William R. Sanford

I liked this book mostly for its simplicity when it came to explaining the intricacies of war and combat. Especially considering that this is still a children's book, it takes very good care to bring detail without making it an unsettling read. The writing is paced well that no specific battle or moment is dragged out. The characters of this novel, are not well developed nor given proper moments of humanization, due in part to the perspective being a third person narrator that speaks on the battle for what it is which is an absolute part of history. The plot itself however was not lazily delivered as if none of this information mattered due to it already occurring; It instead gave us a tour of the life of Crazy Horse, our perspective eyes, and eventually his son (also Crazy Horse). The illustrations were very appropriate seeing as they were photos of characters in the narrative and maps of battles or homelands. I think for anyone who grew up in the American school system such as I have, this brings a new sense of understanding and reverence for what the Natives were doing when they were once plentiful upon this land.… (mer)