From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6?Bridges tells about two African American children who live on South Carolina's St. Helena Island, where isolation and tranquilty give the impression that this is a place where time has stood still. Long-time residents speak a distinctive blend of English and West African languages known as Gullah. Yet, in spite of the island's exotic aspects, these youngsters resemble typical American kids in many ways. One Nation introduces an Oneida/Ojibwa girl who is a talented solo hoop dancer and an Ojibwa/Comanche/Mexican boy. They are both students at the Milwaukee Indian Community School, which incorporates Native American cultures into every aspect of its curriculum. In both books, descriptions of the young peoples' domestic lives, written in an informal, child-oriented style, are interspersed rather jarringly with boxed factual information on the Gullah influence and African ties, or on Indian history and contributions to the world. Large, full-color photographs, one or more on almost every page, and the use of the subjects' own words bring these children to life.?Anna DeWind, Milwaukee Public Library
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