  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 10/01/2015 Gr 4–8—In this novel that seamlessly integrates Lakota history and oral tradition, Marshall takes readers along for a road trip with Jimmy and his maternal grandfather as they embark on a "vision journey," visiting famous landmarks, monuments, and landscapes integral to the life of the great warrior and leader Crazy Horse. Jimmy, a young Lakota boy, struggles with fitting in on his reservation because he does not look like the other Lakota boys; he has light hair, blue eyes, and his father is of Scottish decent. Grandpa Nyles sees an opportunity to introduce Jimmy to another Lakota who had fair hair and light skin—the famous Crazy Horse. Over the course of their trip, Grandpa Nyles recounts history and stories about the life of the Lakota hero and the events that shaped him into a powerful leader, including famous battles and standoffs against the white settlers. Although many books have been written about Crazy Horse, Marshall transports readers back in time through Grandfather's stories. Italicized passages covering Crazy Horse's childhood, adolescence, and transformation into the famed Lakota symbol of courage and wisdom are distinguished from the modern-day narrative and achieve an immediacy and emotional resonance that most history books fail to capture. As the book progresses, Jimmy and readers learn about an important period of American history from the perspective of the Lakota; readers will walk away with the sober knowledge that in war, there are no winners. As Jimmy and his grandfather's journey comes to an end, the boy has gained much more than a history lesson—he learns a great deal about courage, sacrifice, and the ties that connect him to his ancestors. VERDICT A moving narrative that should be required reading for all students of American history.—Amy Zembroski, Indian Community School, Franklin, WI - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 10/15/2015 Eleven-year-old Jimmy McClean lives on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Unfortunately, though he is three-quarters Lakota and only one-quarter white, he has light brown hair and blue eyes for which he is mercilessly teased at school by two bullies. His life changes, however, when his grandfather, Nyles High Eagle, takes him on a visionary journey in which they visit sites important to the life of the great Indian leader Crazy Horse. At each stop, Grandfather brings history to dramatic life with his stories, and, in time, Jimmy learns much about his heritage and the meaning of courage. Though in an author’s note, Marshall—who himself grew up on the Rosebud Reservation and is an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota tribe—claims not to be an expert on Crazy Horse, he writes with insight and authority. His book is a welcome addition to the slender body of work about Native Americans written from within their culture. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. Loading...
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