It is 1863, and fourteen-year-old Bright Morning is a Navaho girl. She lives with her father, mother, and older sister Lapana in a village in the Canyon de Chelly. The village is surrounded by mesas in what is now northeastern Arizona. Her brother had the misfortune to be killed by lightning. Her friends are White Deer and Running Bird, and she has a soft spot for the young warrior Tall Boy.

One spring day, Bright Morning and Running Bird take their sheep to pasture on the mesa. Suddenly, Bright Morning’s black dog barks. That's when she sees the shadows of two Spanish slavers. They kidnap her and Running Bird to be servants in a Mexican town. After some time, with the help of another slave girl named Nahana, they manage to escape. Although pursued, they are rescued by Tall Boy. Unfortunately, he is shot but survives.

However, not long after their return, the Long Knives (U.S. Army soldiers) force all the Navaho on “The Long Walk” into exile at Ft. Sumner in New Mexico. The soldiers destroy their homes, crops, and livestock. Many of the Navaho die. Bright Morning and Tall Boy, who has lost the use of his right arm due to his injury, get married. But what will become of them and their new baby?

Scott O’Dell was a great author who wrote some wonderful historical fiction, such as Island of the Blue Dolphins and The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt by Day. Sing Down the Moon was a Newbery Honor book in 1971. My initial reaction to the book was, “Oh, another story that emphasizes how badly the whites treated the Indians.” While it's true that many white people treated many Indian people poorly, it's also a fact that many Indians treated white people who simply wanted to live in peace badly too. In fact, O’Dell points out fairly that “…Many treaties were made between the Navahos and the United States. Most of them were broken, some by whites, some by the Indians.”

Interestingly, as I was reading, I thought about how the Democrats like to present themselves as advocates for all oppressed people and Republicans as oppressors. But they have their Jefferson and Jackson Day dinners to honor one of their heroes, Andrew Jackson. His was one of the most anti-Indian administrations in our nation’s history, leading to the Trail of Tears (1831-1838). On the other hand, it was the Republican Ulysses S. Grant who tried to change federal Indian policy and make it more humane, although perhaps both parties share some blame.

Back to the book, it is a well-written and exciting story. In it, the Navaho also hear about the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre in Colorado. All this surely reminds us that there are some tragic events in our country’s past that, fortunately, all reasonable people now regret. O’Dell tells this story in a sympathetic way. Of course, there is mention of “the gods” worshipped by the Navaho, and several references to killings and deaths. Indeed, a pervasive sense of sorrow runs through the entire plot, but it does end on a somewhat hopeful note. It is especially recommended for those interested in Southwestern Native American history.

I would consider giving two and a half stars to this book.

The smooth consistency that always marks the award-winning writing of Scott O'Dell is evident in Sing Down the Moon as clearly as in any of his other most famous titles. Scott O'Dell has a unique way of telling heartbreaking stories from the annals of history. He presents them with an even-keeled style, allowing us to view the sad happenings of the past objectively. We don't get overly emotional as we follow the events of the story. This writing method is significantly different from that of most other historical fiction creators I've read. There's something comforting about it that sets O'Dell apart as an author of great influence.

So many true stories from American history are constantly told to us. I'm always a bit surprised when a new one catches my attention that I've never heard before. Such a story can be found in Sing Down the Moon. In 1863, the Navaho people in the west were accosted by Spanish slave traders. They were stolen from their homes and forced on a three-hundred-mile march to be sold as merchandise. Bright Morning, a teenage Navaho girl, brings a human face to this tragic tale. She experiences all the hardships endured by her tribe, from sudden capture to the rigors of The Long Walk.

Death stalks the youngest of these Native Americans without pity as they try to survive the march. Even after reaching their destination, no real happiness awaits them in slavery. Bright Morning escapes and tries to reconnect with other Navahos who have eluded their masters and are determined to return home. But the specter of death never leaves them. Bright Morning will need great luck and a strong spirit to make it back and have a chance at living in peace again.

Scott O'Dell has a discerning gaze that uncovers hidden pieces of American history. He tells stories that others might overlook, bringing old accounts of drama and adventure back to our attention. So much has happened in history that important events can easily be forgotten. But The Long Walk of the Navahos should always be remembered. In Sing Down the Moon, O'Dell ensures that readers will never forget what happened to them.

