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Dream of the Blue Heron
Wabus, or Wallace White Sky, a young Chippewa Indian boy growing up in northern Wisconsin in 1905-1906, is caught up in the fierce conflict between his traditional forest-dwelling grandparents and his father, who works in a lumber mill and brings Wabus into the modern world.
219 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 5, 2013
I read this book at a fairly young age, yet I remember the story like it was just yesterday that I put it down and realized that I could enjoy reading. The story revolves around some world altering events during the expansion westward as America was fully penetrated by the settling colonists. The setting is depicted on an intimate scale, however. Told by way of the story of a young boy named, Wabus, experiencing the culture shock that the colonists insisted on spreading. I feel bad for the Native Americans every time I think of this book, and the changing of this lush land over to the hands of, quite seriously, invading marauders.
Obviously, if the Europeans that did come to America hadn't, none of what we know today would exist, but a book of this nature embodies the harsh realities of the past. The creation and erection of something glorious, but through the sinister means of war, deception, dictation ... truly, the murdering of logic, justice, and any human being that stands in between you and what you want.
To this day, I note this as one of the most gratifying reading experiences I've ever had. Though I dabble in writing these days, I was no reader when I was a young boy. This was actually the first book I didn't lie about finishing when I was a kid. I used to be somewhat of a proud skimmer, whenever book reports were due in school. But with this lovely little story, it wasn't necessary.
Important Note:
The description of this book has absolutely nothing to do with the plot. I still own a paperback copy of Dream of the Blue Heron, written by Victor Barnouw, and what's written up there doesn't really coincide with what actually takes place.
This book is about a young Native American boy struggling with being ripped from his culture immersed grandparents and thrown into the world of the colonist, and so on. He goes on a spiritual journey, or DREAM, hints the title, and he may or may not see a Big Blue Bird.
Hope I'm not mistaken, but I actually grabbed the book from my shelf, and it seems that I'm fairly right on about this one.
Obviously, if the Europeans that did come to America hadn't, none of what we know today would exist, but a book of this nature embodies the harsh realities of the past. The creation and erection of something glorious, but through the sinister means of war, deception, dictation ... truly, the murdering of logic, justice, and any human being that stands in between you and what you want.
To this day, I note this as one of the most gratifying reading experiences I've ever had. Though I dabble in writing these days, I was no reader when I was a young boy. This was actually the first book I didn't lie about finishing when I was a kid. I used to be somewhat of a proud skimmer, whenever book reports were due in school. But with this lovely little story, it wasn't necessary.
Important Note:
The description of this book has absolutely nothing to do with the plot. I still own a paperback copy of Dream of the Blue Heron, written by Victor Barnouw, and what's written up there doesn't really coincide with what actually takes place.
This book is about a young Native American boy struggling with being ripped from his culture immersed grandparents and thrown into the world of the colonist, and so on. He goes on a spiritual journey, or DREAM, hints the title, and he may or may not see a Big Blue Bird.
Hope I'm not mistaken, but I actually grabbed the book from my shelf, and it seems that I'm fairly right on about this one.
May 24, 2023
As an indigenous person myself, I first read this book many years ago when I was the only indigenous person in an all white school, being raised by English parents. I consider this book a precious inclusion of my personal library, having had a profound effect on my own personal journey of identity.
The historical facts of the residential school are laid out against the backdrop of the people whose lives shape the experience of the main character, Wabus, or Wallace White Sky. Included in the cast are his traditional grandparents, his father, his teachers at the residential school as well as others.
Wabus explores the changes swirling all around him in the context of his own identity, making decisions about how to interpret each experience. The power of the story emerges from the way it is written in such a real and human way; causing one to ask oneself, "What would I do? How would I react?"
We are drawn into the strange world of yester year, and yet with very human characters who, themselves are struggling with vast changes, enormous cultural differences and limited understandings of each others perspective of the world. Through this tumultuous environ, travels a young boy whose own interpretations, decisions and character will ultimately shape the man he becomes and the lasting effect that these events will have on him.
Of course, as a child of 9, I lacked the reason and capacity to articulate all of that, but in review, I now know why this book is so precious to me. A compelling tale of challenging times, compassionately told.
The historical facts of the residential school are laid out against the backdrop of the people whose lives shape the experience of the main character, Wabus, or Wallace White Sky. Included in the cast are his traditional grandparents, his father, his teachers at the residential school as well as others.
Wabus explores the changes swirling all around him in the context of his own identity, making decisions about how to interpret each experience. The power of the story emerges from the way it is written in such a real and human way; causing one to ask oneself, "What would I do? How would I react?"
We are drawn into the strange world of yester year, and yet with very human characters who, themselves are struggling with vast changes, enormous cultural differences and limited understandings of each others perspective of the world. Through this tumultuous environ, travels a young boy whose own interpretations, decisions and character will ultimately shape the man he becomes and the lasting effect that these events will have on him.
Of course, as a child of 9, I lacked the reason and capacity to articulate all of that, but in review, I now know why this book is so precious to me. A compelling tale of challenging times, compassionately told.
July 14, 2019
Good, well-grounded historical children's fiction about the demise of an Ojibwe community/family. Unsatisfactory ending, though.
February 20, 2022
Reading books that are lying around the house.
April 10, 2013
Struggles of an Indian boy to discover his identity
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews