Review by New York Times Review
ONCE A LION and a man were walking, and they saw a great bronze sculpture on a pedestal. A bronze man was locked in battle with a fearsome bronze lion. The bronze man had pinned the bronze lion to the base of the pedestal and was clearly about to win the fight. The man said to the lion, "What a battle that must have been, can you imagine that, a man beating a lion?" The lion said to the man, "No, I can't, but I can imagine that men are much better at making bronze sculptures." Children's books, with their deceptively simple formats and ideologically direct messages, are a fascinating pedestal on which we can view not only historical episodes but also the practice of history itself, as three new historically based picture books show us. Don Brown's "Aaron and Alexander" reads with a wit and economy of line that reminds one of a New Yorker cartoon. This one, though, ends in an image of guns firing and one man's journey to the grave. The storied duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton provides the book's scaffold. Along the way we glean bits of information about each statesman's life, framed as a set of parallels and contrasts. We learn about the contested work of nation-building that Hamilton and Burr were engaged in, and that both were orphaned but did well in school, fought in the Revolution and became lawyers. But the book's primary framing device is the gunfight and the argument between the two men that led up to it. At the climactic moment, a two-page spread shows only a pistol in each hand and the words "BANG! BANG!" drawn in block letters, blasting us back to a time when history was measured in important shootings. The duel-ridden dawn of the 1800s may serve as a touchstone for parents or teachers to discuss contemporary gun culture, first-person-shooter video games or gangster rap. But the book also represents the most traditional of historical practices, in which the world is presented as a series of events, battles, "discoveries," births and deaths, with everything culminating in scenes that are often apocryphal: Washington chopping down the cherry tree or Pocahontas saving the life of Capt. John Smith. "GAME CHANGER," WRITTEN by John Coy and illustrated by Randy DuBurke, takes a different approach to the practice of history, presenting an "uncovered" story set against the backdrop of an accepted narrative. This book frames its narrative around good folks who fought injustice, racism and segregation through their participation in a sporting event. We learn about a secret college basketball game in the Jim Crow South in which blacks and whites - forbidden from officially competing in the same league - played against one another, then sat around together afterward talking, "the way basketball players do." It's the kind of story from which "inspirational" movies are made, in which there are no villains but the occasional local who says something like, "That's not how we do things 'round here." Where "Aaron and Alexander" reiterates the importance of already celebrated historic figures, "Game Changer" resurrects the lesser-known John McLendon, the African-American basketball coach of the North Carolina College for Negroes team, who made the "secret game" against the Duke University Medical School team happen, and the players on both squads who challenged tradition and played together. DuBurke's illustrations are appropriately historical in feel. The basketball scenes are rendered in sequences as quickly paced as television montage. Muted tones and a vintage newsreel patina add a veneer of authenticity. The historical bent of the storytelling is perhaps less authentic, weaving between reportage and occasional shortcuts intended for dramatic effect, as when Coy claims that some of the white players who grew up in the segregated South of nannies and footmen and countless service employees "had never been this close to a person of a different color." This book adds new heroes to the pantheon, yet continues the tradition of seeing the practice of history as being about electing heroes and creating unified narratives. BY CONTRAST, IN "Hiawatha and the Peacemaker" the practice of history itself undergoes a radical transformation in the able hands of Robbie Robertson, the musician and songwriter, and the Caldecott Honor artist David Shannon ("No, David!"). While the importance of the Iroquois Confederacy is well known (it's even thought to have influenced the formation of the government of the United States), and the figure of Hiawatha has been depicted by artists including Thomas Eakins and Edmonia Lewis, the narrative of the creation of the confederacy by the Mohawk leader and his mystic companion, the Great Peacemaker, is ripe for mythologizing. With its breadth, richness and emotional weight, this retelling of the story opens up the historical narrative for inquiry, curiosity and wonder. There is no one central moment. Robertson's prose paddles through the river of Hiawatha's journey with an urgency, vitality and import that many historical texts lack. Shannon, whose work has always exhibited a painterly expertise, does particularly well here. He changes angles and distance rapidly, moving from a spare landscape of the Peacemaker's canoe cutting through the morning mist to a two-page spread of an eye close up reflecting Hiawatha's lost family. His visual storytelling includes a wide range of references: a borrowed palette from Paul Gauguin, or elsewhere a style reminiscent of traditional paintings on deer or buffalo hides. A book like "Hiawatha and the Peacemaker" asks young readers to understand that all stories can be told from different perspectives, that history is the collection of stories we tell ourselves about who we are. It suggests that even if we are not the ones who can sculpt bronze statues on marble pedestals, telling and sharing one another's stories is the only way we can come to an understanding of what history really means. Young readers invited into the past in such a way will surely investigate further the stories that make up who they are, and find new ways to make myths of their own histories. CHRISTOPHER MYERS is the author and illustrator of books for children and young adults, including, most recently, "My Pen."
