Review by Booklist Review
In the early 1880s, young Métis-Ojibwe Rose and her family, along with hundreds of other Métis families, embark on the biannual buffalo hunt. While Rose helps her mother tend to the camp, her father, a captain of the buffalo hunters, sets off in search of the herds. After several days, the men have not found any buffalo. Knowing her community's survival during the long winter ahead is at stake, Rose heads out on horseback to track the herd, and she succeeds by reflecting on her ancestral connection to the buffalo and honoring traditional knowledge shared by her elders. Lindstrom (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe and Métis from Red River area in Manitoba, Canada) conveys the importance and sacredness of the buffalo hunt to Métis-Ojibwe communities and the devastating effects of colonization: millions of bison roamed the prairies until "the arrival of the settlers and their iron horses." In McKnight's (Shoshone-Bannock Tribes) atmospheric watercolor and graphite illustrations, translucent line sketches resembling Indigenous petroglyphs and billowy, cloudlike images of buffalo swirl across the pages as an ever-present reminder of the spiritual and cultural connections. Back matter includes an author's note about the history of the buffalo hunt. This vital and authentic picture book offers an exciting adventure on the prairies not often heard.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In a time after "the arrival of the settlers and their iron horses... eliminated most of the buffalo," Rose's family gathers with hundreds of other Métis families for a biannual buffalo hunt. Her father, for the first time a captain of the event, has helped to plan it to ensure order and fairness. After a week of hunting, though, Pa sounds discouraged about the lack of buffalo, and Rose--despite her father's instructions to remain with Ma--leaves camp to scout, donning Pa's spare wolf skin. Sensate text from Anishinaabe/Métis author Lindstrom (Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior) describes the effort: "As Rose tracked the buffalo, she began to think of herself as the wolf. She sniffed the dirt and the grasses as she prowled, sensing mashkode-bizhiki were near." The child's efforts result in a good hunting day, and hope of her involvement in hunts to come. Watercolor and graphite illustrations from McKnight (Why We Dance), an enrolled member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, incorporates glowing landscapes throughout this engaging account of prairie life. Back matter includes an author's note and a history of the buffalo hunt. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. (Feb.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--As the title suggests, this story depicts the Métis on a buffalo hunt. After several days with no success, Rose follows her pa when he sets out early in the morning. She rides her horse all day long, even worrying about losing her way back to camp. When Rose eventually finds buffalo, she leads the men from camp to them. Because she disobeyed her pa about joining him on the hunt, Rose is assigned her least favorite task of tanning the hide. The illustrator uses watercolor and graphite to complement the story. The pictures provide realistic views of camp and show the true meaning of ideas such as the "iron horse" with a full-page drawing of a train. Lindstrom, an enrolled citizen of the Ojibwe and Métis, states in her author's note that this is her version of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books. The story is written with a similar style and fits into the same time period, building an authentic picture of life in 1880s America. VERDICT This is a great volume for bringing an authentic First Nation voice to a historical period.--Tara Rollins
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