Summer of the Bone Horses by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and Steph Littlebird - ADVISABLE

Summer of the Bone Horses by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, illustrated by Steph Littlebird, 60 pages. CHAPTER BOOK Abrams Amulet, 2025. $15.

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Eddie's grandparents live on the Rosebud Reservation, and he and his parents often visit. But, this summer, Eddie's dad must have some surgery, so he will be staying with his grandparents. At first things are so different, they don't have electricity or running water, their hymnbooks at church are in Dakota rather than English. But soon, Grandpa brings Eddie some toys called bone horses and teaches him to ride Grandpa's horse Buck. Eddie is missing home less and less. 

What a nice story about learning the old ways of your culture. The illustrations were timeless, it was not until the author's note that I became aware that Eddie's story happened over 70 years ago. I think there's a little nostalgia in all of us that would like to take us back to simpler times. There is a lot of text, but it is simply written and at just 60 pages would be appropriate for 3rd-4th grader. The characters are Sioux. 

Lisa Librarian