Gina Capaldi

This is an okay book about an amazing Native American woman. This is my review so I'll just come out and say it; "Zitkala-Sa deserves better." The story is cobbled together from "Atlantic Monthly" magazine articles she wrote. It interchanges words like "Anglo" and "White man" as well as using the adjectives "wild" and "noble." If these were her words then I guess I have no qualms. They just seem so ham handed and unenlightened. The layout of the book is interesting but the illustrations are show more uninspired. I'm glad to know her story. I wish the book were better. show less

This book retells the life of Zitkala-Sa A.K.A. Gertrude Simmons. She was a Native American from South Dakota who left the reservation at 8-years-old to go to boarding school in Indiana. The book is based on her stories and her artwork. This is a lovely book that examines the challenges of balancing new and heritage cultures.

This is an amazing story of a Native American boy called Wassaja which was kidnapped from his village of Yavapai people. His captors sold him to an Italian man called Carlo Gentile. He bought Wassaja not for slavery but to adopt him as his son. They traveled together for a long time until Gentile realized that it is time for Wassaja to settle down and go to school. Wassaja did very good in school and graduated from college at the age of seventeen. He had a lot of roles in his life, a doctor, show more lecturer, researcher, and publisher.
This book is a compilation of Wassaja's letters to professor Holmes which was writing about Wassaja's life. I liked the way the author put all of the letters together. They are authentic, and the letters, illustrations, and the pictures makes it possible for the reader to imagine Wassaja's life in those days. show less

This was a touching story of a Sioux Indian girl who, in 1884, was sent away from her home to attend a missionaries's boarding school. The book describes her growth and development as one who could "sing" or speak for her people, and as a musician and author.