I often think of reading a Scott O'Dell novel when I want a relaxing historical fiction book that is accurate in detail but not overly intense or emotional. For this reason, I believe he will have fans for a long time and a place on classroom shelves worldwide in recognition of his achievements in literature for young readers. After all, the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction wasn't named randomly.

This was an appropriately intense book that offers the reader a profound sense of what it was like for the Navajos to be brutally uprooted from their land by the U.S. government during The Long Walk.

I vividly remember learning about the Trail of Tears in history class, but I must admit that I had forgotten about this particular event. Bright Morning and her family experience this harrowing ordeal shortly after she is kidnapped by Spaniards, sold into slavery in Mexico, and miraculously manages to escape.

Throughout the book, one is constantly left wondering where the consciences of the slavers and the so-called "long knives" are.

Fairly or not, the wronged Navajos sometimes come across as cold and distant. One is left to imagine Bright Morning's joy and relief at being reunited with her friend and then her family after escaping enslavement, as O'Dell doesn't dwell on this aspect, perhaps in an effort to move the plot forward.

So, while I have some critiques of the book as a novel, as historical fiction it is truly excellent and highly appropriate for a study of this tragic chapter in U.S. history. It provides valuable insights into the experiences and hardships endured by the Navajo people during that dark time.

A perfect example of a book that I randomly picked up was because it was thin and I thought I could breeze through it quickly. However, to my surprise, I was completely overwhelmed by the content of the book. I found myself crying over my morning coffee as I delved deeper into its pages. I suppose some people read synopses to avoid such unexpected emotions, but I prefer to simply expose myself to art in its raw form.

It was truly a remarkable experience, and I expect that this book will stay with me forever. It had such a profound impact on my heart and mind.

Another thing that left a lasting impression on me was seeing Navajo blankets in a museum. They were simply otherworldly, with their intricate designs and vibrant colors. It made me feel a sense of awe and wonder. At the same time, it also made me angry at colonialism, which has had such a devastating impact on the cultures and traditions of so many indigenous peoples.

There is a great deal to appreciate about this book, yet there is also a certain aspect that can be criticized.

The inclusion of historical information regarding a period in history that is not often discussed is truly remarkable. O'Dell has done an excellent job of attempting to explain what life was like prior to the arrival of the long knives and what might have been regarded as significant by the Navaho.

However, one area where the book falls short is in the main character's emotional response. She seems to have an overly controlled reaction to everything happening around her, as if she is not truly experiencing it. It is难以想象 that witnessing a child's death, seeing one's home destroyed, and being forcibly removed from one's land and possessions would not evoke some sort of emotional response. I would be devastated, and I assume she would be too.

Despite these flaws, I will still rate the book three stars. The quantity of historical information is well-presented and thoroughly researched. Nevertheless, her lack of emotions and the portrayal of "tall boy" as useless are indeed issues that cannot be ignored.

The theme of Sing Down the Moon by Scott O’Dell is centered around the arduous trials that the Navaho Indians endured when Colonel Kit Carson and his troops forced them to Fort Sumner.

This historical fiction novel is grounded in numerous true accounts from 1863 - 1865, during which the ‘Long Knives’ or the Spaniards drove the entire Navaho population from their homes.

In the cold season, many perished and lost their beloved ones. One day, Bright Morning and her friend Running Bird ventured out onto the mesa of Canyon de Chelly to graze their sheep. However, two Spaniard slavers kidnapped them both and sold them to families. Fortunately, Nehana, another Navaho slave, showed them a way back.

On the return journey, Bright Morning’s destined husband came for her and Running Bird, but he was shot in the back, leaving his arm paralyzed. Later, more Long Knives arrived and began herding the Navahos out of their homes. The groups swelled to around thousands of people. Some managed to hide in places such as the Grand Canyon or the Black Mesa.

This book was truly one of my favorite historical fiction novels, despite the fact that I am not typically a big fan of historical fiction. One scene that I particularly liked was when the Spanish slaver unexpectedly showed up as Nehana, Bright Morning, and Running Bird were attempting to escape from behind the church. What transpired there seemed rather strange: “ ‘They think he is Jesus Cristo,’ Nehana whispered. He [the slaver] reached the far wall and two men took the cross from his back and a man held him so he would not fall. The flute started to play again. Someone gave a loud cry, like the cry of a wounded animal, and all the candles, as if they were one, went out at the same time. While the darkness settled around us, there was a time of awful silence. Then women began to weep and louder than the weeping came the sound of whips whistling through the air, striking again and again.”

