The Ghost Dance

by Alice McLerran, Paul Morin (Illustrations)

“McLerran’s elegant, spare text begins by describing the result of white settlers’ relentless westward movement in the U.S. The scenario is one often related in books sympathetic to Native Americans: buffalo, their hides stripped, left to rot on the prairie; streams stripped of fish; and herds of elk and buffalo depleted. In poetic prose, she talks about a Paiute visionary, Tavibo, and his son who each dreamed that if Native peoples danced, the white people would disappear and the ghosts of the wildlife that had been decimated would return. . . . Morin’s thoughtful assemblages contain many objects that place the book in its historical context. The evocative paintings feature a variety of textures. . . . This stunning book will hold great appeal for environmentally conscious readers, and will interest classroom teachers seeking a poetic call-to-action.” —School Library Journal, starred

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Cultural, Native American

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Tym · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book that recounts in broad strokes the Ghost Dance Movement and there’s a few paragraphs at the end for historical context.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some perspective concerns, Anthropological perspective so there is some concern about the point of view there with no documentation to back it up, certainly a more stereotypical view of Native Americans as connected to the planet, the illustrations are rich and interesting.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up after reading Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog. The title caught my eye on the poetry shelf since I had read a lot about the ghost dances in Lakota Woman. The poetry and illustrations are nice though I wondered about the use of the term magic repeatedly. My only knowledge of the dance is through Mary Crow Dog's memoir, but it had given me the impression that the dance was more of a religious ceremony. She used terms like spirits and power rather than magic. The picture book seems to romanticize a bit, but also try to explain a difficult time in history.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice McLerran builds her simply stated remembrance of the First Nations or Native American peoples last attempt at regenerating their endangered way of life when they begin to dance the Ghost Dance in the late 1800’s. Her wistful account of their hope and loss ends with her own hope that if we all dream and sing and dance we my yet stop the damage we do to one another and to the earth.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ghost Dance
McLerran, Alice
The children look back on what their fathers have, they want the world to be better, a combination of the past and the present, the clear streams, the bufflo, the horses and the guns. but as they dance to bring it back, they are distroyed and the dancers die because of prejudism, missunderstanding, and the oppression of the native american in North america.

[Paige Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a new perspective on the settlement stories that usually make the settlers out to be heros. By including Native American culture andviewing their perspective of such a "well-known" time in history, readers see the need to critically analyze history and to look for the other side of every story.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story of the Native Americans. It shows history from a perspective rarely shown in elementary school. This would make an interesting contrast to a history textbook for older elementary students.

[Connor Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be great to read for a history class. It teaches students what life was like for Native Americans when the settlers came. This book can be used as a critical point of view compared to what textbooks present.

[Erroll Treslan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit hard for the kids to follow. A little dark but so is the history of the interaction between early first nation people and the "white men".

[Madi Welton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sheds some light on the perspective of early American history from an American Indian perspective.

[Catharine Keeffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very interesting and should get students thinking. You could ask students what type of emotions the book makes them feel, and also a way to incorporate history into your lesson.

[Megan Gitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

history, settlers, geography, artifacts, legends, finally something different from what is taught in textbooks about native americans

[Stephanie Jones]

This book can be used in a history lesson to discuss Native Americans and their view-point on history. Allows students to think critically.

[Emily Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book for showing perspectives. Not only could it be used in a social studies lesson, but it could also be used to show how a groups actions can have serious consequences.

[Audrey Rozman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Provides a potentially new perspective for students on what it was like when the white settlers came to america.

[Kristie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am addicted to native american picture books.

[Jason McKinney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kinda weird... A little creepy, too.