Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing

by James Rumford

A 2005 Sibert Honor Book 

The story of Sequoyah is the tale of an ordinary man with an extraordinary idea—to create a writing system for the Cherokee Indians and turn his people into a nation of readers and writers. The task he set for himself was daunting. Sequoyah knew no English and had no idea how to capture speech on paper. But slowly and painstakingly, ignoring the hoots and jibes of his neighbors and friends, he worked out a system that surprised the Cherokee Nation—and the world of the 1820s—with its beauty and simplicity. James Rumford’s Sequoyah is a poem to celebrate literacy, a song of a people’s struggle to stand tall and proud.

Genres: Biography, Picture Books, Nonfiction, History, Native American, Childrens, Indigenous

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2004

About the author

I have been writing, illustrating, and designing children's books since 1996. I am on the verge of self-publishing through books that are printed on demand and via the internet. For more on my children's books, see my website: http://www.jamesrumford.com. I also have a blog about writing and illustrating children's books at http://www.calabashcat.blogspot.com. Besides commercially published books, I run a private letter press company and do limited-edition, handmade books. See more at http://www.manoapress.com. I am interested in foreign languages and in poetry. See my blog "Horace et al." at http://www.jasrumford.blogspot.com. I live in Honolulu with my wife.

Reviews

[Данило Судин · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дитяча книжка про Секвою - черокі, який придумав "алфавіт" (syllabary, тобто складове чи силабічне письмо). Загалом, трохи дивно читати дитячу книгу, але я не зміг стриматися. Це дивовижна історія: неписьменний чоловік в похилому віці (близько п'ятдесяти років) вигадав систему письма, яка... досі функціонує. Причому вигадав після тривалих зусиль і боротьби... Його одноплемінці вирішили, що він з'їхав з ґлузду, а тому (тут історія не зовсім однозначна) спалили його хижу і всі напрацювання. (Інша версія каже, що палила все дружина). Бо Секвоя спершу хотів робити ієрогліфічне / ідеографічне письмо, тобто один знак - одне слово чи поняття. Але після тривалої роботи збагнув, що це дуже складно. А ще й сусіди спалили хату. І він перейшов до силабічного письма: 86 знаків, які позначають склади.
Черокі настільки система сподобалася, що на середину ХІХ ст. вони всі були письменними. В Європі тоді заледве третина / половина населення вміла читати і писати.

Власне, це дивовижно. Чоловік в резервації розуміє, що треба рятувати культуру свого народу. Не вміючи писати і читати він вигадує систему письма - яка починає працювати майже одразу (офіційною системою письма черокі вона стала через 4 роки після винаходу).

І найбільш дивовижний факт. Дерево секвоя назване на честь Секвої - черокі, який вигадав спосіб зберегти голоси свого народу на письмі.

Як після цього не взятися за читання більш серйозної біографії?!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

With simple text and gorgeous illustrations, this brilliant bilingual picture-book by James Rumford highlights the achievements of Sequoyah, the Cherokee metalworker who invented a syllabary for his people's language. Born some time in the 1760s, Sequoyah spent most of his life in obscurity, only beginning his work on a writing system when he was approaching fifty. Ridiculed, and sometimes even persecuted by the those who feared that his signs were evil, he nevertheless persisted, eventually creating the 86-character syllabic system that is still in use today...

Rumford's narrative, translated into Cherokee by Anna Sixkiller Huckaby - the language training coordinator at the Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center - is a lyrical tribute to this extraordinary act of creation. His illustrations, done in ink, watercolor, pastel and pencil, are reminiscent of woodcuts, and have a lovely folk-quality to them. Included at the rear is a table with the complete syllabary, a brief afterword, and a time-line of Sequoyah's life. All in all, Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing is the sort of book that educates and entertains, all while providing a gorgeous aesthetic experience. Well worth the time of any reader with an interest in the Cherokee people, their writing system, or the man who created it.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book on a Cherokee man named "Sequoyah" who invented a language. Very few people in history have invented languages in use today making this all the more remarkable. He was persecuted for writing and was also a cripple. A remarkable person.

[S10_Abby Alley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade Level: 1-4
Award: The Robert E. Sibert Honor Book