This book somewhat reminds me of the “Trail of Tears” of the Cherokee, except that this Navaho journey is known as the Long Walk. People can be incredibly cruel, seizing others’ happiness for their own pleasure without a second thought. The tragic part was that, in March 1864, after they were ordered to leave, the Long Knives burned their homes, chopped down trees and stripped them of their bark, and trampled through their ripening fields. Throughout the Long Walk, hundreds of Navahos lost their lives. I would highly recommend this book to my classmates.

My Review:

This book is rather dry. It's not so dry that it's completely dusty, windblown, and hope-destroying. It's not dry in an atmospheric sense. Just dry. It's like a lecture delivered in a sleepy monotone, yet dressed up as a narrative.

However, it has its merits. It is filled with nice short sentences, simple vocabulary, and straightforward events. So, by ability level, it's a perfect read for my batch of anti-reading middle schoolers. As long as I enhance their reading experience with videos, maps, interactives, and other articles, it can be quite engaging. It's a good introduction to characterization, with elements of figurative language, foreshadowing, and symbolism thrown in.

As-I-Read Notes with an eye on using it for next year's curriculum:

7th - 8th grade

PowerPoint with images and vocab for each chapter.

Hillerman's West Photos for context

Indians and stereotypes "Stoic" clip from "Smoke Signals"

What is the difference between stereotypes and cultural norms? Worldview, paradigms, practices?

Google Earth

Start reading with an eye to constructing a world view. "The way you do one thing is the way you do everything." T/F? Beliefs, norms, expectations, values, practices

Start with a blank map (setting), blank people (characterization), and world (worldview): fill in as you read

Characterization, foreshadowing

Postscript: Gives critical background information. 1863 - 1865. 1863 Kit Carson sent to Arizona to destroy crops and livestock. Got help from Utes, enemies of Navahos. 1864 Navahos surrendering, forced on The Long Walk. Navahos prisoners at Fort Sumner until 1868, when they were released without supplies to Four corners.

Read entire Postscript together. Long Walk Video

Map of Northeastern Arizona (Navaho country) to Four Corners

Vocab: treaties, inaccessible, bitterness, massacre, smallpox, thirsted for life, flounced petticoats, chignons.

Chapter 1:
Frost causes the river to flow again, she remembers losing her brother, seeing the ghost of her grandfather, and leaving the sheep during a storm.

Image: Navaho Sheep
Image: Mesa
Image: Hogan entrance

Assembling the setting

Vocab: piñon pines, mesa, barrancas, navaho,

p7: First person POV. Figurative language.
p8 "bad luck to be so happy" don't show happiness or gods will punish you.
Sheep story: the year before, she was afraid of a storm and left the sheep on the mesa. Her mother (who owned the sheep) didn't scold her but after that she wasn't allowed to watch the sheep anymore.
What can we assume about their lifestyle? Crawling into house, matrilineal ownership, ghosts and gods

Chapter 2:
Narrator goes to mesa and meets friends White Deer and Running Bird. They joke and tease about fiancé Tall Boy. She stays silent, and teases back about their sheep.

Character development: staying silent, waiting.

Vocab: herder, aspen grove, corral, mesquite, draw, league, scouting, defend, lance
13. Twins sick = not enough power for 2. "Joking is our custom." horses.

Chapter 3:
Warriors leaving for West to raid the Utes. She describes Tall Boy and how he got his name. Mom disapproves. Narr likes him. White soldiers (called Long Knives) come and threaten to destroy village if the warriors are away on a raid

Map: Fort Defiance, Arizona.
Image: Bayonet

Vocab: canyon, astride, briskly, drove sheep, antelope, ledge, jutted, foolhardy, raid, Utes, dusk

19: gun. adjust setting assumptions! White soldiers. Guesses about time?

Chapter 4:
Anxiety in the village about Long Knives, Spaniards come to the mesa and kidnap narrator and Running Bird

image: hogan and animals, spaniards

Vocab: ewes, hogan, drifted, speckled trout, jays, red-tailed hawks, spurs, spaniards, deerskin, slavers, nipping, harm, flee, lowlands, leather thong,

23: If the warriors had been home, there would have been a lot of noise, but only women and children with nothing to say, and old men who were afraid of the Long Knives.

24: She is happy to be inheriting ewes from her mother - so happy she dances.

25: spanish slavers say she'll be happy where she's going.

Chapter 5:
Girls try to plan escape from Spaniards, see a Navaho Wolf - maybe a witch?

Vocab: trot, halt, night gathered, piñon, hobble the horses, scarcely,

Chapter 6:
Her dog finds them, and the Spaniard lets it stay so she'll be happy and fetch a better price. They are taken to a town and handed over to Jicarilla Apache, who wants to eat the dog. She is separated from Running Bird, and sees a Nez Perce girl.

Vocab: Suns = days, Nez Perce, Apache

p31: analogy: "more houses than a dog has fleas"
p31: "Apache and Navaho were brothers once". So now the implication is...?
p33: foreshadowing: Nez Perce slave girl looks at her "as if she were saying, 'run, run, even though they kill you. It is better to die here on the street.'"

Chapter 7:
She is taken to a house with two other servants and sold. Rosita, a navajo, and another girl, a Zuni. The mistress wants a girl to wait the table. Rosita says it's a good place, and she spends the night,

Vocab: camisa, surly, disposition, pigeon-toed, Kiowas, Comanches, Zunis, Hopi, Anglo, befallen, steal away, churring, omen

35: Foreshadowing: She says "I will never stir the beans nor will I ever smile while I am in this house."
36: characterization: doesn't tell Rosita her real name. Says she is 15 and from the Canyon of Chelly. Rosita says our narrator is pretty and tall and will get a higher cost.
38: cultural practice: "In the Canyon of Chelly everyone eats at the same time. We eat out of one big pot and we do not use knives or forks, but the food tastes better."

Author intent: why did the author make this a story about a Navaho girl entering white society? Why not just tell a story about Navahos, themselves?

39: foreshadowing: she makes plans - Tall Boy will rescue her, or she will run away? The Owl is a good omen?

Chapter 8:
The woman buys dresses and shoes for her. The narrator and Rosita buy vegetables and meet NEhana, the Nex PErce girl who says not to trust Rosita and tells her where Running Bird is. At the party at the Senora's house, Rosita says not to trust Nehana because she is bad. Nehana says to meet her at the church in 10 days.

Vocab: velveteen, chilies, seniora, baile,

41: roasting and peeling chili peppers
42. Rosita from a poor tribe and is happy to be a slave.
42: They were Long Knives and she hated everyone there.

Chapter 9:
Easter church and Nehana holds up 1 finger to mean 1 more day. The next night she escapes over the adobe wall with her dog and meets up with Nehana and Running Bird. They hide during the Penitentes church service and then escape and steal the horses and ride east.

Vocab: Falling Water, Spider Woman, cunning, vengeful, slain, pine boughs, adobe, a ditch, ridge, clump, Penitentes, bridles, pintos, tethered, stagger, striking, mesquite.

Easter traditions: Penitentes: candles, whips, incense, cactus thorn crown

44: Rosita explains Jesus Cristo: "he is like all our gods if you put them together. He is Falling Water and Spider Woman. But he is not cunning like Falling Water, nor is he vengeful like Spider Woman."

48: Penitentes

Chapter 10:
Nehana, Running Bird and the narrator escape past a woodcutter who knows the horses are stolen. Nehana sleeps in the morning but narrator and Running Bird are anxious. They double back over their tracks in the stream but the men find follow them. The girls ride away.

Vocab: biit, reins, flee, bridle, burro, spurred, fiesta, blue-jay, crest, ridge,crouched,

51: Nehana Characterization: she runs down the woodcutter and 52 rests peacefully in the morning
53: narrator jumpy. Nehana "Deer," she said scornfully.

Chapter 11:
Girls trying to get away from Spaniards. Black Dog wakes them and runs to Tall Boy and Mando who have come to find them. Tall boy and Mando attack and kill one Spaniard and then Tall Boy is shot. They tie him to his horse and then pull him in a sled. They make it in sight of home and our narrator goes ahead to get the medicine man.

Vocab: dismount, hawk's bells, silver bits, rifle, holster, fled,saddle horn, gallop, fashioned, laid (etc.) medicine man,

p56: "I would rather die than be captured again"
57: Narrator's affection for Tall Boy: "Tall Boy spoke only once to me during hte long night. IT was about my black dog and I have forgotten what he said, but I remember that it made me happy."
58: "Togetehr they gave a piercing war cry. I had heard this cry before, many times since my childhood. It always froze my blood to hear it, and it did now. It sounded to me as if some evil spirit had leaped out from the far depths of the earth. The cry was not a human sound nor the sound that any animal makes whetehr in pain or fright."

