colonists, he was named war chief of the Shawnee. His name was Blue Jacket.

Here, told in riveting narrative and stunning, historically accurate illustrations, is the incredible story of a white boy who spent the first sixteen years of his life among white settlers and the rest of his life fighting them.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-4-There was a Shawnee chief named Blue Jacket who was a great military leader in the late-18th and early-19th centuries, fighting alongside his people and the British against American settlers. That much seems documented. That he may or may not have been the son of a Virginia farmer, captured in his early teens seems more speculative. That he was a settler who left his family and culture behind willingly and excitedly "to see the land I had always wondered about," and that he grew into a warrior who fought relentless, bloody wars against his former people does not ring emotionally true in this fictionalized history of the man who could have been Blue Jacket. The author seems to stretch to avoid certain issues-the terror, hardship, and loneliness, and the inevitable wrench that joining another culture prompts, whether that defection is forcible or chosen. Although this book is clearly a well-researched labor of love, beautifully and accurately illustrated with Himler's paintings, the author glosses over the essential story.
Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. Spradlin raises an interesting question: Was the Shawnee war chief Blue Jacket actually Marmaduke Van Swearingen, who was abducted from his American pioneer family at age 16? A preface explains the difficulty of tracking a life with few written records. Only one source is specified, but the author summarizes conflicting theories regarding Blue Jacket's identity and explains why he thinks the abduction theory rings true. Patching the few known facts together with some of the legends, this first-person narrative chronicles the career of Blue Jacket, from his kidnapping to the end of the American Revolution. Readers see the colonial western expansion through Blue Jacket's eyes. An afterword summarizes his impressive military record and defeat at Fallen Timbers, notes the changes in his family, and records the fate of the Shawnee people. The many watercolor illustrations that depict the lush Ohio Valley forests and Shawnee villages put this in the category of picture books for older children. Good supplementary material for history and multicultural units, this attractive biography will also attract browsers. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (October 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688158358
• ISBN-13: 978-0688158354
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,724,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael P. Spradlin is the author of more than a dozen books for children, some of which have actually been published. He grew up in a small town in Michigan not far from the Indiana border, which may explain his irrational fear of Hoosiers. (Both the inhabitants of the state of Indiana and the movie starring Gene Hackman).

Surrounded by books in his formative years, he grew up loving to read, imagining himself the hero of numerous epic battles and indulging in his favorite pastime, which was smuggling fireworks across the Ohio border so that he could blow up his collection of Plastic Green Army Men and Matchbox Cars.

Michael is the author The Youngest Templar trilogy, The Spy Goddess series, and several picture books including the award winning Daniel Boone's Great Escape.

When not writing, he enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with his family and worrying over the fact that he really should be writing instead of doing other stuff. He lives in Michigan with his wife Kelly, son Michael, daughter Rachel and two dogs Willow and Apollo

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Legend of Blue Jacket - just a legend?, December 19, 2002

By 

Constance Sanders (Camp Lejeune, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Legend of Blue Jacket (Hardcover)

This wonderful legend is truly a work of art, both by the author and the illustrator. I bought this for my grandchildren, but truly enjoyed reading it myself. The preface states it is just a legend, and that there was not much recorded in historical archives about Blue Jacket, but the way the author portrays this great warrior makes you feel like you are living during those times. One of the benefits of reading this story to my grandchildren was the fact that they began to ask questions about MORE people in history who lived during that time. Another trip to the book store!

The art work is truly amazing and you can tell that the artist loved his job on this one. All in all, this was a wonderful story with moving pictures. Absolutely perfect for a quiet afternoon.

Thank you, Mr. Spradlin - I wait anxiously for your second book.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Welcome addition to a child's library, December 21, 2002

By 

Chet C. Kapusinski (Mason, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Legend of Blue Jacket (Hardcover)

The Legend of Blue Jacket, a children's book, and fictional account that parallels the belief, and lore, surrounding the life and times of Shawnee chief Blue Jacket. It is the author's portrayal, to a children's audience, of one side, of a somewhat controversial story and character of American history. The controversy stems from accounts portraying Blue Jacket as white man captured, and rising to power in the Shawnee tribe. Others, mainly of Indian decent refute this story. This little book is very well written and illustrated. It presents a child's story that is easily read, and will inspire young readers to further investigate the story and legendary figure of American and Indian history. I recommend the book highly, and think it deserves a place in any child's library

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book which may be close to the real story., July 13, 2003

By 

Richard L. Pangburn (Bardstown, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Legend of Blue Jacket (Hardcover)

I just received this from Amazon.com, read it, and find that it is exactly what it claims to be, a marvelous story based upon the traditions handed down by whites and Shawnee descendants alike. Shawnee Chief Charles Bluejacket believed it himself.

Many of those claiming to descend from Chief Blue Jacket do not descend from him at all, of course, because there was more than one Blue Jacket--many of them, in fact. The DNA tests that one militant group of Shawnees descendants uses for their political claims were interesting but not definitive, because although you can document Oklahoma and Kansas Bluejacket DNA, you cannot document Chief Blue Jacket's DNA unless you somehow ascertain where the old chief was buried and dig him up.

I worked with Mrs. Norma Luallen on the Bluejacket family genealogy and we were both aware of the holes in the Shawnee genealogies, the lack of solid documentation now leaped over by some of the most vocal and militant of the Shawnees trying to shout down any other opposing viewpoint to their own.

The fact is, there were many, many whites among the Shawnees and the THE LEGEND OF BLUE JACKET serves as a common and composite story of some of their documented experiences. No white Shawnee chiefs? There seem to have been a great number of them including, among others, adopted Joshua Rennick (Chief Wryneck), adopted Chief Joseph Parks, adopted Chief Lewis Rogers, and according to Randolph Noe, the late Shawnee historian and bibliographer, adopted Chief Stephen Ruddle.

I'm a genealogist who has specialized in Native American genealogies for over thirty years...I've seen all of the evidence mentioned by other reviewers, and then some. There was more than one Blue Jacket, for it was a Shawnee concept name, part of a parable involving an animal--probably a blue jay, the bird with the blue jacket--and was carried by many individuals at different times.

This is a great story for children, a well told legend, magnificently illustrated, in easy-to-read type and inspiring language. And although it may not be literally true--no historical fiction is--there still may be more value in it than some reviewers have allowed.

Richard L. Pangburn