Young Llama Thoughts
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Adventurous
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Christian Friendly
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Easy Reading
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Humerous
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Youth Appropriate
Overall
Review
Red Dove is a story with magic and truth. It’s inspiring and heartbreaking all at once. This is a book kids need to read!
This book is about Red Dove, a young Lakota girl who’s grey eyes set her apart as half white. Red Dove knows her people are suffering, but she doesn’t know how to help. When she is set away to a White school, her grandfather gives her a medicine pouch that gives her the power to see others emotions and thoughts. Through war, abuse and loss; Red Dove learns what it means to forgive and to love all, even when they wrong her.
This book is an amazing inspirational read! Filled with adventure, war, and loss, this book is dramatic and tense. But there’s also a wonderful focus on family, loving those who hurt you and forgiveness. The author did an amazing job with the Native American culture and I think kids need to read this book!!!
There is magic in the book. The culture of the Natives is very focused on spirits, ancestors and nature. In the book Red Dove uses a medical pouch to learn languages, read minds, feel emotions and connect others. There are some dark topics in the book. Mention of war, blood, death, wounds, scars and such. (Not gory, but it is brought up) There is also mention of abuse from soldiers and teachers. Mention of nuns beating children because of their culture. The book does a wonderful job of showing how the White people forced their culture and religion on the Natives. (Not very Christian to force people against their will!!! Speaking as a Christian, what was done to the Native Americans was wrong.) Also a solider and a nun curse Jesus’s name. Rude…
Overall, this book totally deserves the Golden Llama Award!!! It is an amazing, inspirational read that kids, teens and adults should read! -The Young Llama Reader.
Pros
- An amazing novel!
- Great for kids 9 and up!!!
Cons
- Dark topics…
Abandoned by her white father, thirteen-year-old Red Dove faces another lean winter with her Native family on the Great Plains, now empty of the buffalo that once sustained them.
Spirited and proud, she is presented with a stark choice: leave her people to live in the white world, or stay and watch them starve. When she breaks a sacred tradition and eats the fruit of the Dead Man’s Plum Bush, her wise old grandfather gives her a medicine pouch that allows her to enter the thoughts and feelings of others.
With it, she confronts the cruelties of the nun who runs the boarding school, and the tragedy of Wounded Knee.
Accompanied by her beloved pony, Red Dove begins a journey to find her place and discovers that her greatest power comes from within herself.