Chapter 12:
She rushes into the village, everyone thinks she's a ghost. Then the men go to bring Tall Boy in. Medicine man comes, and Tall Boy begins to heal. His arm will be useless. Narrator has to get back to work because mom says Tall Boy will be useless. They see each other less and less and other boys come to visit. Mother says tomorrow will send word of Womanhood Ceremony

Vocab: Joyously, a litter, curing things, sycamore, send word

Image: Three sisters: squash, beans, corn
Image: Medicine men and healing

61: "A dawn wind blew, smelling of earth and wood smoke and corn ripe in the fields. It was a Navaho wind. Joyously I breathed it in."

62: His arm will be useless
63: "I did not care, not for myself, whetehr Tall Boy would ever be able to hunt again or ride with the warriors. But my sister and my mother did care and there was nothing they would not do to keep me from marrying a cripple. It was my father who would decide and he had said nothing. But this did not give me any comfort, for he usually did what they wanted him to do."

Chapter 13:
She's in her best clothes and jewelry, and everyone makes her do the work for her ceremony. They have a ritual race and Tall Boy races after her and teases her, then she beats him and he's angry. He says he will bend a bow again. She finishes the ritual and then goes and plants beans.

Vocab: tunic, turquoise and silver, buckskin, handsome, grinding stone, comely, yucca, floundered
turquiose and silver, scowling, taunted,

66: "It went on in such a fashion all that day. EVerone wanted something. Eeryone gave me orders. I was flying here and there and between times knelt at the grinding stone. This was to make me industrious and obedient, my mother said."
Also running, no sweet or salt or water or scratching or sleeping "to make me comely"
67: big fire in a hole, lined with corn husks, filled with corn mush, covered with more corn husks.Chanting and ritual.
67 - 68: characterization of Tall Boy: "You think that I went to the white man's village just to resue you," he said as we passed. "You are wrong. I went there for another reason." I watched him ride awaay, sitting stooped int he saddle, one shoulder lower than the other, and my heart went out to him.

Cultural values! Hard work, selflessness.

Chapter 14:
Autumn is beginning, three long Knife soldiers come and say that the tribe has to leave the Canyon de Chelly. Tall Boy rips the decree apart, and soldiers come. He wants to stand and fight. EVeryone packs up and hides. Tall Boy looks bedraggled - did he struggle up the mountain, or fight?

Vocab:stunned, threatned, abandoned, cliff-dwellers, deserted, scanned, eyes sweeping, halt, reed, lance, slabs, scramble over,

Seasonal chores: beans, shearing, weaving, hunting deer, drying deer meat.

69: time passing with "the pinto beans pushed up through he earth and the peaches began to swell."

70: "Everyone stared at the yellow paper fastened to the cottonwood tree, as if it were alive and had some evil power."
71: Tall Boy characterization: "tall boy was unbending"
75: The narrator loves him. "one hand or another, it does not matter."
75: foreshadowing: spear. "we felt secure"

Chapter 15:
Soldiers destroy village and crops. The people have hide, and keep saying "we will rebuild once they leave." They finally realize the soldiers don't intend to go.

Vocab: head of the trail, deserted, strolled about, coax, lookout, hatchet, alder, lean-to,

77: pay attention to tiny words: "It seemed no larger than my hand"

Chapter 16:
They go northward deeper into the canyon. Their people are starting to die off. They have no food. They begin setting up a new place to live and the Long Knives find them. Tall Boy throws his spear but it breaks, and he "flees for his life." They are captured and marched away.

Vocab: crevice, broth, flees, clans

84 "Soon we were to learn that others bore the same fate, that the whole nation of the Navahos was on the march. With the Long Knives at their backs, the clans were moving - the Bitter-Water, Under-His-Cover, Red-House, Trail-to-the-Garden, Standing-House, Red-Forehead, Poles-strung-out - the the Navahos were marching into captivity"

What is the symbolism in Tall Boy's story?

