Black Elk's Vision: A Lakota Story - Hardcover

S.D. Nelson

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0810983990 ISBN 13: 9780810983991

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, 2010

Synopsis

Told from the Native American point of view, Black Elk’s Vision provides a unique perspective on American history.   From recounting the visions Black Elk had as a young boy, to his involvement in the battles of Little Big Horn and Wounded Knee, as well as his journeys to New York City and Europe with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, this biographical account of Black Elk—an Oglala-Lakota medicine man (1863–1950)—follows him from childhood through adulthood.   S. D. Nelson tells the story of Black Elk through the medicine man’s voice, bringing to life what it was like to be Native American in the mid-to-late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. The Native people found their land overrun by the Wha-shi-choos, or White Man, the buffalo slaughtered for sport and to purposely eliminate their main food source, and their people gathered onto reservations. Through it all, Black Elk clung to his childhood visions that planted the seeds to help his people—and all people—understand their place in the circle of life.   The book includes archival images, a timeline, a bibliography, an index, and Nelson’s signature art.
  Praise for the work of S. D. Nelson
 
Western Writers of America Spur Storyteller Award
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award
 
[STAR] “An appealing story full of excitement, warmth, and wisdom.” —The Five Owls, starred review
 
“A fine choice for story hours, this will also find wide curricular use.” —Booklist
 
“A modern-day story in the Sioux tradition of storytelling.” —Winston-Salem Journal
 
“Splendid acrylic artwork captures the action, humor, and spirit of the tale. A solid addition to collections of Native American tales and an enjoyable read-aloud.” —School Library Journal
 
“Nelson pulls it off with his confident style as a storyteller . . . polished illustrations . . . informative, well written.” —Kirkus Reviews


F&P level: U
F&P genre: B

About this title

About the Author

S. D. Nelson is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe of the Dakotas. He is the author of three previous children’s books for Abrams. School Library Journal called Gift Horse “fluid in both narrative and illustrations,” and Kirkus said Star People was “an exemplary offering.” He lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 3–6—Born in 1863, Black Elk, an Oglala-Lakota medicine man, was warned from an early age to beware the "Wha-shi-choo," or white people, and for good reason. By the time he was 16, his people had been attacked on their lands, fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and been confined to grim reservations, their way of life forever changed. Told in a first-person narrative, this handsome biography is adorned with vibrant acrylic paintings that depict the mystical images (spirit voices and visions) that Black Elk first experienced as a child. A fever vision at age nine, in which he met with the six grandfathers, the ancestral beings, proved to be a pivotal experience for him. As a teenager, he ultimately led a Horse Dance ceremony in which he brought a message of hope and instruction to his people. In addition to his respected tribal status, his involvement in many landmark events, from his travels with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show to being injured at the Wounded Knee massacre, makes him a unique historical figure. Aptly chosen photographs (some of which are graphic images of buffalo carcasses and a scene of a mass grave at Wounded Knee) provide accurate historical perspective. An author's note on understanding his Great Vision and background information on the book are included. This is an important contribution to Native biography.—Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0810983990
• ISBN 13: 9780810983991
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 48