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [November 24, 2015]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Though often softened in children's books, the path to peace is an arduous one, fraught with personal turmoil and external resistance. In this stunning retelling of the ancient Iroquois legend of Hiawatha and Deganawida (the Peacemaker), this concept is made very clear. Consumed by grief at the destruction of his family by evil Chief Tadodaho, Hiawatha is chosen by the Peacemaker to override his own feelings and bring an end to violence by uniting the five warring Iroquois nations. When the nations' chiefs join Hiawatha and confront Tadodaho, the Peacemaker reminds everyone that where there is darkness, we must bring light, and that it is by forgiving that we are set free. The story of Hiawatha is a timeless allegory that honors the fact that the Great Law of Peace is based on consensus and shared power among men and women. Accompanying this deep message are Caldecott Honor-winning Shannon's (No, David! 1998) vibrant oil paintings, which pay homage to traditional Native American art and are filled with light, brilliantly capturing the texture of Hiawatha's emotions. Musician turned author Robertson concludes with historical and author's notes, as well as an original song on CD. This adds a much-needed, authentic Native American voice to children's literature. The message of peace and Shannon's incredible art make for a winning combination.--Chaudhri, Amina Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Robertson, best known for his work with musical group The Band, collaborates with Shannon on a sadly relevant story about choosing peace over violence, recounting the story of how Mohawk warrior Hiawatha joined forces with a spiritual leader known as the Peacemaker to unite five warring tribes. It's no easy task, as Hiawatha must overcome his own anger and desire for revenge-Tadodaho, chief of the Onondaga tribe, destroyed his home and killed his family. A departure from the playfulness of books like No, David and How I Became a Pirate, Shannon's penetrating oil paintings expressively capture the initial tension and uncertainty with which these messengers of peace are met, and the tranquility that replaces it. As the unified nations finally approach the murderous Tadodaho, they find a man "Hunched over, withered, and twisted," snakes coursing through his hair-yet not beyond the healing power of forgiveness. Extensive endnotes and a CD that includes a song written and performed by Robertson underscore the author's evident emotional connection to this story and passion for passing it on. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Ryan Harbage, Fischer-Harbage Agency. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-Hiawatha, a Mohawk warrior, grieves the loss of his family. Nonetheless, he is enlisted by the Peacemaker to unite five warring tribes. Together, the warrior and his spiritual guide confront Chief Tadodaho. When Hiawatha grows beyond his hatred and desire for revenge, the evil is destroyed and the tribes unite to form a lasting peace. Peter Marek's measured narration evokes the voice of a storyteller, especially appropriate as the story is drawn from tales passed on from the oral tradition to the author. Two tracks are included: one presents the text without interruption; the other includes a chime to denote a page turn. The power of the book comes from the combination of text and illustration, meaning the second track will be most useful. VERDICT This will be best used as a read-along as readers will not want to miss David Shannon's evocative, stunning illustrations for a fascinating glimpse of a true hero and the start of the Iroquois union. An afterword about the democratic influence of the Iroquois on the U.S. Constitution is included. ["All students should know the history of the Iroquois Confederacy, and this book provides the perfect opportunity for them to do so": SLJ 8/15 starred review of the Abrams book.]-Maria Salvadore, formerly of the Washington, DC, Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Music legend Robertson, of Mohawk and Cayuga heritage, retells an ancient story of the Great Peacemaker who, with the help of Hiawatha, unites five warring Iroquois nations. The story is quite dark and complex, as the chiefs struggle to overcome their anger at past violence. Shannon's dramatic paintings show the Peacemaker standing stoically, surrounded by chaos. A musical CD is included. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Robertson, widely known for his work in the legendary group The Band, crafts a legend-based tale about the unification of warring tribes into what would become known as the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. As a boy, Robertson, of Mohawk and Cayuga heritage, heard an elder tell this story, which may date from the 14th century. It places Hiawatha, a Mohawk, into fresh cultural context and corrects Longfellow. After his family is killed in a raid by the dreaded Onodaga chief, Tadodaho, Hiawatha retreats in bereft solitude. A man in a glowing white stone canoe approaches. Stuttering softly, he shares his message of peace and reconciliation with Hiawatha, asking him to help carry and amplify this message during visits to warring tribes. The pair travels in succession to the Mohawk, Cayuga, Seneca, Oneida, and Onondaga tribes. With difficulty, they overcome resistance, laying groundwork for what would become, by 1722, the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. Hiawatha's first-person narration reveals his own transformation, from grief-stricken vengeance to self-forgiveness, from hatred to joy. Shannon adopts a palette of deep browns, red-golds, and blue-grays, with hints of green. Figures are broad-backed, solemn, and heroically posed. Tadodaho, disfigured by evil, is depicted as a scaly wretch, snakes entwined in his hair. Hiawatha prepares a curative medicine for him; Shannon portrays his recovery and eventual transmogrification as an eagle. Expressive, handsome, and well-documented. (historical note, acknowledgments, author's note) (Picture book/folk tale. 5-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
