Description
Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People is a well-told picture book about the outstanding Lakota Sioux leader known as Tatanka Iyotake, was probably born in 1831. He was one of the greatest Lakota Sioux warriors and chiefs who ever lived. From Sitting Bull’s childhood, killing his first buffalo at age 10, to being named war chief to leading his people against the U.S. Army. When he was a child the family called him Slow because he was a thoughtful child who took his time in deliberation before making a major decision. Sitting Bull was instrumental in the war against the invasive wasichus (white men) and was at the forefront of the combat, including the Battles of Killdeer Mountain and the Little Bighorn. He and Crazy Horse were the last Lakota/Sioux to surrender their people to the U.S. government and resort to living on a reservation. The book includes an extensive author’s note and timeline, historical photographs, a map, a bibliography, endnotes, and an index. S. D. Nelson is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in the Dakotas. He is the award-winning author and illustrator of Black Elk’s Vision, recipient of a Western Writers of America Spur Storyteller Award and named a Chicago Public Library Best of the Best. He lives in Flagstaff, Arizona. This outstanding illustrated biography of Sitting Bull is told from the perspective of the Lakota chief himself through first-person narrative. Readers will see the leader's perspective of his Lakota worldview and the coming of settlers. In later life Sitting Bull leads his people from their traditional Plains homeland to western Canada to find sanctuary from the United States military. Finally Sitting Bull's family and band return to the U.S. and agree to live on a reservation. During these times of hardship this leader maintained his care and concern for the well-being of his Nation. He died along with his young son in 1890 at the hands of U. S. military police. S. D. Nelson illustrates this remarkable biography with ledger-style full colour art and includes appropriate black and white archival photographs. The 2016 Honor Picture Book selected by the American Indian Library Association jury is Sitting Bull Lakota Warrior and Defender of his People by S.D. Nelson (2015) Abrams Books for Young Readers. Highly recommended.