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Louise Erdrich

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The Birchbark House Lib/E (Birchbark House Series Lib/E) Audio CD – Unabridged, January 2, 2024

by Louise Erdrich (Author)

4.7 1,047 ratings

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This National Book Award finalist by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Louise Erdrich is the first installment in an essential nine-book series chronicling 100 years in the life of one Ojibwe family, and includes beautiful interior black-and-white artwork done by the author.

She was named Omakayas, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop.

Omakayas and her family live on an island in Lake Superior. Though there are growing numbers of white people encroaching on their land, life continues much as it always has.

But the satisfying rhythms of their life are shattered when a visitor comes to their lodge one winter night, bringing with him an invisible enemy that will change things forever--but that will eventually lead Omakayas to discover her calling.

By turns moving and humorous, this novel is a breathtaking tour de force by a gifted writer.

The beloved and essential Birchbark House series by Louise Erdrich includes The Birchbark House, The Game of Silence, The Porcupine Year, Chickadee, and Makoons.

Reading age

7 - 10 years, from customers
Language

English
Publisher

HarperCollins
Publication date

January 2, 2024
ISBN-13

979-8200858705
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09CRLZL64
Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; Unabridged edition (January 2, 2024)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8200858705
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7 - 10 years, from customers
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.3 ounces

Customer Reviews:
4.7 1,047 ratings

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Louise Erdrich

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Louise Erdrich is one of the most gifted, prolific, and challenging of American novelists. Her fiction reflects aspects of her mixed heritage: German through her father, and French and Ojibwa through her mother. She is the author of many novels, the first of which, Love Medicine, won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the last of which, The Round House, won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2012. She lives in Minnesota.

Customer reviews

1,047 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story interesting, realistic, and captivated. They say it's suitable for late elementary or middle school readers and an invaluable addition to the fifth grade Social Studies curriculum. Readers praise the writing quality as well-written, poetic, and skillful. They also describe the book as heartwarming, capturing the pain of loss and helplessness of people facing their future. They appreciate the imagery, illustrations, and historical content.

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Story quality Readability Writing quality Heartwarming Visual quality Historical content Humor Pacing

49 customers mention "Story quality"49 positive0 negative

Customers find the story good, interesting, and realistic. They say it's a must-read for middle school students and an enjoyable read. Readers also mention the book speaks of life lived transparently, of a family dedicated to one another.

"...Wonderful characters, phenomenal story, genuine connection." Read more

"...SPOILER ALERT: There's some fantastic humor in bits, some suspenseful stuff, and also some great sadness...." Read more

"...I loved all the Ojibwa words, and it was fascinating to learn about Ojibwa life and customs. // I think all kids should read these books in school...." Read more

"...It is that the story is so engrossing, and heartfelt that my daughter claims as reason for her resistance with wanting to continue to read...." Read more

19 customers mention "Readability"16 positive3 negative

Customers find the book great for kids, suitable for late elementary or middle school readers, and a lovely way to introduce young readers to Native American history. They say it's enjoyable by adults as well, making it invaluable for the fifth grade Social Studies curriculum. Readers also mention the author cleverly draws the reader in.

"...our Native-American and American history, and Ms. Erdrich cleverly draws the reader in...." Read more

"...This makes the book especially invaluable for the fifth grade Social Studies curriculum...." Read more

"...Fun to read with kids." Read more

"...Suitable for late elementary or middle school readers...." Read more

13 customers mention "Writing quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book very well-written and poetic. They say it's easy to read and the author paints a verbal picture of this part of Minnesota. Readers also appreciate the Ojibwa words and pronunciation guide.

"...There's also some really poetic text that I'm sure they didn't fully get, but I'm glad they got exposed to it...." Read more

"...I loved all the Ojibwa words, and it was fascinating to learn about Ojibwa life and customs. //..." Read more

"...The author paints a verbal picture of this part of Minnesota, from it's wildlife to it's people...." Read more

"It is very well written and you will feel a sense of healing when you read this for the terrible parts of the Little House In the Big Woods/On the..." Read more

5 customers mention "Heartwarming"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming, saying it captures the pain of loss and helplessness of people facing their future. They also mention it's suspenseful and can serve anyone with compassion.