This is a picture book describing the true story of a man, Sequoyah and how he invented the Cherokee written language. Sequoyah was born in the 1760s into the Cherokee tribe in Tennessee. Although he was crippled he was able to work as a metalworker, making things like forks and spoons. Later in his life, growing tired of his people not having a voice to combat the ever-present White Man’s voice, he put his mind to develop a way of writing for his people. At first he tried making symbols for each word he knew. But when people saw this they thought him to be crazy and burned down his cabin, with all of his work in it. Sequoyah did not give up! He set to work again, but this time rather than giving each word its own set of symbols, he designated a symbol for each sound. Finally people began to see what amazing work Sequoyah was doing and started to learn how to write and read. Now his people had a voice and could take their books and stories with them – even when soldiers forced them away from their land.
The most powerful part of the book is that each page in the story has the Cherokee translation written under or next to the English text. It reminds the reader that this is a true story and that the language is alive today to prove it. This is a fascinating story that I had not heard before. I would recommend this book for the primary grades. It is written in a way for younger students to access the information. It is not bogged down with historical dates or vocabulary. The illustrations are done in a way that give evoke a sense of the time period the story is written about.
I have done a Native American unit in my second grade class where groups become experts on different tribes. This would be a great informational story to include for the Cherokee group to complement compliment myths and folktales. Additionally, it could be a fun activity to write a short letter in both English and Cherokee to Sequoyah or someone else in the Cherokee tribe. In my experience it has been rare to read a picture book having to do with Native Americans and education or Native American inventors. The stories I usually see are Native American myths, which are wonderful, but don’t always paint a realistic picture of the culture. Therefore, stories like the one of Sequoyah are very important to tell.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant bilingual book about a Native American polymath, Sequoyah, who invented a writing system for his tribe, the Cherokee. An amazing story for starters, but Rumford more than does it justice.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fascination with the Cherokee language began here and continued to Cherokee, NC where in spite of the offensive stereotypical offerings in the gift shops, the Cherokee heritage is visible on every bilingual street sign and the legit museums scattered among the hokey souvenir places.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book about the Cherokee man that made their language into written symbols!

[Rachel Aranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only a handful of people have invented a writing system in the last ten thousand years. This fact shows how absolutely brilliant Sequoyah was. He was a crippled half white-half Cherokee that needless to say wasn't entirely respected during his time. Thankfully he never have up and did what nobody expected him to do (succeed). He is without a doubt inspiring.​

[538am_Allison Nork · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing is a multicultural non-fiction book that I would recommend for 1st-3rd grades. It tells the story of a metalworker who was crippled that no one payed much attention to. He realized that he loved his Cherokee people and did not want their amazing voices and stories to ever disappear. Because of this he decided to create a language for the Cherokee people to use. Through many trials and tribulations he was successful and is looked to as the man who gave his people writing as the title implies. There are many themes and lesson that are great to point out to children while reading this. From the cruelty of bullying to the fact that anyone can accomplish anything they want, children will benefit from this story. A beautiful feature in this book is that it was written in conjunction with a Cherokee translator who is fluent in the Cherokee language Sequoyah created. Every page has the Cherokee translation of the English paragraph under it. At the end the alphabet is written out and explained in further detail. This is great to explain to students how this alphabet is different than ours because it goes by syllables not letters. It even ties in how other parts of the world also use syllabary alphabets. This is a wonderful tie for children to further explore other cultures and differences and similarities between our alphabets and theirs. Rumford offers six more interesting facts about Sequoyah on the very last page and points out that is it customary to have two spellings, one for the tree and one more the man. While the illustrations do not personally blow me away, there are so many other good things for students that it is not as necessary. This book has won tons of awards including the ALA notable in 2005, the BELA notable books of the English language arts in 2005, the Jane Addams book honor in 2005, and Robert F. Sibert Information book honor in 2005.

[Crista Goluch · Rating 3 out of 5]

2005 Jane Adams Award Honor Book

This is an amazing bilingual story that tells the tale of how the written Cherokee language came to be that is in both English and said Cherokee. A family of unknown ethnicity visits the Redwoods in California in 1958. The dad begins to tell the story of how they got their name and why their namesake was so important. Sequoyah was an everyday person who didn’t want the voices of the Cherokee to fade away and blend into the white man’s world so he decided to capture their voices in writing. Through trial and error her created characters and symbols that represent the sounds of the tribe. This written language is still used today.

The simplistic illustrations remind the reader that this is an old story that is to be respected. Each one has a title written only in Cherokee. I am very glad that there is a translation guide in the back as well as the 84 signs and symbols used. I also enjoyed reading the fact pages at the end which give more information on Sequoyah the person as well as sequoia the tree.

This would be a great book when discussing how languages came to be as well has Native American, and great leaders.

[Jane Raskauskas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I throughly enjoyed this book. It taught me about the man who created the Cherokee written language. man the book is written about, Sequoyah, was a average Cherokee man who did not what the invaders to kill their culture. He created a written language and taught others to read so his people's history would never disappear. When an Austrian man discovered sequoia trees, he named them after this strong man who created an entire language for his people. I would use this book in a 1-3 classroom because it was an easy read, but also very informational. This book was a WOW book for me because I have heard of sequoia trees, but never knew how they got their name and also learned about one man who created an entire written language for his people! Sequoyah's story is truly one that should be told more because it shows how on man can make a difference. This book could be used to teach students how they can make a difference, but also could be used if the students were learning of sequoia trees in the Redwood Forest.

