Reviews for Crazy Horse's Vision

The average rating for Crazy Horse's Vision based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-05-15 00:00:00 Kathleen A Srofe Joseph Bruchac, whose prolific output as a children's author seems to span every conceivable genre, here turns his attention to the tale of Crazy Horse, the famous Lakota leader. Focusing on his childhood, this picture-book "biography" relates the story of young Curly, a quiet Lakota boy who decides to seek a vision after he witnesses the murder of Conquering Bear by U.S. soldiers. The winner of the "Parents' Choice Gold Award," Crazy Horse's Vision pairs Bruchac's skillful narrative with S.D. Nelson's fabulous illustrations. Inspired by the ledger book style of painting created by Lakota artists of the 19th century, Nelson's colorful palette and stylized forms are a breathtaking complement to the story. Well worth the time of any young reader interested in American history, or the story of the Lakota people.

Review # 2 was written on 2017-09-29 00:00:00 Forrest Goodgame I thought the cover was cool, with the striking blue, and the eagle whose wing is also the horse's mane. I like the inside cover art, too, with old-style drawings of Indians and soldiers on horses. Although I wonder why the NAs are painted blue and green. Seeing the artwork, it's really not my style. I want the people to look realsitic. They're sort of abstract, made of shapes, with no mouth, and the eyes are black lines. It looks like the men are painted blue and green, and the women yellow. They say Crazy Horse was always different. He didn't cry when he was born, he studied the world with serious eyes. His hair was curly so they called him Curly, which I've heard before. He would never be tall, and although he was small, he was a leader. He was quiet when others spoke, and when they hesitated, he acted.  The other boys would follow him when he said to. A Lakota boy could go wherever he wanted and Curly wanted to go everywhere. I had no idea Crazy Horse was Lakota!! I thought he was Comanche or Apache!!  He had his friends swim in the river and ride over the plains. They followed him up cliffs where eagles nested. He told them to be brave, that if they were, they could help their people. When he was 11, his father brought home a wild horse and said whoever can ride it can have it. Curly got on and the horse couldn't throw him.  When he was 13, he went on his first buffalo hunt. Hunting buffalo was dangerous because if your horse stumbled and you fell, you could be trampled to death. It was hard to hit a running buffalo with an arrow. Even the best hunters had to shoot several arrows to bring down a buffalo.  I love the mentions of how they hunt like that. And how Curly guided his horse with his knees, and drew back his arrow. He gave his first buffalo to those in their camp who didn't have anyone to hunt for them, which was a really generous thing to do. When things were realistic-looking--tipis, houses, wagons, the land, the eagles--it just didn't jive with the people.  He had a good life as a boy, but things were about to change. Wasichu settlers (huh??) started to pass through Lakota land. The army built a fort, saying it would keep peace between the Lakotas and the whites. One day a white man's cow strayed into the camp, trampling their things. A warrior killed it, and the settler demanded that the army punish the Lakota. Chief Conquering Bear tried to avoid trouble by offering a mule and five horses. I think that more than covers it. The white soldiers ignored the offer and fired their rifles and wagon guns at the Lakotas. Conquering Bear was mortally wounded. Curly was there and saw what happened, and was deeply troubled. As he stood by the burial scaffolds, he wondered what would happen to his people, and who would defend them. He needed a vision to guide him. On the shield by the burial scaffold, there's an image of a bear with an arrow pointing down his mouth, that was on tipis in The Girl Who Loved Horses. I guess they really did art like that. Normally a boy would need a holy man to prepare himself for a vision quest. He would fast and purify himself in a sweat lodge before setting out. Because he was in a hurry, Curly went by himself. He came upon an eagle-catching pit on the hills away from the camp. He climbed the hill, stripped off his clothes, and stepped down into the pit. He sat and prayed for a vision. The page of him sitting in the eagle pit at night was pretty. Everything was blue, with the moon above. He prayed to Wakan Tanka, "Great Mystery, even though I am small and pitiful, I want to help my people." He stayed there for 3 days, without food or water, and saw no sign, no spirit, no bird, no animal, and continued to pray.  Late on the third day he climbed out, wondering if he'd ever have a vision, if he was unworthy. He reached his horse and couldn't stand anymore. That's when his vision came. He saw a rider on his horse, floating in the air. He wore blue leggings, and his face was unpainted. A single feather hung from his long brown hair. Behind one ear was a round stone. A red-backed hawk flew above the man. He heard these words: keep nothing for yourself. The page of his vision quest was pretty, w/ images of horses painted purple, blue and green. The air filled with hail and bullets, but none touched the rider. Storm clouds gathered above, and thunder pounded, but the man continued riding. On his cheek was a lightning bolt, and spots like hail marked his chest.  Suddenly Lakotas were all around him, some holding him up, while others tried to pull him from his horse. Wow I just got the cover from this page. The eagle, the horse, and the lightning and marks on his chest. He felt hands shaking him awake. It was his father and High Backbone. He saw his horse grazing peacefully, with no rider on his back. But a red-faced hawk was perched in the top of the bush near his horse. I thought that was so cool! Curly wanted to tell them about it, so they'd help him understand it, but his father was mad that he hadn't prepared for it by going to the sweat lodge. He said how could he expect a true vision without being guided by his elders? He kept his vision in his heart and didn't share it with anyone. Three winters passed, with curly becoming not a different person, but a better one. No young man was more generous or serious. He spoke even less than he did before, but when he did, his words were wise and clear. So he's 16 now. His dad realized the time had come to speak to his son about his vision quest. Curly told him the powerful vision given to him. His dad told him the man on the horse is the one he'll become. He'll be first to defend his people, though some would try to hold him back. As long as he keeps nothing for himself, no arrow or bullet can hurt him. Because of the vision he would have a new name, so he gave him his own name, Tashunka Witco. I'm very surprised he did that. I didn't know they gave out the same names. I'm also glad his dad explained it, because I didn't know the part about if he doesn't keep anything for himself, he wouldn't be hurt. His new name would fit the vision of a horse dancing through a storm, but it doesn't say how it would fit. What does that name mean?  His name would stand for the bravest of all the Lakotas, one who always defended his people. In the days to come, all the world would know that name as it was said in English: they would know crazy horse. I should have been patient! So it means Crazy Horse.  I like the page with him on the hill, looking as he did in the vision as a man, overlooking the canyon below, with the rides in the background, and river below them.  It symbolizes him overseeing his land and taking care of his people. I'm instantly disappointed because I thought this would be about crazy horse's life. The things he did, and how he died. Although, being that this is a kids book, I could see how it would cover him as a boy. There were some cool moments in here, so for that I gave it 3 stars.