Based on the experiences of the author’s brother in the 1940s, this short chapter book follows Eddie as he travels to the Rosebud Reservation in the Black Hills. His father is ill, so his parents drop him off for the summer with Grandma and Grandpa High Elk. He is surprised to find that his grandfather works on a nearby ranch, and enjoys the toy horses carved from cow bones that he is given to play with. He’s homesick, but slowly settles into life with his grandparents, going to church with them (where the hymnals are in Dakota), helping do laundry with a wringer washer, and playing with the bone horses, making stick corrals for them and inventing stories. When the grandfather is injured, there is a bit of excitement when Eddie has to go for the doctor, and afterwards, he and his grandfather slow down a bit, fishing and making grass whistles. When his father’s treatment is done, he returns to his regular life having been enriched by time experiencing a different kind of life.
Strengths: This is a highly illustrated, shorter book that offers a window into a different time and place. The pictures are gorgeous, with a bit of a retro feel to them, and fantastic turquoise and tan coloring that is especially effective with the outdoor scenes. We see a lot of examples of what life was like long ago; the wringer washer, the older car, dressing up to go to church, and imaginative play with simple toys. I’m a huge fan of multigenerational stories and of children spending time with grandparents.
Weaknesses: There isn’t much of a plot to the story; it’s more of a slice of life narrative.
What I really think: Younger elementary school readers will enjoy seeing how other people live. Other books to recommend to students who want to broaden their horizons include Jacobson’s Twig and Turtle, which shows life in a tiny house, Perkins’ Tiger Boy, which gives a glimpse or life in West Bengal, Atinuke’s Too Small Tola, which explores living in Lagos, and the JoJo Makoons series by Quigley and Audibert, which is one of the few early readers books with Native American characters.