[T. Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This is a story of struggle, perserverance, and sustainment of a culture. Rumford pens the life of Sequoyah, a Cherokee man responsible for the creation of a syllabic alphabet for the Cherokee people that still exists today. Interestingly, Sequoyah's first attempt at creating an alphabet was ridiculed and rejected by the Cherokee people.(They even claim that he is possessed and burn his home), but Sequoyah responds by teaching his daughter to read. Soon, everyone is reading and writing!

[Luann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but I wanted more details about this fascinating man. I will need to read something else about him sometime soon. There were two suggestions given in the author's note at the end, so I'll have to track down one or both of them. This is a great starting point for students interested in learning about "the Cherokee man who gave his people writing."

[Wendy Gardiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick read, telling how Sequoyah developed the Cherokee writing system. also a story of perseverance. written in both English and Cherokee. a limitation is that there is a lack of source material. one benefit is the emphasis of the long literacy history of Cherokee people.

[Amy Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Important note at the end explains that it is difficult to separate fact from legend when writing about Sequoyah. This book does a good job explaining the syllabary system of Cherokee writing that Sequoyah used.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing is a children's picture book written and illustrated by James Rumford and translated by Anna Sixkiller Huckaby. It is a biographical picture book of Sequoyah – the person who gave the Cherokee Nation the ability to read and write.

November, at least in my part of the world is Native American Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, preferably a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.

Sequoyah was an American and Cherokee polymath. In 1821 he completed his independent creation of a Cherokee syllabary, making reading and writing in Cherokee possible. This was one of the very few times in recorded history that a member of a pre-literate people created an original, effective writing system. After seeing its worth, the people of the Cherokee Nation rapidly began to use his syllabary and officially adopted it in 1825. Their literacy rate quickly surpassed that of surrounding European-American settlers.

The text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Cherokee translation, presented alongside the English text, makes the story all the more real and relevant as Sequoyah was credited for created the writing system. Reminiscent of woodblock prints, Rumford's spare mixed-media compositions in shades of deep green and red clay create a pleasingly subtle, rough-hewn texture.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. The narrative recounts the story of a man, crippled, who was born in Tennessee in the 1760s to a Cherokee woman and a white man he never knew. Sequoyah knew no English and could not read, but invented a writing system for the Cherokee, believing that writing will make them strong. The determined man scratched onto slats of wood hundreds of symbols – one for each word. When detractors, fearing these signs were evil, burned down his cabin and his work, Sequoyah began again using a different tactic – he invented a syllabary of 84 signs, which was more acceptable.

All in all, Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing is a wonderful biographical picture book about Sequoyah – the person who gave his people the ability to write and read.

[Mackenzie Mattsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Sequoyah' by James Rumford is an engaging children's book that tells the remarkable true story of Sequoyah, a Cherokee man who created a writing system for his people. Through captivating illustrations and an inspiring narrative, Rumford brings to life the journey of this extraordinary historical figure. The book follows Sequoyah as he observes the spoken language of the Cherokee community and works hard to develop a written form to preserve their stories and traditions. Rumford's storytelling is easy to understand, and the colorful illustrations make the story come alive. What makes 'Sequoyah' truly fascinating is Sequoyah's determination and perseverance. Readers see how he never gives up, even when faced with challenges. The book shows how one person's efforts can make a big difference and highlights the importance of language. One thing that could be improved is exploring more of Sequoyah's personal life and background. It would have been nice to know more about his motivations and experiences.

[Melissa Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives an overview of the life of Sequoyah and the work he did. It explains why he is famous and how hard he worked to develop a writing system for his people.
I enjoyed learning more about Sequoyah and how much perseverance he had. I didn't realize he faced so much opposition from his own people. The pictures in this book are beautifully made, and the text is in both Cherokee and English. At the end, it explains more about Sequoyah and the Sequoyah tree. There is also a Cherokee syllabary so that readers can learn which sound each of the symbols stands for.

For Dr. Day's reading challenge:
Copyright: 2004
Genre: Informational, biography
Awards: Sibert Medal Nominee, Jane Addams Children's Book Award Nominee for Younger Children
How I would use this book in my classroom:
I would want to have this book on my bookshelf. I might use it to teach about this era in history. It would also be fun to include in an ELA lesson to discuss languages and how writing systems are created.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew that the giant redwood trees in California are called sequoias, and I separately was aware that the Cherokee Indian Sequoyah created the Cherokee syllabary, thus preserving their linguistic heritage for all time. In James Rumford's poetic text, "Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing," I discovered that Steven Endlicher, the botanist who named the sequoia species, was also a student of linguistics and that he wanted to honor Sequoyah for his creative achievement. We also learn the struggle that Sequoyah went through to invent the written language for his people, a truly stunning feat: "Only a handful of people in the last seven thousand years can claim to have invented a writing system." I love that this book includes a side-by-side Cherokee and English translation of the entire text and, perhaps most importantly, it illustrates for students the lasting power of being able to read and write.

