A Mare for Young Wolf (Step-Into-Reading, Step 4)
Grade 2-3-A story of Young Wolf's friendship with a beautiful red mare. The boy's father warns him that only children and women ride mares. Young Wolf persists, however, and is given Red Wind. As predicted, his peers taunt him. The boy ignores the teasing, trains his horse, and, in an effort to protect her from the Apaches, ties her rope to his wrist before going to sleep. In the middle of the night, he feels the rope move, somehow knows that the two shadows he sees are Apaches, jumps on Red Wind's back, and warns the village. There is no reference to the specific people that this story is about. The images of Native Americans seem stiff and distorted. The characters wear loincloths, live in teepees, and have various hair styles. In most of the illustrations, Young Wolf is shown with his braids hanging down his back, but in at least one they are in front-a significant change in many tribes. The dialogue- "'Oh, buffalo chips!'"-seems out of character. Although the book is readable and mildly entertaining, it perpetuates stereotypes and gives little attention to an authentic portrayal of Native Americans and their traditions.Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.