Review by Booklist Review
Packed with fast action and detailed analysis, these new titles in the Sterling Biographies series blend the stories of Native American leaders with the history of their peoples, distinguishing myth and reality by documenting what really happened and focusing on ordinary people as well as chiefs and warriors. In Chief Joseph, Hopping tells of Joseph's painful decision to leave his land to save Nez Percé lives, choosing peace because he knew they could not win against the U.S. The series' spacious design is highly scannable, with color background screens, photos, maps, and historic prints throughout; also included are a detailed time line, glossary, bibliography, and fully documented notes.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Berne highlights Sacagawea's importance to the Lewis and Clark expedition, as well as her unfortunate lapse into obscurity and the mystery of what happened to her in later life. Chief Joseph was the Nez Perce's main negotiator with the U. S. Army, and he made a name for himself through his strong belief in resolving conflict through peaceful means. Although he was promised that the Nez Perce would return to their ancestral lands, they ended up farther east in Montana. Joseph spent the rest of his life advocating for peaceful relations between his people and whites. The story of Pocahontas saving John Smith's life may be a romanticized version of an elaborate Powhatan ritual, but the friendship between the two was real. Jones begins by placing the settlement at Jamestown in the context of both European exploration and Powhatan lifeways. Pocahontas became a friend to the settlers, eventually married an Englishman, and moved to London. No actual fictionalizing takes place, but the author does suggest what Pocahontas may have thought of the strangeness of her new home. This is a welcome biography for readers wanting more information than that found in Kathleen Krull's Pocahontas (Walker, 2007). In all three books, illustrations appear on almost every page, including period black-and-white photographs (where available), present-day photographs of important places, and well-chosen paintings and drawings. The authors succeed in painting sympathetic yet realistic portraits of their subjects and the cultures in which they lived, especially in the case of Chief Joseph, whose pain at his people's losses is clearly evident.-Rebecca Donnelly, Loma Colorado Public Library, Rio Rancho, NM (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Each title opens with an introduction that arouses compassion and interest for the featured subject. Succeeding chapters present chronological biographies, with vivid portrayals of daily life, culture, and the impact an expanding America had on the individual and his or her people. Paintings, drawings, and occasional photographs combine with detail-rich sidebars and maps to provide a cumulatively engaging, accessible history lesson. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Sterling Biographies titles: Sacagawea, Chief Joseph,Pocahontas, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, and Tecumseh.] (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Hopping wraps her cogent account of how the Nee-mee-pu (Nez Perce) were rooted out of their homeland and only subdued after a long and heroic pursuit around twin character portraits of the group and of its most renowned member. While presenting Joseph as one chief among severaland not a war chief, as sometimes depicted, but "a peace chief, a civil leader" whose greatest skill was the ability to "sway others with well-chosen words"she places him in a peaceable, prosperous and steady society that enjoyed good relations with encroaching "So-ya-pu" until broken promises, profound misunderstanding and outright aggression escalated into violence. Joseph argued for peace before and during the tragic "War of 1877" and in later years too as he became a nationally known figure. His tale has been told plenty of times to young audiences, but this iteration comes in an appealingly compact format, with plenty of contemporary photos and maps, plus a generous selection of backmatter. (glossary, bibliography, source notes, index) (Biography. 11-13)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
