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Buffalo Sunrise: The Story of A North American Giant.
Diane Swanson.
Subject Heading:
Grades 3 - 7 / Ages 8 - 12.
*** /4
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excerpt:
....tribes held many celebrations and ceremonies to honor the buffalo and to draw on the powers they believed it had. Of all the animals they respected, the buffalo ranked among the highest. It was a symbol of food and shelter; it was sacred...
...some [rich] Europeans came to hunt across North America just for fun... ...Railroad companies, which had been laying tracks across the plains, offered people cheap trips to hunt buffalo. As the herds passed the trains, people opened their windows and fired their guns. Sometimes the train stopped and the passengers stepped out to shoot. But they left most of their prey to rot by the tracks.
Diane Swanson is the winner of the 1995 Orbis Pictus Award for children's nonfiction and the author of many children's books. Buffalo Sunrise, a Canadian Children's Book Centre Choice, will certainly be nominated for nonfiction awards, as well.
The book's chapters fully explore the life, habits, importance and virtual destruction of the buffalo. Students learn that 60 million buffalo roamed the North American plains in the 18th century. These "Woolly Giants" were the "Great Provider" for Aboriginal peoples. Because it was difficult and dangerous to hunt this "Mighty Prey," great planning and skill were needed in organizing the hunt. By the end of the 19th century, there were only 1000 left in the world, but buffalo are "Rugged Survivors." and, with the establishment of national parks and game preserves, this "Helpful Ghost" now numbers over 200,000.
In addition to a number of modern photographs of buffalo in the wild, the archival illustrations and 19th century magazine sketches, paintings by Currier and Ives and Peter Rindisbacher, are an excellent complement to the text.
A most worthy addition for school and classroom libraries needing books on specific animals or additional materials for the Canadian social studies/history collection.
Recommended.
Ian Stewart is a Winnipeg Public Library Board Trustee.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © 1997 the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - September 19, 1997.
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