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Dear America
The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl
The narrator describes her experiences as her Navajo tribe is forced to relocate by the U.S. Army in 1864 New Mexico.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1999
30 people are currently reading
2311 people want to read
About the author
Ann Rinaldi
69 books986 followersAnn Rinaldi (b. August 27, 1934, in New York City) is a young adult fiction author. She is best known for her historical fiction, including In My Father's House, The Last Silk Dress, An Acquaintance with Darkness, A Break with Charity, and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons. She has written a total of forty novels, eight of which were listed as notable by the ALA. In 2000, Wolf by the Ears was listed as one the best novels of the preceding twenty-five years, and later of the last one hundred years. She is the most prolific writer for the Great Episode series, a series of historical fiction novels set during the American Colonial era. She also writes for the Dear America series.
Rinaldi currently lives in Somerville, New Jersey, with her husband, Ron, whom she married in 1960. Her career, prior to being an author, was a newspaper columnist. She continued the column, called The Trentonian, through much of her writing career. Her first published novel, Term Paper, was written in 1979. Prior to this, she wrote four unpublished books, which she has called "terrible." She became a grandmother in 1991.
Rinaldi says she got her love of history from her eldest son, who brought her to reenactments. She says that she writes young adult books "because I like to write them."
Rinaldi currently lives in Somerville, New Jersey, with her husband, Ron, whom she married in 1960. Her career, prior to being an author, was a newspaper columnist. She continued the column, called The Trentonian, through much of her writing career. Her first published novel, Term Paper, was written in 1979. Prior to this, she wrote four unpublished books, which she has called "terrible." She became a grandmother in 1991.
Rinaldi says she got her love of history from her eldest son, who brought her to reenactments. She says that she writes young adult books "because I like to write them."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
September 22, 2020
While I am glad that at the very least author Ann Turner does certainly attempt to show how the so-called Navajo Removal (19th century America) was an atrocity, there sadly and frustratingly (and of course in my humble opinion) is also just way too much presented and featured narrative content that is both questionable and intensely problematic for me to consider rating this instalment of the Dear America series of fictional diaries, for me to even think of providing The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl with more than one star.
Now first and foremost of course looms the question of the main protagonist and first person narrator's name, as I do seriously doubt that in 1864 (when the events described in The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl take place) the Navajo would have been using English language names such as Sarah. And thus Sarah's non Navajo name already makes her fictional diary feel rather inauthentic and unrealistic in tone, not to mention that the entire journal format of The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl also leaves a lot do be desired, as it sure does tend to feel rather artificial and not all that culturally believable for an older Sarah Nita to be dictating her story to her granddaughter decades later and for the granddaughter to then write this in a diary like manner (since according to Navajo tradition, while stories are indeed orally recounted, they would generally not then be rendered into a written journal format but passed on by word of mouth and only by word of mouth).
Combined with the distinct feeling that Ann Turner's narrative, that her fictional diarist Sarah Nita also kind of (at least to and for me) makes the Navajo Removal feel more than a bit white-washed so to speak and thus not nearly as horrible and as heartbreaking as it seems to have historically been, with much of the terror simply and rather cursively alluded to off page (and also with not nearly enough textual criticism and condemnation of in particular the US Army soldiers involved with carrying out the "removal" and yes, to a point, that Sarah's remembrances and her journal entries often have even felt more than a bit trivialising), while The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl has to a certain extent been a perusal I have grudgingly found interesting, this does in no way mitigate and lessen my frustration and annoyance with how much (non Navajo, non Native American) author Ann Turner has left out, how much she has tried to make the Navajo Removal appear as terrible but actually not really all that much so for all that, and indeed and furthermore, how seemingly removed from true Navajo tradition and culture The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl in fact rather too often seems to be.
Now first and foremost of course looms the question of the main protagonist and first person narrator's name, as I do seriously doubt that in 1864 (when the events described in The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl take place) the Navajo would have been using English language names such as Sarah. And thus Sarah's non Navajo name already makes her fictional diary feel rather inauthentic and unrealistic in tone, not to mention that the entire journal format of The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl also leaves a lot do be desired, as it sure does tend to feel rather artificial and not all that culturally believable for an older Sarah Nita to be dictating her story to her granddaughter decades later and for the granddaughter to then write this in a diary like manner (since according to Navajo tradition, while stories are indeed orally recounted, they would generally not then be rendered into a written journal format but passed on by word of mouth and only by word of mouth).
Combined with the distinct feeling that Ann Turner's narrative, that her fictional diarist Sarah Nita also kind of (at least to and for me) makes the Navajo Removal feel more than a bit white-washed so to speak and thus not nearly as horrible and as heartbreaking as it seems to have historically been, with much of the terror simply and rather cursively alluded to off page (and also with not nearly enough textual criticism and condemnation of in particular the US Army soldiers involved with carrying out the "removal" and yes, to a point, that Sarah's remembrances and her journal entries often have even felt more than a bit trivialising), while The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl has to a certain extent been a perusal I have grudgingly found interesting, this does in no way mitigate and lessen my frustration and annoyance with how much (non Navajo, non Native American) author Ann Turner has left out, how much she has tried to make the Navajo Removal appear as terrible but actually not really all that much so for all that, and indeed and furthermore, how seemingly removed from true Navajo tradition and culture The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl in fact rather too often seems to be.
August 12, 2011
I'm a little frustrated with the Dear America books that focus on Native Americans. They are penned by white people, and the stories sound fake and insincere. I feel as if I am not reading a story written by a child/young adult...a feeling that is conjured within the other books in the Dear America series. However, I believe that the author Ann Turner was sensitive to the material in this book, and did a commendable job.
February 14, 2020
I did like this book and it's a hard choice between three and four stars. The pacing of the action was good and I felt the cast of characters was well-rounded. However, as other reviewers have pointed out, this book strays from the typical Dear America model in that the main character is telling a story from her childhood to her granddaughter, who writes it down, rather than the main character writing the events in a diary herself as they are unfolding. It's realistic then for the narrative to lack some of the immediate, urgent-feeling detail and emotion of a diary. So while it's believable and all and a good story, it doesn't have quite the same spark that a well-written "diary" usually has.
July 19, 2019
2019 review:
I read this as an adult last year, and was delighted at how swept back in time I felt. These books tend to have writing styles I really connect with. I grew up with this series, I'd say. This year, though, a month ago, I read "A Broken Flute", edited by Doris Seale. It's a critique of portrayals of Native Americans in childrens' media, and this book was one of the many examined. The review pointed out that this book is no way historically accurate, and detailed why. I was stunned, and ashamed that I didn't know, and I so readily believed historical fiction without doing much of my own research. The book takes place during an event that has negative effects to this day, and still hurts a lot of people. The author should have done far, far more research in order to portray such with the sensitivity it deserved. Better yet, this should have been written by someone of the community. This book, even last year, was one I planned to only read once. If I find out the Mary Driscoll book is also historically inaccurate, or the Oregon Trail one, I will be even sadder and more ashamed. Those were my two favorites, but I like nearly two dozen others. I'm doing a reread of the ones I liked, and will do more research on those time periods so I can know what really happened.
I read this as an adult last year, and was delighted at how swept back in time I felt. These books tend to have writing styles I really connect with. I grew up with this series, I'd say. This year, though, a month ago, I read "A Broken Flute", edited by Doris Seale. It's a critique of portrayals of Native Americans in childrens' media, and this book was one of the many examined. The review pointed out that this book is no way historically accurate, and detailed why. I was stunned, and ashamed that I didn't know, and I so readily believed historical fiction without doing much of my own research. The book takes place during an event that has negative effects to this day, and still hurts a lot of people. The author should have done far, far more research in order to portray such with the sensitivity it deserved. Better yet, this should have been written by someone of the community. This book, even last year, was one I planned to only read once. If I find out the Mary Driscoll book is also historically inaccurate, or the Oregon Trail one, I will be even sadder and more ashamed. Those were my two favorites, but I like nearly two dozen others. I'm doing a reread of the ones I liked, and will do more research on those time periods so I can know what really happened.
August 30, 2020
The Dear America series is fairly historically accurate at times, but I know there are a few entries that are panned widely for their inaccuracies. The most notorious is My Heart is on the Ground, but I’ve also heard that The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow has its problems. And there are certainly others besides those that have been criticized for their portrayals of history (such as When Will This Cruel War be Over?).
I won’t really go into the cultural or portrayal problems with this book; that has been done far more extensively in other places by Native Americans. From my perspective, Turner does a fair job portraying some cultural aspects of Navajo life (in comparison to books that have perpetuated bad stereotypes), but there are others where even I can tell she either glosses over them or twists them entirely. It’s interesting because the notes in the back indicated she did research, and even consulted a Navajo artist about the book. I’m wondering if the audience of the book put some sort of limit on what Turner thought she could and should portray, which is a shame if true.
My main problem with this book—and most people’s, I would argue—is that it is simply a poor depiction of The Long Walk. I know this is a children’s series, but Turner was far too nice in her portrayal. The inclusion of a kindly soldier, while perhaps true to history (though anyone that kind who is in that position needs to explain why he’s even taking part at all), softens the atrocities that happened on the trail, such as leaving the elderly, the ill, and the pregnant behind (if not downright shooting them, as is portrayed—“off page”—in the book). Sarah Nita’s “grin and bear it” attitude (more like “tell a story and bear it” attitude), which may actually work for some instances, only serves to make it seem as if the Navajo eventually became content with their situation. It seems to me as if Turner completely changed the entire tone of the Long Walk.
That’s really the problem—the tone seems off. The Long Walk was something terrible, but Turner’s approach makes it seem as if it really wasn’t all that bad. Even when she portrays things like pregnant women being shot, and the vague “the men can be cruel to our women” comments, there’s too much kindness, too much happiness, too much softening of events. Stories hold a lot of power, and can help in troubled times, but using that idea makes it seem as if Turner is proverbially patting people on the head and saying, “There, there. It wasn’t all that bad.” The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow is simply an unrealistic presentation of the Long Walk, one that is inaccurate, far too happy, and, yes, disrespectful to the people who had to go through it.
I won’t really go into the cultural or portrayal problems with this book; that has been done far more extensively in other places by Native Americans. From my perspective, Turner does a fair job portraying some cultural aspects of Navajo life (in comparison to books that have perpetuated bad stereotypes), but there are others where even I can tell she either glosses over them or twists them entirely. It’s interesting because the notes in the back indicated she did research, and even consulted a Navajo artist about the book. I’m wondering if the audience of the book put some sort of limit on what Turner thought she could and should portray, which is a shame if true.
My main problem with this book—and most people’s, I would argue—is that it is simply a poor depiction of The Long Walk. I know this is a children’s series, but Turner was far too nice in her portrayal. The inclusion of a kindly soldier, while perhaps true to history (though anyone that kind who is in that position needs to explain why he’s even taking part at all), softens the atrocities that happened on the trail, such as leaving the elderly, the ill, and the pregnant behind (if not downright shooting them, as is portrayed—“off page”—in the book). Sarah Nita’s “grin and bear it” attitude (more like “tell a story and bear it” attitude), which may actually work for some instances, only serves to make it seem as if the Navajo eventually became content with their situation. It seems to me as if Turner completely changed the entire tone of the Long Walk.
That’s really the problem—the tone seems off. The Long Walk was something terrible, but Turner’s approach makes it seem as if it really wasn’t all that bad. Even when she portrays things like pregnant women being shot, and the vague “the men can be cruel to our women” comments, there’s too much kindness, too much happiness, too much softening of events. Stories hold a lot of power, and can help in troubled times, but using that idea makes it seem as if Turner is proverbially patting people on the head and saying, “There, there. It wasn’t all that bad.” The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow is simply an unrealistic presentation of the Long Walk, one that is inaccurate, far too happy, and, yes, disrespectful to the people who had to go through it.
February 23, 2011
The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow (New Mexico) / 0-590-97216-2
This heartbreaking addition to the Dear America series tells the story of the massive Navajo imprisonment by the United States government at Fort Sumner.
Sarah Nita is tending her family's herd one day, with her sister and their pet hound, when they see smoke rising from the sky and the thundering of horses hooves and, suddenly, their family is taken from them in an instance. Their mother and father have been kidnapped by United States soldiers and sent to Fort Sumner where they will work as servants and slaves in a massive prison designed to hold all the Navajo people. Sarah and her sister must pick their way over the land, hoping to reunite themselves with their extended family and, then, with their mother and father. As the families are reunited and then sent trudging the long walk to Fort Sumner, and as soldiers murder their people for being too old, too slow, or too pregnant to keep up, Sarah overcomes the fear and sorrow in her heart to tell stories in the evenings, stories to chase away their sorrow.
Ann Turner has done a wonderful job of presenting the horror and pain encountered on these forced marches to prison. While she provides a "nice soldier" as a counterpoint to his companions, it is brutally clear that the majority of the soldiers treat the American Indians most shamefully, and the narrator and her sister are warned carefully to never wander alone, for the soldiers "are cruel to our women". The plight of the men is also poignant, as they labor like slaves in the fields and feel helpless and heartbroken that they cannot protect their families from the horrors visited upon them. The children struggle to be brave and strong, and Sarah in particular is able to heal her father's heartbreak with cleverness, carefully guarded food and medicines, and love.
For parents, this book bares a terrible truth about our nation's history and shines the light on our crimes so that we may not repeat these crimes again in the future. This is not, however, light reading. Although Sarah and her extended family remain safe through her determination and cleverness, many other Navajo die badly, with the elderly falling prey to the cold weather, and a heavily pregnant woman murdered by soldiers because she went into labor. Rape is hinted at, when the young girls are warned to not bathe naked because the soldiers are cruel to the women. Though this is an important book for both children and adults to read, sensitive children may find a good deal of the subject matter upsetting.
~ Ana Mardoll
This heartbreaking addition to the Dear America series tells the story of the massive Navajo imprisonment by the United States government at Fort Sumner.
Sarah Nita is tending her family's herd one day, with her sister and their pet hound, when they see smoke rising from the sky and the thundering of horses hooves and, suddenly, their family is taken from them in an instance. Their mother and father have been kidnapped by United States soldiers and sent to Fort Sumner where they will work as servants and slaves in a massive prison designed to hold all the Navajo people. Sarah and her sister must pick their way over the land, hoping to reunite themselves with their extended family and, then, with their mother and father. As the families are reunited and then sent trudging the long walk to Fort Sumner, and as soldiers murder their people for being too old, too slow, or too pregnant to keep up, Sarah overcomes the fear and sorrow in her heart to tell stories in the evenings, stories to chase away their sorrow.
Ann Turner has done a wonderful job of presenting the horror and pain encountered on these forced marches to prison. While she provides a "nice soldier" as a counterpoint to his companions, it is brutally clear that the majority of the soldiers treat the American Indians most shamefully, and the narrator and her sister are warned carefully to never wander alone, for the soldiers "are cruel to our women". The plight of the men is also poignant, as they labor like slaves in the fields and feel helpless and heartbroken that they cannot protect their families from the horrors visited upon them. The children struggle to be brave and strong, and Sarah in particular is able to heal her father's heartbreak with cleverness, carefully guarded food and medicines, and love.
For parents, this book bares a terrible truth about our nation's history and shines the light on our crimes so that we may not repeat these crimes again in the future. This is not, however, light reading. Although Sarah and her extended family remain safe through her determination and cleverness, many other Navajo die badly, with the elderly falling prey to the cold weather, and a heavily pregnant woman murdered by soldiers because she went into labor. Rape is hinted at, when the young girls are warned to not bathe naked because the soldiers are cruel to the women. Though this is an important book for both children and adults to read, sensitive children may find a good deal of the subject matter upsetting.
~ Ana Mardoll
February 22, 2014
Sarah is Navajo. While teaching 5th Gr., I taught Pueblo was peaceful and Navajo were raiders. This being said, I had never read what happened when western cavalry met the Navajo. This book gave that insight. Sarah and her sister were sent to gather sheep and while they were gone, they saw the red dust of the cavalry, as they descended on her parents.
All is in shambles when the girls return home. Sarah and Kaibah, her sister, and dog, Silver Coat embark on a journey to Tseyi, the Navajo for Canyon de Chelly. Sarah remembers her father say they had family there. This trip covers desert and takes them a week. During this time they spot soldiers, hide, and find sleeping places in the desert. The dog catches small game and all share.
In due time, they reach the Canyon, only to find burned corn and no people. As it is late, they climb into an enclosure, wrap up in sheepskins, and sleep. They awaken, to the missing people.
Their joy is short lived because the soldiers soon appear. Like the Cherokee's Trail of Tears, the Navajo begin The Long Walk of 1864. They are forced to walk across most of Arizona to Ft. Defiance, New Mexico. They walked supporting the old and carried the young. They walked in snow and slept out in the open. The crossed many rivers, and many drowned. I'm sure all the atrocities in the book can be documented.
This is not a "feel good" story, but I'm sure it is factual.
All is in shambles when the girls return home. Sarah and Kaibah, her sister, and dog, Silver Coat embark on a journey to Tseyi, the Navajo for Canyon de Chelly. Sarah remembers her father say they had family there. This trip covers desert and takes them a week. During this time they spot soldiers, hide, and find sleeping places in the desert. The dog catches small game and all share.
In due time, they reach the Canyon, only to find burned corn and no people. As it is late, they climb into an enclosure, wrap up in sheepskins, and sleep. They awaken, to the missing people.
Their joy is short lived because the soldiers soon appear. Like the Cherokee's Trail of Tears, the Navajo begin The Long Walk of 1864. They are forced to walk across most of Arizona to Ft. Defiance, New Mexico. They walked supporting the old and carried the young. They walked in snow and slept out in the open. The crossed many rivers, and many drowned. I'm sure all the atrocities in the book can be documented.
This is not a "feel good" story, but I'm sure it is factual.
October 3, 2015
A solid read overall. Slightly different from the general structure for this series, since the Navajo at the time period covered by the book had no written language. Still, they kept as close as they could to the general format, all things considered. Characters here were good. I kind of wish the epilogue had gone a little broader than they decided on. Definitely worth picking up overall. I will say this: though the author obviously did her best, I wonder how it would have been different if someone of Navajo descent had been the one to write this installment.
July 11, 2009
This is my favorite one of the series.
When didn't I cry?
Haha.
Its very inspirational. Not sure if I spelled that right.
When didn't I cry?
Haha.
Its very inspirational. Not sure if I spelled that right.
August 3, 2012
a teen read, 12 and up even. very good, loved the dear america books. it really did get me into writing in a diary.
