Review of JINGLE DANCER

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu (Ill.) 2000. JINGLE DANCER. New York : Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 978-0-688-162429

PLOT SUMMARY
“Tink, tink, tink, tink,” sang Grandma Wolfe’s dress. Jenna wanted to jingle dance too, but her dress didn’t have any jingles. Jenna visits family and friends trying to collect just enough jingles for her own dress without compromising the voice of the dresses from which she borrowed. JINGLE DANCER is a story of a young Ojibway girl who wishes to dance her first Jingle Dance at a powwow. Though her grandmother agrees she may dance, it will be up to Jenna to give her dress a voice.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
JINGLE DANCER offers an authentic reflection of an intertribal community consisting of Muscogee and Ojibway members. The characters, their relationships, and the book’s illustrations are woven together to paint a picture of a contemporary, close-knit neighborhood preparing for a powwow.

Cynthia Smith takes care to create an extended circle in the main character, Jenna’s, life. Jenna lives with Grandma Wolfe in a contemporary home on a tree-lined street. Throughout the course of Jenna’s quest, she visits three different people, each within walking distance. First, she visits her great-aunt to hear a Muscogee/Creek story. Next, Jenna visits a friend whom she helps make fry bread. Finally, Jenna visits her cousin, Elizabeth, whom she helps carry files. Through the recurring use of the phrase “once again,” Smith clearly defines the ongoing close relationships among them.

Though the great-aunt appears to be retired and Jenna’s friend sells fry bread and Indian tacos, their occupations are not explicitly stated. However, the cousin’s career is made clear. Elizabeth “arrives home late from the law firm” and is carrying a brief case and a newspaper titled Law Review under her arm. This overt illustration of Elizabeth’s profession seems a bit overdone. This may be an attempt by the author to counter negative stereotypes.

Through their illustrations, Van Wright and Hu avoid the “monolithic culture” stereotype by giving each character her own distinct look. The women’s faces are unmistakably different. There is also variation in hair color and texture, and, to a lesser degree, skin tone.

Cynthia Smith, herself a member of the Muscogee Nation, supplies an extensive Author’s Note which includes explanations of Muscogee and Ojibway traditions. This note provides background information on traditional stories, jingle dances, and regalia. A glossary is also provided for some terms which might be unfamiliar. Overall, JINGLE DANCER proves to be an authentic and contemporary story of a young girl looking forward to her first jingle dance.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
“[Jenna’s] promise to dance for the women who cannot dance for themselves illustrate the importance of family and community ties.” (Booklist)
“Seeing Jenna as both a modern girl in the suburban homes of her intertribal community and as one of many traditionally costumed participants at the powwow will give some readers a new view of a contemporary Native American way of life.” (School Library Journal)

Reviews obtained from Follett Library Resources and accessed at:
http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=c211074453f514ff63ced2a0fe154f24

CONNECTIONS
Other books about the Ojibway/Chippewa:
King, Sandra, and Catherine Whipple. 1993. Shannon: an Ojibway dancer. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications. ISBN 978-0-822596431
Mercredi, Morningstar, and Darren McNally. 1997. Fort Chipewyan homecoming: a journey to native Canada. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications. ISBN 978-0-8225-2659-9
McCain, Becky R., and Stacey Schuett. 1998. Grandmother’s Dreamcatcher. Morton Grove, Ill: A. Whitman ISBN 978-0-807530320

Review of THE WARRIORS

Bruchac, Joseph. 2003. THE WARRIORS. Plain City, OH: Darby Creek. ISBN 1-581960026

PLOT SUMMARY
Jake loves to play lacrosse. He is good at it, too—maybe even the best junior league player on the reservation. Lacross was a gift from the Creator to the Iroquois people, “a way to make them strong, a way to join together in a great game that was also a prayer” (p. 15). Now Jake is moving off the reservation with his mother. He must move away from his family and friends. Jake’s new school has a lacrosse team. In fact, Weltimore is known for producing the best junior league lacrosse players. As he struggles to adapt to his new community and new team, Jake must also find a way for his community to adapt their beliefs. Jake must find a way to help his teammates, especially the coach, understand the true meaning and importance of lacrosse to the Iroquois people.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
THE WARRIORS is a well-told story of a boy—becoming a man—struggling to understand and be understood. Joseph Bruchac, himself of Abenaki heritage, portrays the Iroquois people in a respectful and telling light. Through character development, language and relationships the respectful nature of the Iroquois people is revealed. The story is so believable, the reader feels as though they are hearing a story told by and about friends.

