Mandie and the Cherokee Legend

November 1, 2000
Gr 3-6-In Mandie and the Cherokee Legend (Bethany, 1983), the sequel to Lois G. Leppard's Mandie and the Secret Tunnel (Bethany, 1983), Mandie goes to visit the reservation to become better acquainted with her Cherokee relatives from her father's side of the family. Her time there is fraught with adventure as she makes new friends, gets trapped in a cave, finds a golden treasure, is kidnapped, and has to deal with her cousin Tsa'ni who tests her Christian values. Is the gold Mandie found truly cursed? What will the Cherokee decide to do with it? This pioneer story a fair example of Christian literature. The narration by Kate Forbes is clear, crisp, and well-paced. Some might be upset by the stereotypical way in which some of the Native Americans speak stilted English mixed with catch phrases and words such as "happy hunting ground," "squaw," and "papoose." Still, this will be welcomed by those who already know and love this spunky heroine.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.