February 16, 2018
And a mere 20 years later, I finally finished my last book in the Dear America series. Yes, I know that I am WAY older than the intended audience, but I felt like I needed to complete the series. This book is a little troubling for me. The story itself is interesting and the characters are likeable enough. The book is also pretty honest about the brutal conditions the Navajo people faced. That being said, it does have a lot of tropes that frustrate me. I will admit that my knowledge of Navjo culture is not strong, but this still seems like a white author trying to write a story about a Navajo girl and emulate Navjo traditions without a really firm knowledge of them. The fact that several Native American groups have panned this book seems to back up my conclusions. It also commits the same sin that many other books about prejudice that are written by white authors do. There is a subtle implication that everyone is in fact a bit racist. In this case, Sarah Nita is suspicious of a white soldier and it's up to her more open-minded sister to show her that there are good white people too. I really dislike this trope. It muddies the waters about prejudice by presenting the argument that all people are capable of racism. This also changes the discussion. It is no longer white people oppressing a group of people, but BAD white people oppressing a group of people. While there is a certain amount of truth to that, it is definitely not the full story. The story is more palatable for certain readers this way, but it isn't a completely fair representation of historical facts and doesn't acknowledge the role that systematic prejudice plays.
September 2, 2014
I like this book/diary a lot because of many things including the detail! It's about an American Indian girl and her sister which I enjoyed reading about. The dialogue used and the language was very relevant to that time! Because I have two sisters, I was able to relate to this book very well although we have never been separated from our family and moved to forts and watched closely! But, although this book was really good, I didn't like how the author didn't tell much about the Navajo lifestyle. Sarah Nita was only with her family for a little so I couldn't understand her bond with her parents and her usual lifestyle. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good book and a historical fiction/realistic book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2014
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. I really enjoyed this book. It was very well written, and told just like someone would tell it. I am glad there were explainations of the details, because I did have questions as I got toward the end. I am interested in reading the other Dear America books now, and reccommend this one as a very good read!
March 1, 2008
I really like this book because it has a lot of action and it helps me to understand what it was like being a native american during this time.
Even though I usually dont like historical fiction, this book was really good.
Even though I usually dont like historical fiction, this book was really good.
January 31, 2014
Caught the sorrow and the defeat of the Navajo's at this time very well. Sarah Nita is a deep thinker, and this book has a lot of meaning to be gleaned from it, I believe.
July 5, 2016
Another in the Dear America series, this is the story of a Navajo girl in New Mexico in 1864. This recounts the removal of the Navaho and the Long Walk to their new alloted territory.
February 27, 2018
Books like this make me sad to be a white person. It's so hard to hear about the way our indigenous people were treated, but so important too.
September 7, 2025
"MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS A CHEROKEE PRINCESS SO IT'S OKAY."
I have very complicated thoughts on this one, to be honest. First of all, the author is not Navajo. Is that a problem? I haven't decided yet. I typically don't mind too much if the story seems like it is well researched and handled correctly. The author did an OK job, from what I've heard, on the accuracy part (not perfect.) The biggest issue is not necessarily with inaccuracy and much more with the fact that Turner seems to underestimate what her target audience is able to handle. This is unfortunate, because it is my belief that young readers are able to understand much more than we give them credit for. The Long Walk was absolutely an atrocity, but the way that it was portrayed by Turner made it seem much less, well, long, and not as bad as it really was. First of all, the Walk only took up about 1/4 of the book, and much of that was taken up by a soldier known to the protagonist as "Mica Eyes."
The Mica Eyes issue is another complicated one. He is portrayed in the the book as "one of the good ones" and is there to remind the protagonist (and the reader) that kindness can be found anywhere, not all white people are bad, and "a friend can be found among enemies." While this is true, it does lead the reader to question why a kind person like Mica Eyes would have found himself in the position of being a guard on the Long Walk in the first place. Many people in reviews refer to this storyline as a "white savior" storyline, which I agree is annoying and overdone, but I look at it in a slightly different light. To me this part of the story serves as a reminder that even "good" people can be caught up in the "just following orders" mentality, and how that is extremely dangerous. I do, however, think that this was not handled well in this story and that his involvement in the story should have been cut down.
Another reason why the Long Walk seemed short in this book was because the formatting of the story was in titles rather than with dates, so we have no idea how long it was between entries. This was done because the Navajo had no written language and told stories orally, a tradition that was highlighted in the story. At the beginning and throughout the story it is shown that the diary is being written by the narrator's granddaughter, who is transcribing her grandmother's experience before her death. I have seen elsewhere that this is very inaccurate, as a Navajo youth would never take notes while an elder was telling a story.
All in all, many of the other Dear America books are much more honest and brutal in their portryal of the suffering of the characters, so I feel like Turner could have include more, expecially considering how this was one of the most tragic and suffering filled events of American history. This was a reaction on the part of the American government (there was a whole position dealing with "Indian Affairs") and it was handled brutally and incorrectly. I think that this book could have been incredibly impactful and instead was just "meh." I read it when I was in middle school and I spent the first 3/4 of my reread questioning if I had just dreamed reading this book, because I remembered literally nothing from it. The only singular detail that was familiar was the corn (*vomit*) and that showed up in the last few pages.