Chapter 17:
People driven Southward to Fort Sumner. They meet up with other Navahos ("88 by the hundreds") being driven. New friend: Little Rainbow with two kids. Tall Boy rejoins group. Little Rainbow leaves her daughter with narr. and disappears. Differing opinions, and Narr. names baby "Meadow Flower"

Vocab:portals, draw, ragged, scarcely, league, bands of navahos, overtook, haughty, restless

Image/Map: Fort Sumner

86: Tall Boy returned with "same shamed look about him."
Symbolism: lance lying broken on the ground
88: Conflicting opinions aired: "soldiers tell me that it is a place of running water and deep grass." I think he believed it. He wanted us to believe it too. "Cast your eyes around," he said. "You will see many people sitting beside their fires. Tehy are hungry but not starving. They are cold bu they do not freeze. They are unhappy. Yet they are alive."
"We are walking to our deaths," my mother said. "The old die now. They young die later. But we all die."

Which philosophy resonates with you: Things could be worse OR Things should be better.

89: Tall boy broken: "Once he had been haughty, his wide shoulders held straight, his black eyes looking coldly at everyone. I wished, as I sat there beside him, that he would act haughty once more.

89: Simile: "She was like a flower, like a flower in a spring meadow."

Chapter 18:
The deaths mount. Her grandmother gives up and dies. They arrive in their new home. The baby dies. She finds the mother who lost her other baby too.

Map/images: Bosque Redondo, their new home

Vocab: horizon, dusk, buzzards, fleecy, bottomland, minded, had a sing

92: my mother had not cried since we left our canyon. But she cried now as she stood there and looked down

92: cultural practices: had a sing

Chapter 19:
Trying to settle: there are quarelsome apaches there already. The Long Knives give flour and try and get the men to plant corn and wheat, and to carry water. There is nothing to do. There are rumors of slaughters at Sand Creek, but the fight has gone out of the people.

Vocab: flatland, share alike, brush lean-to, quarrelsome

Sand Creek Massacre: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_Cre...
"Nits make lice"

95: What is the design of the Long Knives? What are the cultural practices of the people? "My sister and I, like all the other women, had little to do. There was no corn to grind. Wagons came filled with flour. White soldiers stood in it up to their knees and passeed it out to us on big wooden shovels. There were no sheep to tend or wool to shear and weave into blankets. There were no hunters to bring in hides to scrape and stretch and make into leggings. We were idle most of the time."

96

When approaching a book for review, especially one that holds a complex place in history like this one, I will do so with a discerning eye.

Reading BIPOC fiction predating 1990, we often encounter two main categories. The first consists of books with a BIPOC protagonist written from the perspective of a white author. Almost without fail, these can be identified without even looking at the author. They typically fall into the "white savior" genre, where an individual is treated as subhuman and only finds value and potential after seeing themselves through the eyes of a friendly Christian.

The second category is the story with a BIPOC protagonist written by a BIPOC author. These usually lean towards a first-person biographical-style narrative and often explore themes of individuals with a strong self-identity navigating a world where they lack dominance.

This particular book, written in 1970, initially seemed to belong to the latter category. However, after reading 2 chapters, I was mildly surprised to discover that Scott O'Dell was a white author who aimed to shed light on the mistreatment of indigenous individuals. As previously mentioned, most authors in this situation tend to write a story of white saviorism, but this book is different. It is not only a tale of a capable, intelligent, and underprivileged people but also a story of strong leading women that would pass even the strictest of Blechdel-Wallace monitors.

For the timeframe and American culture when it was written, this book is truly groundbreaking.

However, from a post-2000 perspective, it does have some problems. There are stereotypes, such as the use of a fake choppy linguistic style that was once commonly used in Hollywood, along with fictional nature-based names.

Nevertheless, writing off this book due to these issues would overlook the significant contribution the author made to literature.

The themes of indigenous slavery, mistreatment, and death marches are still largely covered up in American history. This book tells the story of both, and while it may be toned down for a YA audience, it ultimately does not paint any of these aspects in a redeeming light.

From a modern lens, I might question the motives. But considering the timeframe in which this book was written and published, I cannot help but give the author credit. In a way, it is a literary divestment from power, an imperfect one perhaps, but still an admirable one for a person writing during the American civil rights movement.

Taking all of this into account, I give this book 5 stars. Not necessarily for the story itself, but for the context in which this book and author existed. When viewed in this light, it becomes easy to understand why Scott O'Dell won so many literary awards, and one could argue that they were well deserved.

I gave this book 3/5 stars.

I truly love the way this book unflinchingly and tactfully delves into a horrific part of American history. The main character, Bright Morning, narrates the story of her enslavement and The Long Walk in a concise and straightforward manner, not shying away from the harsh realities that occurred.

However, despite what this book offers, it is difficult to connect with the story. Reading about how the Native Americans were treated by the early government is truly heart-wrenching. But unfortunately, O'Dell makes the main character, Bright Morning, seem cold and distant throughout the entire book. It is quite evident that Scott O'Dell was an outsider to this culture, as he never seems to fully understand the depth of the situations that his characters are facing.

Other people who might enjoy this book are those interested in American History, especially from the perspective of a Native American. So often, we are only shown our side of the story, but never get to see what really happened between the settlers and the indigenous people. This book is incredibly interesting and would appeal to a wide range of people.

This book is intended for middle school to high school students. I can envision it fitting perfectly into an American History unit, and I believe it would help many students in that age group understand more about our country's beginnings.

Adults could also be interested in this book, but younger children would likely have a hard time connecting with the text.

I think Marshall Severson should read it (if he hasn't already) because I know he absorbs knowledge about history like a sponge, and this book is based on real historical events, all of which are detailed in the postscript.

Since I discovered this book at a garage sale, and being a fan of Scott O'Dell's Island of the Blue Dolphins, I firmly believed that I should peruse it before depositing it in my Grade 3 classroom library.

Although it is more appropriately tailored for middle school-aged students and upwards, I found this narrative to be an enchanting work of historical fiction that delves into a significant era in Native American history.

As a Canadian, I was completely oblivious to this tragic period, and thus this book truly served as an eye-opener for me! It provided a vivid and detailed account of the events and struggles that the Native Americans endured during that time.

The author's descriptive writing style brought the story to life, allowing me to envision the landscapes, the characters, and their emotions. It made me realize the importance of learning about different cultures and historical events, as it broadens our perspectives and helps us to understand the world we live in today.

I am excited to share this book with my students and hope that they will also find it as captivating and educational as I did.

There comes a juncture where one must either yield to the macro history that one is living through or sacrifice oneself in vain. In this narrative, we witness history overpowering the Diné (in this 1970s text, they are referred to as the “Navaho”). The women, who are less responsible for physically resisting history in this era, speak more about resistance. The men, who bear a greater responsibility for physical resistance, have resigned themselves. It is futile for a few to battle an unceasing onslaught.

It is worthwhile to read this book solely for the skillful way in which O'dell manages the cultural voice of the Diné. By using a syntax that slightly distinguishes them as a race, he endows the characters with great dignity and self-possession. Personally, I am unsure of its authenticity, but I do know that it never resorts to those linguistic tropes of Hollywood that seem demeaning to me. Additionally, O'Dell manages to depict the Diné as dispassionate without turning them into statues. Here, we see a spirited and noble people, willing to risk their lives to escape slavery, yet unable, like all of us, to push back the unyielding tide of history.

Sheep are employed in this story as a symbol with multiple layers. They signify hope for a return to better times, peace, abundance, and the choice of life over death, but also submission.

When a teenaged Navajo girl is interrupted by Spanish slavers one day while she's shepherding sheep, it marks the beginning of a profound change in her life and that of her people in Sing Down the Moon by Scott O'Dell.

I recall listening to the reading of another of this author's books, Island of the Blue Dolphins, when I was around eleven years old in school. At that time, I was only vaguely interested, half-listening. Back then, this author's writing style didn't appeal to me.

I'll confess that I didn't get far the first time I attempted this book several months (or perhaps a year?) ago. With the heroine's fear of being punished by the gods if she showed too much happiness, and her early mention of once seeing her long-dead grandfather walking on a snowy night, my openly happy self, who isn't into seeing deceased relatives, thought I'd have to be in a different mindset to give the book another chance.

Thankfully, I did give it another try.

As a child, I probably would have found this children's book boring. However, now I can appreciate this kind of understated read that has unassuming beauty and muted yet powerful emotions. The joy in the story resonated with me, and I could also feel the grief and shame resulting from unjust treatment and tragedy that affected both the young and the old. I was completely engrossed, eager to see what would happen to the heroine. And the simplicity, warmth, relief, and triumph of her last four words in the book... it was just amazing.

This book made me remember some crucial aspects of American history, and I learned a little more. As a devotee of historical fiction, I may even give Island of the Blue Dolphins another try in the future.