When Bright Morning takes her sheep to pasture, she gazes across the beautiful valley that is the home of her Navaho tribe and sees Spanish slavers...
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reviews
May 18, 2011
Donna
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When I was a child, Scott O'Dell's Island of the Blue Dolphins was one of my favorite books. I loved reading about Karana's survival skills and her fierce determination in the face of terrifying odds. I was hoping that Sing Down the Moon would provide the same level of interest.
The story itself covers a turbulent and tragic period in the history of the Navaho people. America is no longer only their domain; the Spaniards and White men (or Long Knives) have come to stay. The Spaniards p More...
The story itself covers a turbulent and tragic period in the history of the Navaho people. America is no longer only their domain; the Spaniards and White men (or Long Knives) have come to stay. The Spaniards p More...
Jan 11, 2012
Nikita
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sing Down The Moon by Scott O'Dell -reviewed 1/9 -review by Nikita
What if all of your friends were being captured to work for other people or just so they would be captivated?Bright Morning is a very determined Navaho girl who's tribe and family is being captured, because they are Indians.
Two Spaniards capture Bright Morning and her friend Running Bird. Bright Morning hopes her husband Tall boy will find her and doesn't want to have her son live in captivation.But how More...
What if all of your friends were being captured to work for other people or just so they would be captivated?Bright Morning is a very determined Navaho girl who's tribe and family is being captured, because they are Indians.
Two Spaniards capture Bright Morning and her friend Running Bird. Bright Morning hopes her husband Tall boy will find her and doesn't want to have her son live in captivation.But how More...
Sep 16, 2010
carolyn
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Another great Scott O'Dell book. "Sing Down the Moon" is about a young indian girl named Bright Morning who was captured by the Spainairds one day and taken to be a slave. She escaped and returned back to her homeland to which a shorttime afterwards was destroyed and her tribe was forced to move forward to another place (not of their choosing). Many of her people died along the way and once they arrived to the destination, other tribes were there and they did not get along with eachoth
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Aug 19, 2011
Josiah
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I would consider giving two and a half stars to this book.
The smooth consistency that always marks the award-winning writing of Scott O'Dell is evident in Sing Down the Moon as clearly as in any of his other most famous titles. Scott O'Dell has a way of telling heartbreaking stories from the annals of history with an even-keeled style that allows us to see the sad happenings of yesteryear from an objective standpoint, getting neither too high nor too low emotionally as we follow More...
The smooth consistency that always marks the award-winning writing of Scott O'Dell is evident in Sing Down the Moon as clearly as in any of his other most famous titles. Scott O'Dell has a way of telling heartbreaking stories from the annals of history with an even-keeled style that allows us to see the sad happenings of yesteryear from an objective standpoint, getting neither too high nor too low emotionally as we follow More...
Apr 13, 2011
Eden
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Bright Morning was out with her sheep when the spanish slavers captured her and later sold her.
She was able to escape along with her friend Running Bird, but when they get home they later find more trouble going to happen for all of her people.
Her tribe is eventually destroyed and forced to move to another place.
I thought this book was pretty good. Pretty fast-paced and didn't really get enough to fully know or connect with the characters. I don't think there was enough More...
She was able to escape along with her friend Running Bird, but when they get home they later find more trouble going to happen for all of her people.
Her tribe is eventually destroyed and forced to move to another place.
I thought this book was pretty good. Pretty fast-paced and didn't really get enough to fully know or connect with the characters. I don't think there was enough More...
