Brothers of the Buffalo

January 1, 2016
In a mix of history, fiction, letters, and folk tales from two continents, Bruchac chronicles a particularly ugly chapter in the Indian Wars. Whites are the villains here, from the paternalistic likes of those out to forcibly "civilize" African and Native Americans to buffalo poachers who decapitate their Indian victims and vicious rustlers who disguise themselves as Indians before slaughtering a family of black settlers. The primary narrative concerns Wolf, a teenage member of the Wutapio band of the Striped Arrow People (Cheyenne), and newly arrived young buffalo soldier Wash, who alternately witness (or more often hear of) major events in the Red River War of 1874-75. In between chapters, the author inserts short tales and speeches drawn from the Cheyenne and the Hausa heritages of the central figures, hinting at their parallel richness and wisdom. Within the Red River story, these cultures and the people who embody them are as idealized as the lying, violent "ve'hoes" (a greedy spider from Cheyenne folklore) are vilified. Despite glints of romance and irony, the story is weighed down with infodumps and lectures on the evils of drink and other topics. Although this acts as a corrective to the dominant historical narrative, it also makes for a slow and unsatisfying plot. Considering the grim ending, the moral that closes a final, otherwise amusing tale has a bitter edge: "There is always more than one way to solve a problem." While no specific sources are given for the interludes, a large bibliography is appended. Agenda trumps story in this loosely jointed account. (Historical fiction. 12-14)

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March 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-Not only does Bruchac's latest novel transport readers to the gritty reality of the Red River War of 1874, it explores teachings and lessons from long ago that transcend powerfully into today's world. This work is told in alternating perspectives, from the points of view of an African American cavalryman (a buffalo soldier) and a Cheyenne warrior whose paths continually cross in obscure ways. Questions of race, loyalty, and which side is right and worth fighting for or against are raised in this novel. Readers get a look into the lives of historical figures such as Quanah Parker and Lt. Richard Pratt and how these battles shaped their future legacies. Bruchac allows teens to see the true nature of people during this time with figures such as buffalo hunters, whiskey traders, buffalo soldiers, Indians, and military command. This is a well-researched book that brings a voice to names only learned about in textbooks. With the knowledge of the controversial actions of Lieutenant Pratt and his impact on Native people in the years after, readers will find that he is sympathetically portrayed, adding nuance to the complexity of Pratt's characterization in this work. VERDICT A great historical fiction title that will have readers wanting to learn more about this piece of American history. Recommended.-Amy Zembroski, Indian Community School, Franklin, WI

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2016
Grades 8-12 Bruchac gives his account of the 1874 Red River War between Southern Plains Indians and the U.S. Army from the opposing points of view of two young men: Washington Vance, a Buffalo Soldier assigned to the Tenth Cavalry; and Following Wolf, a Cheyenne warrior. The story actually begins in 1872 with Wash's arrival on the frontier. The next two years see Wash's development and the increasingly difficult course of Wolf's life. Though the natives are promised five million acres of land, in reality they are confined to Agency lands where promised food and clothing are seldom forthcoming. There are other depredations: buffalo hunters killing off the buffalo that had been the staff of life for Indians, unscrupulous traders offering illegal guns and whiskey, and weather either punishingly hot or bone-chillingly cold. Predictably, the result is violence from both sides. Bruchac does an excellent job of bringing history dramatically alive and creating, in Wash and Wolf, two appealing characters whom readers will embrace. The book is equally useful for independent reading and the classroom.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)