2.5 stars
I have very complicated thoughts on this one, to be honest. First of all, the author is not Navajo. Is that a problem? I haven't decided yet. I typically don't mind too much if the story seems like it is well researched and handled correctly. The author did an OK job, from what I've heard, on the accuracy part (not perfect.) The biggest issue is not necessarily with inaccuracy and much more with the fact that Turner seems to underestimate what her target audience is able to handle. This is unfortunate, because it is my belief that young readers are able to understand much more than we give them credit for. The Long Walk was absolutely an atrocity, but the way that it was portrayed by Turner made it seem much less, well, long, and not as bad as it really was. First of all, the Walk only took up about 1/4 of the book, and much of that was taken up by a soldier known to the protagonist as "Mica Eyes."
The Mica Eyes issue is another complicated one. He is portrayed in the the book as "one of the good ones" and is there to remind the protagonist (and the reader) that kindness can be found anywhere, not all white people are bad, and "a friend can be found among enemies." While this is true, it does lead the reader to question why a kind person like Mica Eyes would have found himself in the position of being a guard on the Long Walk in the first place. Many people in reviews refer to this storyline as a "white savior" storyline, which I agree is annoying and overdone, but I look at it in a slightly different light. To me this part of the story serves as a reminder that even "good" people can be caught up in the "just following orders" mentality, and how that is extremely dangerous. I do, however, think that this was not handled well in this story and that his involvement in the story should have been cut down.
Another reason why the Long Walk seemed short in this book was because the formatting of the story was in titles rather than with dates, so we have no idea how long it was between entries. This was done because the Navajo had no written language and told stories orally, a tradition that was highlighted in the story. At the beginning and throughout the story it is shown that the diary is being written by the narrator's granddaughter, who is transcribing her grandmother's experience before her death. I have seen elsewhere that this is very inaccurate, as a Navajo youth would never take notes while an elder was telling a story.
All in all, many of the other Dear America books are much more honest and brutal in their portryal of the suffering of the characters, so I feel like Turner could have include more, expecially considering how this was one of the most tragic and suffering filled events of American history. This was a reaction on the part of the American government (there was a whole position dealing with "Indian Affairs") and it was handled brutally and incorrectly. I think that this book could have been incredibly impactful and instead was just "meh." I read it when I was in middle school and I spent the first 3/4 of my reread questioning if I had just dreamed reading this book, because I remembered literally nothing from it. The only singular detail that was familiar was the corn (*vomit*) and that showed up in the last few pages.
2.5 stars
November 6, 2022
Usually I quite enjoy these books. I've been collecting and reading/rereading the Dear America books for the past few years, and I have always come away with a positive rating. But this one I didn't enjoy.
The historical aspects felt off to me. I'm very ignorant of the Navajo removal and Navajo culture in general, but it just didn't feel right. Checking reviews of some other people who were more educated on the topic basically confirmed my feelings that this book wasn't quite accurate. I highly recommend checking out some other reviews because they'll be much more helpful and detailed than mine.
It didn't feel as bad as it should have. It focuses on The Long Walk, when soldiers rounded up Navajo people and marched them several hundred miles to an internment camp. Many people died. Many people were murdered. And it feels very glossed over here. Like I said, I'm reading a lot of these books and they cover some absolutely tragic events in a child appropriate manner. People were killed, but it focuses more on the "good" white man than all the tragedy. The tone just felt off.
Half the book is also Sarah Nita telling stories to various people, which lifts the mood. I understand the attempt, but I think that also went a long way toward trivializing the events. Everyone smiles when Sarah Nita finishes a story, regardless of the fact that a pregnant woman just got shot for going into labor and they're starving. I think this structure could have worked had it been written different, but it almost feels like it infantilizes the Navajo people.
This is the first of these books that I've read as an adult that I wouldn't recommend, to adults or children. It's just not worth it.
The historical aspects felt off to me. I'm very ignorant of the Navajo removal and Navajo culture in general, but it just didn't feel right. Checking reviews of some other people who were more educated on the topic basically confirmed my feelings that this book wasn't quite accurate. I highly recommend checking out some other reviews because they'll be much more helpful and detailed than mine.
It didn't feel as bad as it should have. It focuses on The Long Walk, when soldiers rounded up Navajo people and marched them several hundred miles to an internment camp. Many people died. Many people were murdered. And it feels very glossed over here. Like I said, I'm reading a lot of these books and they cover some absolutely tragic events in a child appropriate manner. People were killed, but it focuses more on the "good" white man than all the tragedy. The tone just felt off.
