C. J. Taylor

A beautifully written story of the origins of the Iroquois Five Nations Confederacy, told in such compelling simple language, yet filled with breathtaking images. The reader can't help but feel the depths of evil and depravity in the old chief Atotarho "His orange eyes could pierce a man's soul." And the refreshing honesty and goodness of Hiawatha, "He wore fine, fur-lined robes, a deer-hide shirt, leggings and moccasins. All were fashioned and decorated by his beloved daughters." The pain show more and suffering experienced by all the Iroquois through Atotarho's constant warmongering is vividly portrayed and then the culmination of working together against a common problem brings a satisfying conclusion. Lovely. show less

Living two miles from the center of the Onondaga Nation I am somewhat familiar with the customs and stories of the Native Americans in central New York. This story describes the uniting of the five nations into the Iroquois confederacy to provide a united front against evil and for peace. Hiawatha overcomes incredible grief to bring peace to his people and those of the neighboring nations.
It is a fantastic book to read aloud, and I would choose it for elementary children. The author's voice show more is authentic and the descriptions of the area a wonderful lesson in geography and history for central New York students. Not only did our founding fathers pattern our government after the Iroqouis, but the early suffrage movement did so as well. Onondaga women worked with Matilda Gage in advocating for women's rights being a model of strong female leadership. show less

I thought this was a compelling combination of myth and history. This legend of Hiawatha will inspire you to learn more about the Iroquois nation and their stories. It is a short chapter book meant for children age eight and over. I still enjoyed the reading the story. It is a great introduction to Hiawatha. I also really liked the artwork in this book. I think my two favorite pictures were of Chief Atotarho.

I like that Taylor included some history of the Iroquois confederacy. It is show more important for Americans to realize how the Iroquois inspired Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson and others forming the American government. I found the historical part of this book very interesting, but it is short. I will have to find some books to read more about the history.

If you like reading different myths and legends, I would recommend this book. Particularly if you are looking for some legends to read with a child. show less

The first thing I noticed about C.J. Taylor's book Peace Walker was the breathtaking artwork. The dramatic, full-page paintings are very striking and complement the story well. With an intermingling of historical detail and traditional folklore, the text tells of the beginning of the Iroqois Confederacy, a united group of five (later six) Nations in what is now the New York state area. There is a clear contrast in the story between the brutal leadership of Chief Atotarho and the noble, show more long-suffering leadership of Chief Hiawatha. Atotarho suffers constant physical and emotional pain, but he suffers alone as his body and mind become more and more twisted. He resists peace, orders violent raids, and metes out cruel punishments. Like Atotarho. Hiawatha also endures great suffering, but in his suffering he seeks to bring comfort to others and, while he originally goes into the wilderness to suffer alone, he eventually finds healing and restoration through the help of another person, Tekanawita. Together, Hiawatha and Tekanawita, after long efforts (it takes "five cycles of seasons") bring peace and unity to the tribes who end up forming the Confederation and even bring peace to cruel Atotharo. I look forward to reading this book aloud and sharing Taylor's beautiful artwork with my children in the next year as we study Native Americans in our home school. I will caution that some parents/teachers may want to pre-read the text, as some of the language and imagery used to describe Atotahro could potentially be frightening for very young children. Also, while I found the information in the brief introduction and conclusion helpful, I would have liked even more information about the historical and geographical context for the events described in the story. show less