Description
Continuing the series that began with The Birchbark House, The Game of Silence and The Porcupine Year, Chickadee follows a brand new character, Omakayas's grandson Chickadee. It's 1866 and just like the bird that is his namesake, Chickadee is small and clever. When Chickadee's twin brother pranks Shigaag, the Ojibwe Nation's ne'er-do-well, Shigaag's unruly, bumbling sons kidnap Chickadee as revenge. He's taken farther from home than he's ever been. But Chickadee is not afraid because he remembers the saying his grandmother taught him: small things have great power. To find his way back to his home and his family, Chickadee must make a daring escape, forge unlikely friendships and set out on the most exciting and dangerous journey he's ever taken. Into this adventure are encounters with religious folks who want to save Chickadee; and Métis fur trades. Part of the adventure finds Chickadee travelling through the Great Plains in a Red River cart with a group of Métis traders. This story of Chickadee and his family is based on acclaimed Ojibwe author Louise Erdrich's own family history. Erdrich's charming drawings begin each chapter and add to this novel's engaging story and characters. A map, historical prologue, and glossary of Ojibwe terms are included. Highly recommended. Reading Level: 5.3. Teacher Guide: http://files.harpercollins.com/HCChildrens/OMM/Media/Chickadee_TG_FINAL.pdf