Half the book is also Sarah Nita telling stories to various people, which lifts the mood. I understand the attempt, but I think that also went a long way toward trivializing the events. Everyone smiles when Sarah Nita finishes a story, regardless of the fact that a pregnant woman just got shot for going into labor and they're starving. I think this structure could have worked had it been written different, but it almost feels like it infantilizes the Navajo people.
This is the first of these books that I've read as an adult that I wouldn't recommend, to adults or children. It's just not worth it.
June 18, 2022
I will start with the positives and say that I had never heard of The Long Walk of the Navajo and will now be doing more research and reading of materials by indigenous authors to learn more about the forced relocation, their internment, the agreement to send Navajo children to government run schools, and the impact on the cultural heritage of the tribe.
What I disliked tremendously: I think it is totally unrealistic for the main character to have the English name Sarah. For a tribe that so clearly resented and feared white men, why before establishing reliable contact would that have given their child this name? How would they even have heard or known how to pronounce an English name?
Also, the book has a soldier that plays the role of white savior, because what story could be complete without “proving” that all white people weren’t completely terrible and barbaric in their treatment of the indigenous people of the Americas.
What I disliked tremendously: I think it is totally unrealistic for the main character to have the English name Sarah. For a tribe that so clearly resented and feared white men, why before establishing reliable contact would that have given their child this name? How would they even have heard or known how to pronounce an English name?
Also, the book has a soldier that plays the role of white savior, because what story could be complete without “proving” that all white people weren’t completely terrible and barbaric in their treatment of the indigenous people of the Americas.
April 26, 2025
I would like, once again, to recommend the phenomenal American Indians in Children's Literature blog, which, while it did not have an article specifically about this book, was able to lead me to A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children, which has a whole chapter on The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow and its many, many missteps and sanitizations of an atrocity committed against the Diné by the U.S. government.
This Dear America series, while not perfect and certainly a product of its time, has been bringing me so much entertainment to revisit—I consider it perhaps the largest and most egregious failing of this series that neither of its two books to feature Native American protagonists have been accurate portrayals. (I believe a third, Valley of the Moon also has a character with Indigenous heritage, but I haven't read it yet.)
This Dear America series, while not perfect and certainly a product of its time, has been bringing me so much entertainment to revisit—I consider it perhaps the largest and most egregious failing of this series that neither of its two books to feature Native American protagonists have been accurate portrayals. (I believe a third, Valley of the Moon also has a character with Indigenous heritage, but I haven't read it yet.)
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June 13, 2021This was fun to read except it was written by a white person and had a white savior narrative. Lame!!
February 3, 2016
The history of the way the American government treated the Native Americans is not a pretty story at all, and this novel shows one of the darkest of those times. This particular story covers the rounding up of the Navajo people and the forced march of them to areas not adequately prepared to handle that many people (much as the U.S. government did later to Japanese-American citizens during the opening months of World War II).
Sarah Nita relates the story of how she (really, her grandmother of the same name) and her sister were out away from their village when the white soldiers arrived, burning and destroying and capturing their relatives, including their parents. The two manage to find their way (passing through some major difficulties) to another group of relatives hiding in a canyon, but again the soldiers come and capture the Navajo.
They are all then placed onto a forced march in terrible conditions, with people near starvation forced at a pace which proves too much for the sick, elderly and pregnant who, at times, the soldiers shoot and kill to make sure the march goes according to plan.
Even arrival in the camp does not solve the problems, though, as the Navajo live in terrible conditions (no provided shelters), and with inadequate food and food that they are not used to and don't know how to properly use.
There are some Navajo who manage to escape during the march, although they could only go into hiding in the mountains.
As for the techniques used by the army, they used the "scorched earth" policy, one of the most famous examples historically being Sherman's "March to the Sea" in which a 60-mile wide area of the South was laid total waste by his army. Much the same was done out west where crops and homes were destroyed, helping to insure that the Navajo would be facing starvation.
The book, although upsetting, is written very well and covers and important and often-overlooked time of American history. Definitely something people should read about.
Sarah Nita relates the story of how she (really, her grandmother of the same name) and her sister were out away from their village when the white soldiers arrived, burning and destroying and capturing their relatives, including their parents. The two manage to find their way (passing through some major difficulties) to another group of relatives hiding in a canyon, but again the soldiers come and capture the Navajo.
They are all then placed onto a forced march in terrible conditions, with people near starvation forced at a pace which proves too much for the sick, elderly and pregnant who, at times, the soldiers shoot and kill to make sure the march goes according to plan.
Even arrival in the camp does not solve the problems, though, as the Navajo live in terrible conditions (no provided shelters), and with inadequate food and food that they are not used to and don't know how to properly use.
There are some Navajo who manage to escape during the march, although they could only go into hiding in the mountains.
