BROKEN FEATHER
Author: Verla Kay ©
Illustrator: Stephen Alcorn
Editor: Susan Kochan
Hardcover: 32 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.34 x 10.24 x 7.56
Publisher: © Putnam Pub Group; Juv; (October 2002)
ISBN: 0399235507
Editorial Reviews
PreS-Gr. 2. Kay's latest addition to her group of picture books on early life in America that includes Tattered Sails (2001) uses spare verse to describe the history. This book tells a sad story about an archetypal Native American boy called Broken Feather. As Broken Feather and his father observe the "White men riding, / Far from fort," happier times depicted earlier in the book are replaced by warriors chanting and stomping, as well pictures of their eventual removal to a reservation. Unfortunately, Kay's short rhymes, very effective in her previous books, sound stereotypical here because so many old books used broken speech to depict Native American speech: "Father frowning. / Moving here. / Bringing wagons / Cutting trees, / Building houses, / Where they please." Alcorn uses a rich, subtle layering of color on his block-relief prints, and his details match the Nez Perce background for the story. Although it is always better to use a multitude of sources to tell the story of a culture, this provides young children with a good overview of the treatment of original Americans.
Susan Dove Lempke Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
-Booklist
Although a beautiful combination of history and poetry, Kay's (Tattered Sails, 2001, etc.) tale of displaced Native Americans will be difficult, for the traditional picture book audience to comprehend without knowledge of the Nez Perce Native tribe's history. Flat, stylized illustrations, beautiful as they are, do little to bring the story into the realm of the young reader. Those familiar with the plight of the Nez Percˇ will find the clipped, rhyming text to be a poetic capsule of the historical plight of a people driven from their land and forced onto a reservation after defeated efforts to defend their homeland. Each word is filled with meaning and glistens in the context of the overall depiction of the era. ("Gold sun rising, / Horned lark sings. / Eagle soaring, / Spreading wings. / Bushes rustle, / Horses snort. / White men riding, / Far from fort.") Relief block prints surround the words with strong clean lines and restrained color. The prints are technically sophisticated and display superb craftsmanship. The art will attract many, but the major appeal will be for those with a firm grasp of the history of the Nez Percˇ. (author and illustrator notes) (Picture book/poetry. 6-10)
-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Alcorn's radiant, almost pebbled paintings will hook readers and draw them in.
-Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Customer Review
Poignant rhyme, Difficult time, December 4, 2002
Verla Kay's pristine "cryptic rhyme" captures the grace of a fallen nation. Told through exuberant Broken Feather's experiences, the Europeans expansion into Nez Perce's relegation to reservations, the prose captures glimpses into a time past. Stephen Alcorn's illustrations are earthy, textural and spiritual all at once. Words, colored images, text and textures all mesh to tell the tale. In Kay's own words, she hopes to "show the experience and some of the joy and pride of the Nez Perce" and a little bit the Native American experience of European expansion. Great reading for beginners to anyone who loves picture books!
-Agy Wilson from Portland, ME United States
Book Description
Broken Feather's homeland is a wonderful place. It's full of natural beauty, proud tribesmen, and fish just waiting to be caught. But then white men appear. At first they just pass through, but when they begin to clear land and build houses, even Broken Feather can tell trouble is brewing. It culminates in a battle the tribe loses, but even though they are forced onto a reservation, Broken Feather's pride in his heritage remains strong. Inspired by the history of the Nez Percˇ tribe, Verla Kay's sensitive treatment of this difficult period is perfectly complemented by Stephen Alcorn's dramatic, stylized artwork. Both contributors have been highly praised.
Average Customer Review: Five Stars
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