Meet Naiche: A Native Boy from the Chesapeake Bay Area

My World: Young Native Americans Today

by Gabrielle Tayac, John Harrington (Photographer)

Details a day in the life of a rural Maryland boy of Piscataway and Apache descent, looking at his family, the history of both his tribes, and some traditional ceremonies and customs that are still observed today.

Genres: Nonfiction

48 pages, Hardcover

First published December 15, 2002

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Meet Christopher: An Osage Indian Boy from Oklahoma - the fourth entry in the My World: Young Native Americans Today series, recently selected by the the American Indian Library Association as an American Indian Youth Literature Award winner - I was so impressed that I immediately went in search of other titles in the series. Meet Naiche introduces a young boy of the Piscataway people of Maryland, detailing his mixed Piscataway and Apache heritage, and setting out both the traditional and contemporary activities that make up his days.

Like Meet Christopher , this was written by a Native American adult relative of the child being introduced, and was profusely illustrated with color photographs taken by a Native photographer (John Harrington is of the Siletz people). I like that these books emphasize the contemporary presence of Native American peoples in the United States, and that they highlight the lives of real native children. Informative and engaging, they will teach young readers a little about the Native nations and customs in question; but more importantly, they will demonstrate that while Native children may come from different cultures, they have the same interests - from playing sports at school, to learning about computers - as children everywhere. Highly recommended to any young readers (or the librarians and teachers responsible for putting books in their hands) who want a realistic, non-romantic view of contemporary Native American children.

[Marizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

We used this book for our history lessons (kindergarten homeschool). It helped my daughter connect to the concept of Native American culture, since we live in this region & have visited some of the locations mentioned in the book. It was our jumping off point to gather information about the local Piscataway nation & how traditions from ancient times survive to today; we have since travelled back in time to delve into Native history prior to white settlement. Without this book, my daughter would likely not be as invested in our history unit as she is. I think this title is important & engaging, especially for introducing younger readers/learners to indigenous culture & the enduring relevancy of the tribes.

[Mabel Ferragut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this children's book. My old curiosity about Native American history in Maryland, which doesn't seem to be widely discussed, gets some satisfaction in this depiction of the modern life of Naiche, a Piscataway boy from Maryland. We get to see the parts of his life which parallel those of other boys his age, as well as the parts of his life which are tied in to his ancestral culture, with a little history mixed in.