The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow : the Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not. ( )

Sara Nita senses the danger of her family before the Blue Coats appear. She and her sister are left behind when her family is collected and taken to the "Trail of Tears," that is led by the U.S. Army. The girls are fortunate to keep their mothers words with them during their long journey to find their supposed family that is hidden in a canyon to the North. The girls fail to realize that their real journey unfolds once they reach their distant families dwellings. ( )

The diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo girl.

This is a very good detailed and dramaic historical novel based on the "Long Walk "of the Navajo's in 1864. Written in the first person, diary format makes this high interest reading for grades 6-9. We are in the mind of twelve year old Sarah Nita as she writes about her forced journey away from her homeland to the "white man's" Fort Sumner. This was a very important time in American history and the author, Ann Turner obvioulsy did her research on Navajo culture, language and history. I loved her descriptive language, "fear races inside my body like cold water...my words fall like pebbles into the water hole". I really felt like I was living this nightmare with Sarah Nita. At times it was difficult reading because of the hardships: separation from parents, weather conditions, cruelty of the soldiers, starvation, etc. This is a very significant story, and I'm glad it was written so effectively. ( )

Reviewed April 1999

A good reminder that much was happening elsewhere in the U.S. while the civil war was happening. This story is about the relocation of thousands(?) of Navajos to New Mexico. The child Sara Nita did not understand why this was happening to her family, and probably no one else did as well. She finally understood it had something to do with Indian raids on settlers which was partly true. It had everything to do with hate and racism. I love the way she "spoke" English words as he heard them it was quite fun to decider "Siddown,cmmm herr, Ehillo, hrre uuu" means "sitdown, come here, hello, how are you." The one that puzzled me the most was "flaarhh" which means "flour." What a amazing, horrible era to live in. I know I keep saying this but it really was! And what a rich history the Navajo people had.

10-2007 ( )