May 30, 2010
Teri
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I love to read Newberry Award and Honor books, so that's where I was browsing when I found this book. I have read Island of the Blue Dolphins by Mr. O'Dell and it is not among my favorites. I did enjoy this book, and it's subject matter (the relocation of the Navajo of the southwest to Fort Sumner aka. The Long Walk) is such a bleak part of our American history. I want to cry everytime I think of the misunderstanding and cruelness of it. I don't think we will ever understand the suffering th
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Nov 21, 2011
Leslie
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This book was about the Long Walk that started in the spring of 1864 and the 300 mile journey the Navajos (along with other American Indian nations) made to Fort Sumner. O'Dell does a good job following the journey of Bright Morning. My kids enjoyed this book although there was not a lot of action and is told in the voice of 14 year old, Bright Morning. They had learned about the Trail of Tears which was a similar forced relocation a little over 30 years earlier in the southeastern US. It was a
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Jun 04, 2011
Rebecca
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1863-65, Well written story about a Navajo girl and the forced removal to Fort Sumner and 'the long walk.' Having lived with Navajo for a while myself, I was very impressed with his attempt to capture their cultural norms. The matriarchal/matrilocal culture, the humor, etc., all of this is culturally correct. Probably one of the most impressive examples was the mother who in response to her daughter leaving the sheep alone, says nothing about it because it is her daughters choice even while maki
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Aug 26, 2011
Jeane
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I read this book when I was in 5th grade, and just had a chance to read it again. I still love it, I love the way the main character is portrayed, and how she is a strong female character despite the way her culture sees their women as weak. The thing I love most about this book is the historical significance. The book does a great job at portraying the Navajo culture, and what it was like before the whites forced them onto a reservation miles away from their native lands. It's like a little hi
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Jan 02, 2010
Jonathan
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I read this book because several of my students are reading it for school. I isn’t my style, but it isn’t bad either, and the story is gripping when not overwhelmingly depressing. So I hope they like it. I suspect that the irresolute ending will irk them. I do wonder how well O’Dell portrays the Navaho. Are the names accurate or cliche, for example? All in all, it wouldn’t be my first choice for Native American reading, but it is at my students’ level and so perhaps it is the best accessible for
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Aug 06, 2011
Kammie
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I liked how this book was written from an Indian girls perspective. I still feel saddened everytime I read about human abusing or using other humans for their gain. The whole Indian nation being pushed away from their way of living is heart wrenching, even though I understand that we could not have our country today if they were allowed to still continuing hunting and migrating. Reality is hard to digest sometimes. This book has a good contrast of how boys and girls react and think different
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Oct 02, 2009
Jim
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Read this because my fifth-grader was assigned it. It is a quick read, more like a chopped up short story. It follows the travails of a young Navaho girl during the 1860s as the pressures from Spanish slavers and U.S. troops change and ultimately destroy their way off life. Sad story, of course. Kind of like chick-lit for pre-teens, but I think it included enough information about NA life in that area, as well as information on the terrible treatment of Native Americans, that it might spark furt
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Nov 09, 2011
Katie
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This book is about a young Indian girl, Bright Morning, and her life in the Navaho tribe. This book tells the story of her capture by the Spaniards to become a slave. She escaped and returned back to her homeland to only shortly afterwards have it taken from her entire tribe. Many trials and tribulations are throughout this story and Bright Morning always continues to have a positive attitude.
I would use this book in my classroom to talk about the occupants of Fort Sumner and their experien More...
I would use this book in my classroom to talk about the occupants of Fort Sumner and their experien More...
Apr 28, 2011
Lana
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I really like Scott O'Dell's writing style. He held my interest in fourth grade, and he can still engage student readers today,
This historical fiction chapter book explores Navajo slavery through the eyes of a young girl. Despite the looks of this funny looking book cover, I think she is authentically presented in the text. I would include this reading in a book club format during the teaching of westward expansion. If children are to learn to see the big picture-- more than one More...
This historical fiction chapter book explores Navajo slavery through the eyes of a young girl. Despite the looks of this funny looking book cover, I think she is authentically presented in the text. I would include this reading in a book club format during the teaching of westward expansion. If children are to learn to see the big picture-- more than one More...
Apr 09, 2009
Carter
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Sep 22, 2011
PJ
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A good book that tells about the challenges of Native Americans in the mid 1860's. The book does a nice job retelling about the Long Walk of the Navajo Indians. The main character is a teenage Navajo girl who is loves her home in the mesas in AZ. She is then abducted and sold. She escapes and is then rescued from her captors. The last part of the book is about the Long Walk of the Navajo to tribe and the challenges they faced.
