mktyler Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I would like to read "The Courage of Sarah Noble" next year with my 1st grader; however I would like to tame some of its non-PC language with a book from the Native American perspective of first contact. I don't feel that the book is negative per se; it reflects accurately the view colonists had towards Native Americans, and on a larger scale the struggle to overcome cultural, ethnic, and linguistic differences experience by all such contacts. That being said, I would like to show my daughter the other side of the story. There is a lot of information about what not to read, that is, what is stereotyping or degrading to Native Americans, but not a lot of info on what to read. Any suggestions? Thanks, Melissa Minnesota Reading Program Junkie dd (10) dd(6) ds(4) ds (1) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I liked Sign of the Beaver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktyler Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 bump! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 You could read here why Oyate doesn't recommend Sarah Noble and then look at their catalog to find a recommended book. http://www.oyate.org/books-to-avoid/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktyler Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Thanks for the link! Melissa Minnesota Reading Program Junkie dd(10) dd(6) ds( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 You could read here why Oyate doesn't recommend Sarah Noble and then look at their catalog to find a recommended book. http://www.oyate.org/books-to-avoid/index.html i can understand a desire to offer a NA opinion, but he loses me w/ statements like about Little House: There is no proof, of course, that Charles Ingalls took part in these crimes, but I assume that he did, since he was sleazy enough to willfully steal their land, sorry- but there are indeed plenty of people who commit one crime/offense but not another. Part of literary analysis demands we understand the reason/ perspective of the author. he's not interested in either. and when they attempt to discuss author's intent, as in Sarah Noble-- Dalgliesh called her book a "story of faith and courage and friendship." Possibly that was her intent. Friendship does not call people out of their names just because they are unfamiliar. Friendship does not doubt the safety of a child with people who have shown you nothing but kindness. Friendship does not wonder if people are human enough to pray for. If words and pictures show people only as creatures of the wild, that is how children will think of them, no matter how much you speak of friendship. If there is something fearful about them, even after months of relationship, if you say their names are impossible, and slap other names on them—any old ones will do—and nobody objects, if you show nothing of their lives, then they have no identity that children can understand, no reality as human beings. sorry- NAs don't have the monopoly on what constitutes friendship, either. I'm betting that it would be almost impossible to take into account what the Nobles had been fed for YEARS and expect them to overcome it [under stress] in a few months.....yeah..... so yeah, check out their catalog for what to recommend, but I'd take their "stay away from" list w/ a big grain of salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 I read The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich a year or so ago to my then-7yo & 9yo dds. We all loved it! I even cried a few times. If Mom cries that makes it a keeper! :) http://www.amazon.com/Birchbark-House-Louise-Erdrich/dp/0786814543/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238544661&sr=8-1 There are several parts where the author really gets into the spiritual beliefs of the tribe but we just talked about it and why we believe what WE believe and my girls were okay with it. I think I even skipped over a couple parts, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 i can understand a desire to offer a NA opinion, but he loses me w/ statements like about Little House: There is no proof, of course, that Charles Ingalls took part in these crimes, but I assume that he did, since he was sleazy enough to willfully steal their land, sorry- but there are indeed plenty of people who commit one crime/offense but not another. Part of literary analysis demands we understand the reason/ perspective of the author. he's not interested in either. and when they attempt to discuss author's intent, as in Sarah Noble-- Dalgliesh called her book a "story of faith and courage and friendship." Possibly that was her intent. Friendship does not call people out of their names just because they are unfamiliar. Friendship does not doubt the safety of a child with people who have shown you nothing but kindness. Friendship does not wonder if people are human enough to pray for. If words and pictures show people only as creatures of the wild, that is how children will think of them, no matter how much you speak of friendship. If there is something fearful about them, even after months of relationship, if you say their names are impossible, and slap other names on them—any old ones will do—and nobody objects, if you show nothing of their lives, then they have no identity that children can understand, no reality as human beings. sorry- NAs don't have the monopoly on what constitutes friendship, either. I'm betting that it would be almost impossible to take into account what the Nobles had been fed for YEARS and expect them to overcome it [under stress] in a few months.....yeah..... so yeah, check out their catalog for what to recommend, but I'd take their "stay away from" list w/ a big grain of salt. I'd keep that in mind, too. Also, the stay away list does not speak for every Native American. Tangentially -- I never liked Pa. he seemed bizarre to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Thank you very much for the Oyate link -- the catalog is full of wonderful sounding books that I have never heard of. I'll look forward to reading many of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 The Oyate link is food for thought; thanks for offering another perspective. FWIW, when we read Sarah Noble and Little House, we used those touchy parts as a chance for discussion. No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 The Oyate link is food for thought; thanks for offering another perspective. FWIW, when we read Sarah Noble and Little House, we used those touchy parts as a chance for discussion. No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I agree. My kids have read many of the books on their avoid list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 I'd keep that in mind, too. Also, the stay away list does not speak for every Native American. NO WAY!!! I thought every Native American/ Christian/ Muslim/ Atheist all thought in lockstep with each other.... ;) ::tongue planted firmly in cheek:: but yeah, sometimes it doesn't hurt to point out the obvious to those who might not realize it's, uh, that obvious :D it was an interesting link. I realized i had several of their recommended books already, so that was cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 NO WAY!!! I thought every Native American/ Christian/ Muslim/ Atheist all thought in lockstep with each other.... ;) ::tongue planted firmly in cheek:: but yeah, sometimes it doesn't hurt to point out the obvious to those who might not realize it's, uh, that obvious :D it was an interesting link. I realized i had several of their recommended books already, so that was cool. I guess I should have written that I understand that the stay away list does not speak for every Native Amercan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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