The Ojibwe

by Raymond Bial

Discusses the history, culture, social structure, beliefs, and customs of the Ojibwa Indians

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Library Binding

First published December 1, 1999

About the author

Author and photographer Raymond Bial (1948-2021) has been creating acclaimed books for children and adults for more than thirty years. His books have been published by Houghton Mifflin, Scholastic, Walker & Company, Marshall Cavendish, Crickhollow Books, and other fine publishers and university presses. Raymond also makes images on assignment, and his stock photographs have been used by book publishers such as National Geographic, advertising agencies such as Leo Burnett, and media such as PBS.

Raymond’s most recent books are Ellis Island: Coming to the Land of Liberty, which is an excellent companion volume to Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side; The Shaker Village, a lovely collection of color photographs depicting the simplicity and grace of this remarkable utopian community; a lovely paperback edition of Where Lincoln Walked published in honor of the bicentennial of the birth of this great president; Dripping Blood Cave and Other Ghostly Stories, the third volume in a popular series of ghost stories for young readers; and Rescuing Rover: Saving America’s Dogs, which has been selected for the Junior Literary Guild Book Club. Rescuing Rover is currently receiving high praise across the country.

Chigger, his most recent novel, is receiving fine reviews from readers, young and old alike. Anyone who likes to root for the underdog will love this sweet story of an unforgettable girl.

Reviews

[LeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a road trip to Mesa Verde National Park all the information about Pueblo Indians and their culture made me ashamed of how little I know about my Ojibwe neighbors. This juvenile non-fiction was a good introduction. I admired the Native respect for the creation of Kitche Manitou, but I was sorry to see the role that other spirits (including evil spirits) play in their religion. The book was published in 2000. I think the revival of traditional life skills and crafts has grown since then. But unfortunately, so have substance abuse and related problems. Bial seems to attribute this to dependence brought on by trade with Europeans.

[Erin Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a good introduction to Ojibwe history and culture for young readers. Unlike many young people's readers about Native nations, this book talks about the Ojibwe throughout as a living, existing nation and cultural group. The illustrations are a mix of modern and mid-1800s photographs. There is also a biography section at the end with short bios of about fifteen Ojibwe people, including contemporary authors, activists, and athletes. Highly recommended. I will check out other books in this series.