Customer Reviews

Sing Down the Moon

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I am from the four corners area and am wondering about how much research Scott C'Dell did for this book? I have never heard of mesquite growing around here or aspen in Canyon de Chelly or of the pueblo people eating dog meat and...... the owl a GOOD OMEN? I don't think so!!!! Any one from this area that has any knowledge of the Navajo culture knows that OWLS ARE NOT GOOD OMENS!!! I am reading this book with my class and am so frustrated by the fact that such a good author would be so negligent. The other students don't seem to notice the problems that I have with the book, except of course the Navajo students. I was happy to see the reviews from children who agree with what I was thinking. I am an adult student.

The book I read was called Sing Down the Moon. It is about a Navaho girl named Bright Morning. She tells about all the adventures she has had. She tells about when slave traders captured her and what she does. I learned about Navaho life and how the United States soldiers treated Navaho people. The soldiers forced the Navaho people out of their canyon and forced them to walk to Fort Sumner. I liked the book very much. I liked hearing what life was like for the Navahos in the 1860's from the point of view of a girl close to my age. It was very exciting. There was a lot of action. I especially liked the part where Bright Morning and her husband Tall Boy escape the Long Knives. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Navaho history and likes an exciting adventure story.

One morning, while Navaho fourteen year old Bright Morning and her friend Running Bird are out in the fields of their home, Canyon de Chelly, tending sheep, they see strange men approaching. Before they can stop it, Bright Morning is kidnapped by the men, who turn out to be Spanish Slave-holders, and take her to a South-Western town, dominantly Mexican. She is sold as a slave to a Spanish speaking family, where she meets another slave, who can speak her language. Bright Morning tries desperately to find a way to get back to her people. The other slave imprisoned with her tells her the way, and Bright Morning is able to make a narrow escape back to her people. But when she returns, she finds her village under occupation of the "Long Knives", or American soldiers. After she is forsed into an arranged marriage with another Indian, Tall Boy, the Long Knives push the Navaho out of their land- and onto one of the most memorable events in American history- the Trail of Tears. Many all around her suffer and eventually die as they continue to walk on.
A very well written story, and very informative.

Sing Down the Moon, by Scott O'Dell deserves 5 stars.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. Scott O'Dell keeps you on the edge of your seat for the entire book. For example, when a young Navajo girl, Bright Morning, and her friend, Running Bird, were grazing their sheep in the Cannon de Chelly, a few Spaniards come and capture them. They then are taken to a village and sold to two different owners. Somehow they have to find their way back to their village. With very little food and a friend they meet, can they make it back without being captured? Besides that O'Dell makes the story even more interesting when the Spaniards come and trample all of their crops and destroy the Navajo's village. The Navajo's escaped and try to start a new village some where else around the Cannon de Chelly. The Spaniards find out about this and the capture them all and make them walk all the way to Fort Sumner taken prisoners. What makes this book even more interesting is that the story is based on a true event in real life. It is between the Navajo Indians and the United States between 1863 and 1865. The story is mainly about the Spaniards coming and marching the Navajos to Fort Sumner. The journey was about 300 miles. Some 1500 Navajos die at Fort Sumner but the groups who have survived have grown over 100,000 people. Scott O'Dell is able to make history very interesting. He helps show the history of the Navajo Indians that a lot of people overlook. This book is a must-read!

I would reccommend reading Al Capone Does My Shirts and Old Ramon, two great books. My name is Dillon and I am a middle school student.

This is a lyrical and heartbreaking children's novel, treating The Long Walk of the Navajo people between 1863 and 1865. An excellent teaching tool.

Sing Down the Moon is a story written by Scott O'Dell about a Navaho girl named Bright Morning. This is a very interesting book for those people out there that perfer an adventure over sitting on the couch. This story is about when Bright Morning being able to finally take her mother's sheep out during spring with her friend Running Bird. Then, all of a sudden, Spanish slaves appear over the hill to capture children, later to be sold. Of course they capture Bright Morning and Running Bird. They travel to a town where Bright Morning recognized no one and was sold to a lady that was very kind to her, yet Bright Morning was still unhappy. Later she met a girl named Nehana who also wants to escape. Will they escape? You have to read to find out. This book was a little too short for my taste, but nonetheless it was very exciting! The book leaves you wondering: What's going to happen next? Is she going to make it? I normally don't like historical fictions, but for this book I'll make an exception.

I am a teacher and I read this book with my fifth graders every year. The book seems to be very easy, as the language and perspective are that of a young Navaho woman, but there is more to this book than meets the eye. The themes of personal freedom and happiness are woven throughout the book and the ending is both satisfying and hopeful. Maybe my classes have liked this book because I'm there to guide them through it. For independant reading, probably 11 or 12 year-old children are too young to truly appreciate the concepts. However, I must say that I love this book and I feel that it is an excellent example of historical fiction. The author weaves the story within the historical context without being sentemental, a rare feat in kids' historical fiction.

Sing Down the Moon, Scott O'Dell, 5 stars

I gave this book five stars because this book is very good. This book has a intricate details and a creative plot. I really think that this book should be recommended because this book is a great read while being educational. I think that this book did deserve the award that it won because it was such a good book. Sing Down the Moon is a book that I would read over and over again because it is so good. It shows what really was happening during the time period of the Indians. Also this book shows about the Spaniards coming to America and trying to take over the Indians whom were thought of as the weaker class. this book is excellent and deserved the fivee star rating that I chose to give this book.

I would recommend this book to girls mostly because the story is about two girls, Running Bird and Bright Morning. They are fourteen and kidnapped by the Spaniards. They sell them to different owners and force them to work. Then they escape away from the owners, steal the horses of the Spaniards and run off. They get back safely, but then the Spaniards come after the tribe! The men are hunting in the forests, but they come back. Then the whole tribe of Running Birdss and Bright Morning's has to flee for themselves. You have to read this book to find out what happened. Although, the review was for showing that the book was good, I say this book was EXCELLENT!!!!

Other titles I recommend is, RL Stine and Hardy Boys. These are my favorite books to read, other then miscellaneous items.

I live to dance ballet. Ballet is the best thing in the world. That and dancing in my pointeshoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had forgotten about this books until tonight when I came across it during a search. I read it when I was either in the 4th or 5th grade. I remember how much I loved it. I'm now studying to teach middle school social studies and language arts. I'll probably use "Sing Down the Moon" in my classroom once I am teaching.

Bright Morning is a 14-year-old girl. It all started when she was grazing her sheep with her friend Running Bird. All of a sudden Bright Morning's dog started to bark, and birds started to chatter. Then Running Bird turned around and saw Spanish settlers. They started coming toward them. They asked them where Corn Mountain was. Bright Morning pointed out the direction to the mountain. The settlers came closer, and closer. Then in an instant they were beaten up and tied together. Where will they go and how will they get back to the Mesa where they live? Read the book Sing Down the Moon to find out what happens.