"...some fantastic humor in bits, some suspenseful stuff, and also some great sadness...." Read more

"...It is that the story is so engrossing, and heartfelt that my daughter claims as reason for her resistance with wanting to continue to read...." Read more

"...This story of love , tragedy and compassion can serve anyone, child or adult, with a perfect healing of spirit." Read more

"...It also captures the pain of loss, the helplessness of people facing their future. My so cool 28 year old nephew admits to 'crying his eyes out'...." Read more

5 customers mention "Visual quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the imagery beautiful. They say the illustrations add a lot to the story and are realistic.

"...and the girl's connection with the world of wild animals and nature are beautiful...." Read more

"...The illustrations add a lot to the story, as do occasional lessons in Ojibwe terms that are commonly used by the characters...." Read more

"...She loves the characters, the imagery, even the sadness of it...." Read more

"Amazingly beautiful and educational series of books by such a skilled author. A great read aloud to children." Read more

4 customers mention "Historical content"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the historical content good, incredible, and interesting. They also mention the book provides an interesting look at history through a fictional character.

"...Very descriptive of Native Americans life. Interesting time frames, smallpox and French traders, but mostly the story of a Native family...." Read more

"Awesome book! My kids didn't want it to end! Such an incredible look at history through this fictional character. We miss her already!" Read more

"...It was difficult to get into reading. However, the historical content within it is good." Read more

"Excellent story, very historical and so much to learn!!!" Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book funny, exciting, and heartwarming.

"...SPOILER ALERT: There's some fantastic humor in bits, some suspenseful stuff, and also some great sadness...." Read more

"This sweet, tender, sometimes humorous book, chronicles a year in the life of Omakayas, a seven year old girl who lives with her tribe on an island..." Read more

"...This is funny, because of the trouble Pinch, Omakayas’ little brother, gets into...." Read more

"...Funny, exciting, and heartwarming, I wish I could give this more stars! Fun to read with kids." Read more

4 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book slow at first but enjoyable. They say it's a great kick-off for Native American stories.

"...For younger kids they may need some patience to read it, but I love slow-paced books." Read more

"Fast delivery" Read more

"...our local Native American tribes aren't Ojibwa, this story is a great kick-off for our Native American social studies unit." Read more

"Slow start but enjoyable..." Read more

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the hefty weight

Life Changing

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2024

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I don’t even feel worthy to write a review of this book. My 9 year-old and I read it together— and are now 3 books deep into the series. We’ve laughed, we’ve both cried, and we cannot get enough of Omakayas’ story. I bought a copy for my aunt who has always been a fan of the Little House books… and now we are having a hard time keeping up with her in the BirchBark House series. This book is what we had hoped to learn from this difficult time era and more. It’s a true window into the home an Ojibwe family in the 1800’s. Wonderful characters, phenomenal story, genuine connection.

2 people found this helpful

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HMM

Great perspective to give to Little House on Prairie Books

Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book was recommended to me after I lamented some of the racist content in the Little House on the Prairie books (which I also love, but I made sure to help my kids understand the times in which they were both set and written). If you like the detailed look at what the seasons of prairie life are like in those books, this book was a great additional perspective.

SPOILER ALERT: There's some fantastic humor in bits, some suspenseful stuff, and also some great sadness. My sensitive 5 year old burst into tears when the baby brother died from smallpox. There were also a few sentences/sections I skipped over when reading to my almost-7 and 5.5-year old. They were probably a little too young for the book, but not too young to really enjoy it anyway! I really wanted to give them this perspective, so they dealt with a bit of grief that I may not have initially exposed them to by choice. There's also some really poetic text that I'm sure they didn't fully get, but I'm glad they got exposed to it.

Also, heads up, tobacco is mentioned often. Be prepared to speak to this. :)

Overall, it was a great book, and I hope we'll be reading it again in a couple of years, when they might get even more out of it.

Note: There is a glossary in the back for some of the native words, and I think it also provides a pronunciation guide. I didn't realize this until halfway through the book, so I just kind of guessed on pronunciation and used context clues for the meanings. :)

16 people found this helpful

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Marla Taviano

such a needed perspective!

Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2019

Verified Purchase

Gosh, I wish Louise Erdrich’s series would have been around when I was a kid. I’ve only read the first of the five books, but IT IS SO GOOD. And such a needed perspective. We all know what it was like for Laura and her family, but what about the Indigenous people that were driven off their land by white settlers? // For reference, Laura Ingalls was born in 1867 and lived in Wisconsin, Kansas, then Minnesota. Omakayas and her family live on an island in Lake Superior in 1847. // The series is fiction, but Louise’s mother and sister researched their family history and found ancestors on both sides who lived on Madeline Island during the time in which she set the book. The name Omakayas (Oh-MAH-kay-ahs) appeared on a Turtle Mountain census. “Dear Reader, when you speak this name out loud you will be honoring the life of an Ojibwa girl who lived long ago.” // Chapter 1 starts like this: “She was named Omakayas, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop. She grew into a nimble young girl of seven winters, a thoughtful girl with shining brown eyes and a wide grin, only missing her two front teeth. She touched her upper lip. She still wasn’t used to those teeth gone, and was impatient for new, grown-up teeth to complete her smile. Just like her namesake, Omakayas now stared long at the silky patch of bog before she gathered herself and jumped.” (5) // It is such a beautiful book. I loved reading about Okamayas and her family and neighbors and the way they commune with nature and spirits, how they deal with great hardship, much of which was brought by European colonizers. (See quotes in the comments.) I loved all the Ojibwa words, and it was fascinating to learn about Ojibwa life and customs. // I think all kids should read these books in school. Gosh, it’s so important to see the colonization of America from the perspective of the ones whose land and lives were stolen.

14 people found this helpful

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CdocReader

What a lovely way to introduce young readers to some Native American history!

Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2011

Verified Purchase

This book was on the summer reading list for my daughter who's entering seventh grade. I try to read her assignment books, because she can be a reluctant reader of books the school requires her to read. And sure enough, it was like pulling teeth to make her keep up with her daily reading schedule. I, on the other hand, was drawn into the story from the prologue. The story is set around the Anishinabeg tribe through the voice of Omakayas, a young girl of seven winters. As the story begins, we are introduced to Omakayas and her family who during winter live in a cabin at the edge of LaPointe. LaPointe is an island in Lake Superior that her people call Moningwanaykaning, Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker.

Through the eyes of Omakayas, we are taken on a journey through a year in her family's life. The author makes a point to include many words from the Ojibwa native language, originally a spoken language, to bring the reader closer to the daily life of this family. The author paints a verbal picture of this part of Minnesota, from it's wildlife to it's people. It is not until later in the story, after the reader is well-acquainted with the family, that we learn the year is 1847. This is a time very significant in our Native-American and American history, and Ms. Erdrich cleverly draws the reader in. While it is clear that this is a time of transition for Native-Americans, and that they have their suspicions of the white settlers, the author tells the story without taking sides. Clearly, the focus is the family, their village, and how changing circumstances are beginning to alter the way of life of the American natives.

Ultimately, there are sad moments, as with any family. It is that the story is so engrossing, and heartfelt that my daughter claims as reason for her resistance with wanting to continue to read. But, not only does she continue to read, she notices details that even I miss. That is the beauty of sharing this book with my daughter. We had some great discussions about the family, and Omakayas' way of life in vast contrast to our own.

My daughter insists on rating the book a solid 4 stars, because it made her feel too much. As for me, I give it 5 stars, so together that's a solid 4.5 in my book. Ain't reading grand!

18 people found this helpful

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D. V

SO. GOOD.

Reviewed in Canada on August 18, 2019

Verified Purchase

I bought this book hoping to read it to my class of third graders to help teach them about the life of First Nations people during the 1800s... I got so much more than I bargained for.

This book is beautiful. One of the most beautiful books I've ever read, and I've read tons. So tender, so moving, so rich in themes, human emotion, and life lessons, with so much culture captured seemingly effortlessly, such that I was fully transported into a world I knew very little about, and yet it felt so familiar it was like coming home.

I'm not sure if I will end up using the book for a group of 8 year olds. The grief in it is so deep, pure, and profound that I'm not sure it could be adequately contained and processed in a large group environment. I will think on it though, and am hopeful to find a strategy to use it, because the story is so important. To give voice to this heartbreaking history, and to have it hit the heart so that hopefully future generations are more compassionate and loving - what better lesson can we pass on to our children?

From a purely academic standpoint, it would be so effective at teaching about the culture without sounding like a textbook and boring kids because you just fall completely in love with this beautiful, strong main character and her lovely family. The love and loss and experience of both in the story arc is so universally accessible and undeniable, and would teach about LIFE, not just "history".

For older students (grade 6+), this book would be PERFECT on multiple levels, and I have no hesitation recommending it highly. It should be mandatory reading, in fact. It is that good.

I loved, loved, loved reading this book, devoured it in one sitting in 3.5 hours, and in such a short time, it opened, broke, and healed my heart, and has left a mark on my soul.

Purchase one for yourself, for your local school library, and for every 12+ year old's birthday you're invited to in the next year - it won't disappoint.