As for the techniques used by the army, they used the "scorched earth" policy, one of the most famous examples historically being Sherman's "March to the Sea" in which a 60-mile wide area of the South was laid total waste by his army. Much the same was done out west where crops and homes were destroyed, helping to insure that the Navajo would be facing starvation.
The book, although upsetting, is written very well and covers and important and often-overlooked time of American history. Definitely something people should read about.
October 7, 2011
pages: 176
This book is fun and a good read. The book takes place 1864. In new mexico. This book has more then one place and they are not the same. The main cariter is younge only 12 summers old and has a younger sister. The main cariter trys to be strong for her younger sister and helps her along the way. Although she is scared and cluless she trys to be srong though all ther triles. The story is writen like a jornal or diary but is actuly witen by the main cariters grand dauter. In this story a girl and her sister go off and let the sheep graze unfortelay a horible mishap happens and there lives are alterd for at lest one summer. I like the book because it had evnture learning and fun. although they must change there life styles they still come out learning things and undersanding other people and there way of life. one quote i liked the best was on page 6 "my daughter! If you were a goat i would have to pull you by a little rope. Your thoughts keep wandering off!". There were realy no parts about the book that i disliked. The theam of this book to me was do not give up there is always a posiblity that something might happen. I think this book was intended for anyone that whants to read it. this book is diffent because it dosent have chapters it is writen like someone wrote this while they were on the journy. i do recomend this book for anyone looking for a good quik read.
This book is fun and a good read. The book takes place 1864. In new mexico. This book has more then one place and they are not the same. The main cariter is younge only 12 summers old and has a younger sister. The main cariter trys to be strong for her younger sister and helps her along the way. Although she is scared and cluless she trys to be srong though all ther triles. The story is writen like a jornal or diary but is actuly witen by the main cariters grand dauter. In this story a girl and her sister go off and let the sheep graze unfortelay a horible mishap happens and there lives are alterd for at lest one summer. I like the book because it had evnture learning and fun. although they must change there life styles they still come out learning things and undersanding other people and there way of life. one quote i liked the best was on page 6 "my daughter! If you were a goat i would have to pull you by a little rope. Your thoughts keep wandering off!". There were realy no parts about the book that i disliked. The theam of this book to me was do not give up there is always a posiblity that something might happen. I think this book was intended for anyone that whants to read it. this book is diffent because it dosent have chapters it is writen like someone wrote this while they were on the journy. i do recomend this book for anyone looking for a good quik read.
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January 11, 2017The title of this book is called The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow, The author of this book is Ann Turner. The setting of this book takes place in new mexico. The main characters are Sarah Nita and her grandmother. The conflict of this story is Sarah Nita and her grandmother are trying to find there rest of their family but it’s hard because they're running out of food and need shelter and there trying to stay away from the men in blue so they keep walking forward . Sarah Nita also needs to protect her animals so she brings her goats with her .This story connects to the theme “The Thrill Of Horror” because she’s not tryna get killed by the men in the blue because they only like whites. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys history.
May 21, 2021
As always, Dear America and other likes it shines up the past to make it sound a lot better than it was. There are tidbits of truth in there, like old people being left to freeze to death, hogans being burned to the ground, stealing live stock, and the shooting of pregnant women who had to stop during the march. The struggle to figure out how to cook with flour, communicate with their captures, etc is fairly well portrayed. So at least there is that...unlike some other Dear Americas and Dear Canadas.
I did wonder why a navajo girl had a christian first name in the 18060s though.
No matter. It's a good starting point for kids to learn about some of the atrocities done to indigenous people.
I did wonder why a navajo girl had a christian first name in the 18060s though.
No matter. It's a good starting point for kids to learn about some of the atrocities done to indigenous people.
April 13, 2015
This book was heart breaking. These poor Navajo and a few other tribes were made to mark 300-400 miles in winter. This is a story of oppression, death, slavery, loss, and every other horrible things that can happen to a human being. I feel shame when I read about the treatment of Native Americans. I suppose people have been conquering other people since it became aware that certain land was more valuable than others. It just really upsets me to hear about how my forefathers treated the indigenous people of my country.
May 12, 2019
I disagree with reviews that say that this story treats the topic too lightly. I think Turner did a very sensible job, keeping in mind that the target audience is middle grade. I do think it’s odd that Sarah Nita is the only Navajo character with an English name. One thing I would have mentioned in the historical note is the fact that the Navajo came to the Southwest from Canada 500 years ago and how that makes them different from other tribes of the region.
December 26, 2013
I thought this was a really good book. I really enjoyed reading it. I loved the plot and characters of the story. I thought Sarah Nita was such a great main character. I felt bad for what had happened to her and her people. I loved the historical aspect of the story and I loved reading about the historical notes at the end of the book.
January 6, 2020
Not my favorite Dear America book, but not the worst. I did like how the author did try to keep things authentic with absence of written language for that tribe in that time period by having her granddaughter actually be the author of the diary.
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