[Joplin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you looking for a nonfiction picture book on the history of the writing system Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing by James Rumford might be for you. The book's plot follows Sequoyah's journey as he develops and teaches the Cherokee syllabary, despite facing numerous challenges. The theme of the book is the power of language and literacy in communities.
The setting of the book is the southeastern United States during the early 19th century, where the Cherokee people lived before their forced removal on the Trail of Tears. The conflict in the story arises from the Cherokee people's lack of a written language, which prevented them from recording their history and communicating with other cultures. Sequoyah is the protagonist of the book, and his determination in creating the system makes him a heroic figure. I would give this book a 5/5, it was an amazing read.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book biography of Sequoyah, the Cherokee who created a written language for his people in the 1800s.

This book is bilingual, written in both English and Cherokee. In back of the book is a pronunciation guide for Cherokee so readers can give reading in the language Sequoyah created a whirl. Also, not to be missed in the back of the book is a note from the author in why he chose to use phrases such as "they tell us" or "they say" (basically because there are many legends about Sequoyah and few hard facts). I love that Rumford provides kids with a great model in how to write about debatable facts in a way that doesn't mislead the reader. Fantastic reading pick for those curious about linguistics or the Cherokee.

[Emily Elkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Level: 3.7

Book Summary: This is a book about a man who invented writing for the Cherokee people. No one believed him that they could learn to read and write, but he never gave up and soon all of the Cherokee people were reading and writing.

Bookshelf Genre: Multicultural Literature

Characteristics that support the genre: This book is written in both English and Cherokee. It discusses how the Cherokee never gave up their writing, even when the white people forced them from their lands.

Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits:
Ideas: The big idea of the book is Sequoyah and his development of writing for the Cherokee people.

Classroom Integration: I could possibly use this book when discussing the Cherokee people or part of a Native American unit.

[Cheyenne Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing" by James Rumford is about a man named Sequoyah who takes on the challenge of creating a writing system for the Cherokee language. He invents a "syllabary", which is 84 symbols that represent every syllable in the Cherokee language. The illustrations of this book are referred to as "wood block printing" and helps reinforce the setting of the story (which takes place in a wooded forest). I would use this text in a third grade classroom in order to address the following Georgia standard of excellence: SS3HI: Describe early American Indian cultures and their development in North America. Students could read the text and gather information about the Cherokee Indian tribe's culture.

[Rachel Lindsey]

This book tells the story of Sequoyah, a Cherokee man who fought to preserve his peoples’ voices. Sequoyah believed that through reading and writing his people could maintain their legacy and have their voices preserved during a time when they were being silenced and targeted, and he was right. Through its narrative style and beautiful illustrations, this book brings his legacy to life. This book would be a wonderful addition when teaching students about Native American history and cultures as it describes how they gained writing and reading.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an excellent read. This true story tells of the diligence and persistence of one Cherokee man who knew that giving his people writing would be something that could never be taken from them. This book goes over the many obstacles of his lfie (how there was resistance to learning) as well as the oppression that he faced as a native American. This story is also hopeful and shows the resilience of Native Americans and can bring discussion on the reasons we write and how we can take it for granted.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing my read of Sibert winners and honors. This is a short picture book biography of Sequoyah. There isn't much to it. Some of the writing is actually about the author hearing about the subject. Much of the book is taken up with a translation of the book into Cherokee using Sequoyah's syllabary. There was a bit about his life but not much. But it was a brilliant achievement. And well worth remembering. 3.5 of 5

[Andrea Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this book 5 stars because I was able to learn about the man Sequoyah who created writing for the Cherokee Tribe. I would use this book in my class when I focus on our Native American Tribes to educate my students through books because I believe students learn better when two learning styles are being taught. When reading this book I will be helping both my auditory learners and mt visual learners.

[Sara L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing" is an amazing book! In this book, Sequoyah tells readers that he maintained his culture by developing the Cherokee writing system. This book has beautiful illustrations and it's also written in both English and Cherokee. This book can be used when teaching students about Native American history or when reading aloud with children.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

The art fits the story.

bilingual text (English and Cherokee)

additional info at end

Too brief -- a little more about Cherokees and Sequoyah would have helped anchor the story to a time, place, and people.

"This man called Sequoyah was crippled."
This statement stands alone and draws questions, but it's never explained.

[Kirsten Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been interested in Sequoyah since I was a little girl. This book, gorgeously illustrated by the author, tells his life story in a way children can understand. What truly blew me away, however, was that it is translated into Cherokee, as well. Such a wonderful tribute!