SOLVED. Tale of a Native American read to us in grade school (circa 1962?) [s]

[Stephen]

I recall a teacher in my grade school days reading us a book about a native american (or as we said back then an Indian) It MAY have been about Squanto but there was definitely an ordeal involving sleeping alone in the woods and having a medicine dream. The boy either dreamed of a white buffalo or a white wolf as I recall. I think that there was also another boy who failed his ordeal.

Am I mixing up several similar books or does anyone know what this might have been?

Thanks in advance

[Stephen]

I've not received any responses to this post and I recalled the book again while watching a program that featured a native American and a vision quest.

I'd like to bump this query.

Does anyone recall a book that featured these events?

[Kris]

Stephen, is this a short picture book or a longer chapter book?

Is it a single story or a collection of stories?

Can you describe any illustrations or the cover image? (e.g., realistic/cartoony, simple/detailed, painted watercolors/bold graphics, sunny/dark/muted colors/black & white)

[Ket]

Touching Spirit Bear?

Edit: ah, sorry, didn't see the year 1962 in your subject title

[Stephen]

I don't recall anything about the cover. Our teacher read this to us in class and it was so long ago that if I knew anything about it, I can't recall.

I believe that it was a single story rather than a collection of stories but it was definitely multi-chapter and I'm guessing at least 80 pages. I do kinda recall that there was a rivalry of sorts between the two boys and it "feels" like it was an eastern woodlands tribe rather than a western or plains tribe.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

I don't remember much about it but we read When The Legends Die in school. Possibly nothing in common with your book...

[Stephen]

Lobstergirl wrote: "I don't remember much about it but we read When The Legends Die in school. Possibly nothing in common with your book..."

That sounds interesting and I'm adding it to my TBR list. However that's not the book I was thinking of.
One thing I didn't mention earlier that may be helpful.... The first part of the book was strictly about tribal culture before the white man. I think that white men came in about half way through or later.

[Tab]

Some books to checkout
Paddle-to-the-Sea
Waterless Mountain
The Story Catcher

[Amanda]

On the slightly later side (1966 is the earliest edition I can find) is Dream of the Blue Heron by Victor Barnouw. (Sorry, can't link on mobile )

[Kris]

No worries. Dream of the Blue Heron by Victor Barnouw for Amanda's suggestion.

[``Laurie]

An Indian Tale that I enjoyed from my childhood in the 60's was the long poem The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
I absolutely loved this tale and thought you might enjoy it too.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Stephen, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Stephen]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Stephen, are you still looking for this or did you find it?"

Thanks for inquiring. I've pretty much given hope of figuring out what this was. I think it was a tale about Squanto but none of the ones featuring him that I can find sound quite like what I recall. I'm guessing it's out of print and fallen from favor.

[Mai]

If it's about Squanto when he was a boy there's Squanto, young Indian hunter by Augusta Stevenson, published in 1962 (part of the Childhoods of Famous Americans series).

You can see the cover here:
https://www.amazon.com/Squanto-Indian...

I can't find much information about it though so I have no idea if the plot matches your description...

[Laurie]

I was going to say "The Indian in the Cupboard," but that was published in the 1980s.

[Stephen]

Mai wrote: "If it's about Squanto when he was a boy there's Squanto, young Indian hunter by Augusta Stevenson, published in 1962 (part of the Childhoods of Famous Americans series..."

Thanks for that. That may well be the book. The publishing date and the book length seem right I'm not certain but It's certainly close enough to consider this one solved.

I'm guessing that tales of Squanto were once much more popular than they are in modern times. I'm guessing that the exact version which I heard read to me in elementary school is lost to the ages at this point.