The characters’ actions and words are understated and realistic. Though Jake is heartbroken at having to leave the reservation, he continues to be respectful of his mother and others. When his mother asks him not to play lacrosse so he can concentrate on his studies, he agrees without hesitation. This respect for his elders is typical of Iroquois tradition. Jake also shows his respect for others in a conversation after a lacrosse victory. When called “Chief” by teammates, Jake chooses not to correct the other players. He understands they are trying to show their appreciation for his abilities and doesn’t want to hurt their feelings.

Another character, Jake’s Uncle Irwin, treats others with truthful respect. When Jake is set to leave the reservation, he asks his uncle to take care of his lacrosse stick while he’s gone. Knowing the stick “belong[s] in his nephew’s hands” (p. 17), Uncle Irwin respects Jake’s wish and accepts the responsibility. When he is homesick after the move, Jake begins calling friends and family members. After several calls, Uncle Irwin gently reminds Jake, “I love to hear from you, but I think you need to be where you are…” (p. 29). This calm respectful tone is found throughout the story, reflecting Iroquois custom.

In Native American cultures, “the elderly have always occupied a special place because of their wisdom and age” (Harris, p. 171). Bruchac shows Jake’s respect for Grandpa Sky throughout the story. Jake always looks for Grandpa Sky in the stands during lacrosse games and remembers the stories his grandfather has told him. Near the end of the story, Jake dreams of an old woman whom he knows only as another Indian. Though they are strangers in his dream, they refer to each other as grandmother and grandson. This illustrates the Iroquois’ perception that elders are thought of as the grandparents of the community.

Bruchac’s young adult novel, THE WARRIORS, reveals characters which behave both realistically and respectfully. Though people often feel hurt and outcast and must do things they don’t want to, most do not lash out and “tell it like it is.” The thoughts and feelings of the characters in THE WARRIORS show real frustration and sadness and realistic responses to those emotions.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publisher’s Weekly notes, “While the plot seems contrived to deliver the lesson, and while Jake, in all his perfection and purity, seems more paragon than a flesh-and-blood character, Bruchac offsets these drawbacks with the smoothness of the prose and the beauty of his evocation of Native American spirituality and wisdom traditions. Readers will want to believe in the story and in Jake.”
School Library Journal comments, “Throughout the novel, the author mixes just the right amount of universal teen experience and culturally specific perspective to make Jake's story appealing to a broad audience.”

Reviews obtained from Follett Library Resources and accessed at:
http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=c211074453f514ff63ced2a0fe154f24

CONNECTIONS
Bruchac books for younger readers:
RACCOON’S LAST RACE. ISBN 978-0803729773
TURTLE’S RACE WITH BEAVER. ISBN 978-0803728523
CRAZY HORSE’S VISION. ISBN 978-1880000946

Children’s books on lacrosse:
Wells, Donald. 2006. FOR THE LOVE OF LACROSSE. For the love of sports. New York: Weigl Publishers. ISBN 978-1590363010
Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane, and Lawrence Migdale. 1998. Lacrosse: the national game of the Iroquois. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 978-0823413607
Swissler, Becky. 2004. Winning lacrosse for girls. The winning sports for girls series. New York: Facts On File. ISBN 978-0816051830

Review of THE LEGEND OF THE WINDIGO

Ross, Gayle. Murv Jacob. (Ill.) 1996. THE LEGEND OF THE WINDIGO. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 978-0-803718982

PLOT SUMMARY
THE LEGEND OF THE WINDIGO is based on a combination of different Native American Tribes’ stories. In this tale, a village is plagued by a fearsome monster, the Windigo. This creature can change its form at will, sometimes being as tall as the tallest tree. Worst of all, it hypnotizes humans with its cave-like eyes and finally eats them. After losing some of its members to the Windigo, the village must decide what to do. Should they stay in the village where their ancestors slept or should they flee to safety? The people discover the answer to this difficult question from an unexpected source.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
This story offers many cultural markers. Both the text and illustrations support the conveyance of Native North American cultures. Author Gayle Ross, a Cherokee, uses her experience as a storyteller to blend parts from different tribes’ stories—including Tlingit and Cree—into an entertaining and culturally sensitive tale.

This tale depicts a people who live in the north woodlands. This generic location does more to indicate the forest-dwelling nature of the Windigo rather than to indicate a specific tribe. Ross states this story is based on several stories told by different tribes, but “this version is essentially my own creation” (Ross, unpaginated). The community comes together “in a great council” to decide what they are to do about the Windigo. Finally, they decide the elders would pray and fast in hopes they would be shown the solution to their problem. The entire village helps to build the sweat lodge—men, women, and children all have a part to play. The communal nature of the story’s tribe is typical of many Native American cultures.

Another commonality among some American Indian tribes is the global use of the term grandparents. When a boy tending a fire notes a stone has split, he calls the elders Grandparents. They reply, “they do that sometimes, Grandson.” The elders of a community are referred to as the grandparents of the entire tribe. In turn, though there may be no blood ties between them, the elders refer to the children as grandchildren.

Murv Jacob’s illustrations continue to provide general cultural information, taking care not to upset Ross’ attempt to generalize the story’s background. In most of the pictures, the men are seen wearing buckskin pants and shirts and the women buckskin dresses. There is some variation in the hairstyles among the villagers. Some men are shown with feathers and some women with their hair up. As with any community, variation in dress and hairstyles is to be expected. Such variation feeds the intentional lack of tribe specificity.

As can be noted in the illustrations and is reiterated in the Author’s Note, Jacob takes special care in the depiction of the sweat lodge. “Many traditional peoples are very protective of their own rituals” (Ross, unpaginated). Thus, this religious ceremony is protected through the use of general descriptions and paintings. Divulgence of the materials used to build the lodge and what goes on inside the lodge are deftly avoided.

While THE LEGEND OF THE WINDIGO is called “A Tale from Native North America,” the author concedes there is no such thing as a Native American Story. Indeed, the Author’s Note is a critical source of information when sharing this story. It not only provides background information about the story, it lays a foundation for readers seeking authentic stories about American Indian tribes. Despite the fact that the story’s authenticity and accuracy would be suspect without the benefit of the Author’s Note, THE LEGEND OF THE WINDIGO is, in and of itself, an entertaining tale.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
“The acrylic paintings match the text's description of the fearsome Windigo and also aptly capture the story's humorous conclusion. The lengthy author's note at the back provides a wealth of information.” (Horn Book)
“The fast pace and polish of the story make it a good choice for reading aloud…. Ross cites sources with a detailed note on story development and an explanation of sweat lodge ceremonies.” (Booklist)

Reviews obtained from Follett Library Resources and accessed at:
http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=c211074453f514ff63ced2a0fe154f24

CONNECTIONS
Other Cherokee-related stories for readers in grades K-6:
Ross, Gayle, and Murv Jacob. (Ill.) 1994. How Rabbit tricked Otter and other Cherokee trickster stories. New York: HarperCollins Publishers ISBN 978-0-0602-1285-8
Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. 1996. The Cherokees. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 978-0-8234-1214-3
Bruchac, Joseph, and Teresa Flavin. (Ill.) 2000. Pushing up the sky : seven native American plays for children. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 978-0-8037-2168-5Max, Jill, and Robert Annesley. (Ill.) 1997. Spider spins a story: fourteen legends from Native America. Flagstaff, AZ: Rising Moon. ISBN 978-0-8735-8611-5