Book Descriptions
for Eagle Song by Joseph Bruchac and Dan Andreasen
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Chief. Hiawatha. Danny hates that his classmates tease him with these names. But ever since his family moved away from the Mohawk reservation so his mother could take a job as a social worker in Manhattan, his life at school has been miserable. Outside of the fourth grade, things aren't always easy either. His father works 50 stories up in the air on the iron beams of skyscrapers under construction, a dangerous job that takes him away from home for weeks at a time. No matter how much his parents love him and one another, and no matter how much they encourage Danny to trust the Iroquois way of life that says "if you believe in peace...an enemy can become a friend,"Danny can't find a way to feel at home in the world away from his own home and people. In Joseph Bruchac's welcome novel about a contemporary American Indian child and family, a young boy's struggle with the stereotypes and prejudice of his peers begins to turn around when he finds the strength inside himself to extend a hand in friendship. (Ages 9-11)
CCBC Choices 1997. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1997. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
A contemporary middle grade story about confronting bullying and prejudice
Danny Bigtree's family has moved to Brooklyn, New York, and he just can't seem to fit in at school. He's homesick for the Mohawk reservation, and the kids in his class tease him about being an Indian—the thing that makes Danny most proud. Can he find the courage to stand up for himself?
“A worthy, well-written novella.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This appealing portrayal of a strong family offers an unromanticized view of Native American culture, and a history lesson about the Iroquois Confederacy; it also gives a subtle lesson in the meaning of daily courage.” —Publishers Weekly
"With so many Native American stories set in the misty past, it's great to read a children's book about an Iroquois boy who lives in the city now. Bruchac weaves together the traditional and the realistic as Danny's ironworker father tells stories of his people's history and heroes, stories that give Danny courage to confront his schoolyard enemies and make friends with them.” —Booklist
Danny Bigtree's family has moved to Brooklyn, New York, and he just can't seem to fit in at school. He's homesick for the Mohawk reservation, and the kids in his class tease him about being an Indian—the thing that makes Danny most proud. Can he find the courage to stand up for himself?
“A worthy, well-written novella.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This appealing portrayal of a strong family offers an unromanticized view of Native American culture, and a history lesson about the Iroquois Confederacy; it also gives a subtle lesson in the meaning of daily courage.” —Publishers Weekly
"With so many Native American stories set in the misty past, it's great to read a children's book about an Iroquois boy who lives in the city now. Bruchac weaves together the traditional and the realistic as Danny's ironworker father tells stories of his people's history and heroes, stories that give Danny courage to confront his schoolyard enemies and make friends with them.” —Booklist
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.
