    | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 10/01/2021 Gr 8 Up—A young readers treatment that is just as imperative and enthralling as its parent text. Celebrated journalist Grann unfolds an account of terrible fascination and poignancy, illuminating a darkened corner of American history while throwing the shadowed sins of the past into stark relief. In the prosperous days of the 1920s, the Osage Nation of Oklahoma found itself sitting atop a treasure trove of "black gold" in the form of oil reserves. This "underground reservation" led the American Indians of this area to amass vast quantities of wealth—and to attract the fatal attentions of those who sought to gain control of that wealth by any means necessary. The narrative reads like a masterful mystery and epic tragedy all in one, with Grann as the thorough investigator who reports all the facts while underlining the lived humanity of every moment. Comparing the original text to this young reader's edition, the modifications are deftly handled. A scene containing an autopsy, for example, excises the graphic details without losing a trace of the information most valuable to the story. This standard is upheld throughout. This version also contains helpful appendices, including a "who's who" of notable figures as well as a glossary. The foreword by Dennis McAuliffe, Jr. sadly divulges some of Grann's most shocking revelations far ahead of their appearances. Regardless, this version and any other remains an essential read. VERDICT A must-buy for being just the kind of absorbing, gut-wrenching work of narrative nonfiction that readers will breathlessly page through to the conclusion.—Jose Cruz, Shannon Staub P.L., North Port, FL - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 11/01/2021 *Starred Review* There is currently a wave of telling history as it truly was—of reinking erasures and repairing narratives to their less glamorous but more honest selves. This young-reader’s adaptation of Grann's adult best-seller fits this trend perfectly. The author not only exposes the covert but systematic murders of Osage Native Americans living in Oklahoma during the 1920s, he overturns stereotypical views of Indigenous communities by highlighting the extreme wealth of the Osage due to their oil-rich land and brings to light the outrageous levels of corruption operating at every level of the white-established government and justice system. It is upsetting, to put it mildly, to see how the Osage were oppressed, swindled, and killed with ease and how the “Osage Reign of Terror” has been blotted from history books. Grann gives these historical figures new life, painting a clear picture of victims and villains alike—aided by many archival photos and an appended “Who’s Who” list (bookmark it!)—while maintaining the story’s intrigue and suspense. Adding to this is his incorporation of the newly formed FBI’s role in cracking the case. Grann also includes an eye-opening section about his experience researching the book, adding yet another perspective to this story and how history is documented. An eye-opening, challenging, and thoroughly sourced saga that will open the door to many necessary conversations. - Copyright 2021 Booklist. Loading...
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