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75th out of 75 books
—
123 voters
Starfish: A Novel
Lionel barely remembers the old days, before he and his sister, Beatrice, came to the boarding school on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. His life is peaceful, as long as he follows the rules. So he can't understand why Beatrice won't: why she refuses to cut her hair and insists on honoring the Blackfeet traditions.
When the appearance of a frozen corpse triggers an irrev...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
November 9th 2010
by Disney-Hyperion
(first published July 20th 2010)
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Reviewing this book is a tricky task. The novel reads well and is very engaging. It is best directed toward the tween audience. The problem lies in the fact that the Blackfoot traditions don't appear to be accurately portrayed. So, I am not sure how to rate the book.
I am not a Blackfoot Indian, and my tribe is very different from theirs, so I won't speak directly toward traditions. But, we can start with the name of the tribe. One of my friends is 100% Blackfoot (and grew up on the reservation),...more
I am not a Blackfoot Indian, and my tribe is very different from theirs, so I won't speak directly toward traditions. But, we can start with the name of the tribe. One of my friends is 100% Blackfoot (and grew up on the reservation),...more
I found reading the novel to be a great reading experience. It is a beautiful story about a brother and sister that led me to keep referencing and thinking about my relationships with my own younger siblings as I was reading it. James Crowley's words jump off the page to provide a vivid landscape that is so detailed it comes right to life in the mind's eye. The story shows the importance of things such as family, friendship, nature, and remembering where you come from. I would recommend this nov...more
This is one of those books that I want to give a no-star rating to because it is so flawed!
It opens with a drunk Indian man who freezes to death in an unlikely physical position. I doubt most readers would pause at that, because in that position, the corpse holds out a bear claw necklace... And in holding out that necklace, the book is framed in that mystical-Indian-story that way too many Americans like to read...
There's a lot wrong with the book. I've given it a close read, and make extensiv...more
It opens with a drunk Indian man who freezes to death in an unlikely physical position. I doubt most readers would pause at that, because in that position, the corpse holds out a bear claw necklace... And in holding out that necklace, the book is framed in that mystical-Indian-story that way too many Americans like to read...
There's a lot wrong with the book. I've given it a close read, and make extensiv...more
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I usually pick up a children's book now and then to see what is new and exciting in children's literature. I was disappointed with this one. It starts with the stereo-typed drucken indian, I thought we were past this. There ia a story line about a government school for homeless indians and how the children escape to find their grandfather. I was hoping for more of a historical fiction type book, but it never made it. In today's world, having a child read is hard enough, but their needs to be bet...more
I'd be generous if I gave this book two stars. Let me put it plain and simple for you...this book was extremely boring.
That's all you really need to know but I feel like a need to give a more detailed review. Like I said this book is boring, it really had potential to be good, two Native American children on their own for the first time, on the run from the government, living off the land. But really it was boring. There was no plot, because there was no problem. They ran away from their governm...more
That's all you really need to know but I feel like a need to give a more detailed review. Like I said this book is boring, it really had potential to be good, two Native American children on their own for the first time, on the run from the government, living off the land. But really it was boring. There was no plot, because there was no problem. They ran away from their governm...more
I thought this was a great little piece of work. I recently went to Montana, and took this book with me. I had no idea what it was about, and was quite intrigued by the writing skill. It helped being in a part of America close to the Native American place of interest in the book. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm 41 years old! Look forward to more from this young author. --Rod Winters in Buffalo, New York
I read this book after seeing the author speak at the Texas Book Festival. It is a page turner, and as someone who doesn't love historical fiction (except for The Killer Angels), I was captivated by the children and their coming of age story.
Native American brother and sister flee the school on their reservation when horrible living conditions and treatment push them past the point of tolerance.
Great story about siblings, grandparents, Blackfeet Indians, and so much more.
Great story about siblings, grandparents, Blackfeet Indians, and so much more.
The book follows Lionel and his sister Beatrice as they escape from the government run school in the early 1900s. A great book for readers who are ready to tackle longer works but still need simple prose.
I do not knowledgable enough to comment on the story's cultural authenticity, but the charcaters are appealing and the story touches upon some compelling themes.
i thought this was a strange book and a poorly written book. I didn't really like it and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I wouldn't waste your time on it.
I liked the characters of Lionel and his sister, Beatrice. I loved the scenes when they escape and live on their own in the wilderness - what kid hasn't dreamed of that at one time or another? The opening scenes of the story were difficult to read - for the arrogance and the violence that is portrayed. The ending seemed surreal - as if it all had to be wrapped up quickly.
I don't know enough about Native American cultures to comment on the historical accuracy of this story, but here's a link t...more
I don't know enough about Native American cultures to comment on the historical accuracy of this story, but here's a link t...more
Not a whole lot of children books have this side of the story. adds depth to the western movement era.
Well-written and engaging...but contains some stereotypical portrayals.
A sad comentary on the history of our country, yet accurate in so many ways.
A great adventure that I recommend to young and old alike!
Good kids book, some language, sad
It was a really captivating book
Jun 15, 2013
Swati
added it
May 26, 2013
Carmie
marked it as to-read
May 13, 2013
AJ
marked it as to-read
Mar 26, 2013
Penelope
marked it as to-read
Feb 27, 2013
Kayla Theel
marked it as to-read
Feb 23, 2013
Chia
marked it as to-read
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crowley's depictions of Blackfeet culture... | 1 | 3 | Sep 25, 2010 06:20pm |