Aug 20, 2009
Amy
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Island of the Blue Dolphins set the bar really high. After that book, this one is a disappointment. The story is sad, actually tragic. But there really isn't any depth. You don't get to know the characters, there isn't much description of how they live. I was just a bit disappointed. I expected a survival story and instead just got a story.
Mar 16, 2010
Ch_beverlyatwood
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A story told from the point of view of a Navajo girl during the time that the U.S. government was rounding up the tribes into New Mexico near Fort Sumter. I don't know if the information contained was accurate in describing how the Navajo lived since I do not know much about the tribe's history. I don't know if they were forced to go to New Mexico, either. If the facts are true, it would be helpful to read it and discuss Native American history as well as United States history.
Feb 26, 2011
Jessica
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I love Scott O'Dell. As a child, Island of the Blue Dolphins was one of my favorite books. This book was written with masterful language and finesse. While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I think it is just a little too mature for my 4th graders. Not the content, just the book itself. I think that they might have a hard time becoming interested and working through the words.
Dec 08, 2009
Lorena
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We read this as part of the curriculum and it is so sad to think that White Europeans did this to the American Indians, the Long Walk, the displacement, the mass murders, all so shameful. It's only a wonder that there is still some Navaho people. It is a beautiful book, a terrible-sad but true story, I wonder if there are more adult centered books about the subject. Anyone?
Mar 15, 2009
Sara
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jan 22, 2012
Stephanie
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I ran out of reading material while visiting my folks over the weekend and picked up this old favorite from my primary education. The story is as good as I remember. The writing is more simple, but it is still beautiful and fulfilling. I'm glad the opportunity to re-read presented itself. It was nice to revisit my favorite book from 6th grade :)
Oct 10, 2011
Liz
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I love Scott O'Dell's stories. This short one, beautifully and simply written, is a historical set against the tragic time period when the Navajos were forced from their Canyon de Chelly home in the the 1860's and forced to live in Fort Sumner. I cheered for Bright Morning and Tall Boy as they found the courage to escape and return to their home.
Jan 23, 2012
Nina ♥
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This book is about the journey of a 14-year-old girl named Bright Morning, who first gets kidnapped and sold by Spaniards to be a slave, and then escapes back to her home. Her freedom is short-lived, though, when the Long Knives come and destroy their homes, their village, and later, force them to move to another place. Many people die during the journey. They take the Navaho to a place called Bosque Redondo, and there, Bright Morning marries Tall Boy. She starts planning her husband and her esc
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Apr 28, 2011
Emily
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The topic of this book is very important, most people have heard about the Trail of Tears but no the Long Walk. It talks about slavery from a different perspective than we're used to hearing about. I appreciate the perseverence of the main character and her unwillingness to let go of something that was so important to her.
Jan 13, 2009
Marla
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I read this book because it is my daughter's favorite book. I liked the fast pace. I wanted to finish because the story was pulling me along. Again, I'm impressed with the quality of literature for youth. We've been concentrating on Newberry Award winners, and this one is an Honor book. I highly recommend it.
Sep 14, 2009
Julie
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As I got reading, this sounded familiar. I think it may have been required in High School. Anyway, it was interesting and easy to read, but ended too abruptly. It seemed like he wrote the whole thing to tell about one historical event and the story to go along with it wasn't so great.
Dec 21, 2011
Ruth
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My 10 year old granddaughter recommended this book to me and even handed her copy to me so that I would be sure to read it! It was quite good and I learned about "The Long Walk" of the Navajo people of Canyon de Chelly. It is a part of United States history about which I had no idea.
Apr 26, 2010
Kristen
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Almost perfect. This book is an example of what historical y.a. fiction can and should be -- a gripping page turner with great imagery, simple language, and plenty of action and emotion. Along the way you learn a ton about a specific event in U.S. history, almost without realizing it.
Jun 15, 2008
Jin
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Freedom and a last grasp of hope, those were what her tears were about when Bright Morning was walking on the road to the American Indian concentration camp. Even though this story leans more toward the children's books category, it does have a great representation of the story's message and much maturity beneath the simple language. Scott O'Dell's unique writing style is simple, but it is also very detailed in describing different events, such as the Spaniards' attack on the tribe, Bright Morni
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