Customer Reviews

Welcome to Kaya's World, 1764: Growing Up in a Native American Homeland (American Girl)

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This book is great because it talks about native americans from the past and from today.It is a good book to get if you like native americans,Kaya fan or not.

My 5-year-old daughter loves the American Girl dolls and I've been reading the stories of the various characters with her. We stumbled onto these books by accident as we were perusing the junior history section at our local library. What a find! We not only checked this title out but others in the series (well, whatever was left on the shelf) and have been devouring them over the past week. These books are rich in historical details, depending on the time period of the character being portrayed, and are lavishly illustrated with drawings, archival photographs, and well-researched. I am disappointed to learn that these gorgeous books are no longer in print and are difficult to find, well, except in a library perhaps.

In "Welcome to Kaya's World 1764", readers are introduced to Native American Kaya, who lived on the high prairies,in what is today Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. The book begins with the story of the Nimiipuu legend, i.e. of how the People or Nez Perce ("pierced nose") Indians came to be created. Their native land is portrayed through photographs and illustrations. Their love of horses is also portrayed here. My 5-year-old loved looking at a picture of their homes, which changed with the seasons, as the Nez Perce Indians were nomadic - though they did have a permanent village in the protected canyons. The illustration of the longhouse in which they lived is detailed and in full color, describing the function of each part. The birthing ritual of this tribe is also covered with actual photographs of a tee-kas or cradleboard used to hold babies and other accoutrements.

The book also covers the tribe's sporting endeavors, especially their affinity with horses; the dangers faced by the People; their courtship rituals; how clothes and other adornments were made; weaving activities; the Nez Perce calendar; buffalo hunts, and of particular interest to me - the encounters between the Nez Perce Indians and outsiders such as Lewis and Clark, and also missionaries Henry and Eliza Spalding. It was heartrending to read about how contact with outsiders eventually led to a split within the close knit community as some members of the tribe decided to abandon their way of dressing and adopt Western mode of dressing and even lifestyle.

I would highly recommend this series of American Girl books to all children and even adults - they are well-researched and lavishly illustrated and will provide a rich and rewarding reading experience. I hope they are back in print soon.

I love this book! It explains what life was like for the Nez Perces. I read it over and over. It makes a great gift for any occasion.

This book has so many photos of authentic Native American items it is like being in a museum. Like the story books of Kaya, historical tragedies are acknowledged but not dwelt upon or wallowed in. Amazing on it's own or in addition to the Doll itself.

This book is worth buying for both adults and children. I purchased the book for my six year old daughter, who loved it, but was also impressed by the quality of the book in terms of the considerable amount of info presented in it. The book is full of beautiful illustrations and photographs which will help keep up the attention of young readers.