The Warriors

Things I loved about this book:
the shortness of the book does not detract from the power of the message -- the intense alienation that Jake feels in his new boarding school, despite the welcoming message from the majority of the students -- how weird it feels to be valued for what he views as an indigenous skill in a sacred game (Lacrosse) when the meaning of the game is warped by an outside culture. Jake's thoughtful response to violence, and his willingness to explain the deeper meaning of the game to the school when he offers it as a healing ceremony. The harsh realities that many kids from impoverished communities face -- their family lives broken up by the need for their talented parents to bring back honor and resources to the show more community. Many of Bruchac's contemporary characters are impacted by that scenario, and he never glosses over how high that cost is. show less

When Jake Forrest leaves his Iroquois reservation to live with his lawyer mother in Maryland, he finds himself enrolled at an exclusive Washington D.C.-area prep school where lacrosse is the obsession. Considered sacred by his people, Jake is dismayed at some of his teacher's misrepresentations of the game's history, and of his people's culture in general. When that teacher, who is also the coach, is injured, Jake sees his opportunity to teach his teammates, and his entire school, what the game is really all about...

Warriors is yet another Joseph Bruchac title that succeeds on a number of different levels. An engaging sports novel for middle-grade readers, featuring a likable protagonist whose basic storyline - kid moves to new town, show more has to make friends and try to fit in at new school - should appeal to a broad readership, it also offers en enlightening glimpse of a people and culture with which many young Americans may be unfamiliar. Although I generally don't read a great deal of sports fiction (for children or adults), I found that I enjoyed this brief novel, and was moved by Bruchac's portrayal of the spiritual aspects of lacrosse. show less

This book was a pleasant surprise to read. It combined multicultural awareness with sports and the experience of transitioning to a new school. The character development helped reader’s have a window into the main character, Jake, and how he handled moving to a new school and integrating himself with a completely different culture. This book would appeal to anyone in a similar situation in which they are experiencing the culture shock of moving and having to attend a new school. The author also streamlines different symbols and themes throughout the text that help the readers understand the values of tradition, humility, and friendship. For example, one morning Jake is discovered doing his morning rituals by his roommate, who is from show more West Africa. Kofi comforts Jake by saying “This pouch contains things that protect me when I am far from home. Every now and then, when no one else can see, I hold it up so it, too, can bathe in the light of the African sun… So, Jake, it seems that we are brothers” This connection made by two roommates translates into a much deeper friendship as readers see the mutual respect Jake and Kofi have for one another and the appreciation of the other as if it were their own traditions. This theme is also furthered at the end of the book when Jake’s lacrosse team plays a game in honor of their coach who had been shot. Their entire school came together in unison to honor a great leader and contributor to their school and nothing mattered except supporting each other. Through these connections Jake makes at his new school, he learns that home is always in the heart and not necessarily where you were born. The main messages of this book are to embrace diversity, inclusion, and to always be true to your background. show less

Your personal response to the book:

Out of the three Bruchac books I read for my author study, this is definitely the one I enjoyed the most. I really appreciated how Jake and his mom both highly valued their Native American heritage and were not willing to compromise that. I also thought that compared to the other Bruchac books I read, this one moved along at a better pace.

Curricular connections (how you might use it with students in a classroom or school library) or programming connections (how you might use this book in a public library setting).

This would be a good book to have out with a display of sports books at a public library. At the school library I work in, we sometimes try to get kids to read books out of particular genres, show more and sometimes we specify sports stories...this would be a good one for that. This could also go along with a unit on the Native Americans of the Northeastern United States. show less

Grades: 5-8
Book is for young adult boys in the middle school setting, not a book I would recommend for girls.

This book deals with issues that many young boys deal with while growing up and trying to find themselves; family traditions, self-doubt, pity, identity, confidence, coming into adolescence, relocating, and trying to fit in.

Through out the book there is a strong presence in Iroquois traditions, sayings, and beliefs. Jake Forrest a young boy who has grown up his whole life on the reservation is moving to Maryland to be with his mom. He is giving up his way of life, what he knows, and what he loves (lacrosse, his Grandpa Sky, Uncle Irwin, friends, his beliefs, and his Iroquois ways). His mom (Molly Forrest) has sacrificed a lot; show more she has become a successful Indian lawyer in Maryland and believes the best thing for Jake is to go to school at a prestigious prep school.

Jake quickly finds himself in a different world outside the reservation, he is not happy, not sad, but just not interested until he begins to go to school, a school rich in history and pride in lacrosse. Jake does his best and he does a great job to adapt and accommodate to his new surroundings. Jake realizes he is finding hard to still believe his Iroquois ways and to assimilate.

Jake has a problem with his lacrosse coach, Coach Scott. His coach talks badly of the game he loves and shows no respect to the game he loves and to his people. A horrible event happens to Coach Scott in the end that makes Jake realize what he must do.

The book deals with many issues with how little you know about people and their beliefs, how people are viewed just based on appearance. This is a story of a journey of a young boy becoming a young adult. He uses his Iroquois sayings that he had learned from a young boy to become a confident young adult.

Rating (2) stars.

Very little of interest if you had no interest in lacrosse. Book was centered way too much on lacrosse. The book does not appeal to young adult female readers of any sorts. There are great lessons in the book but the story was slow to develop and no suspense. The story lacked movement and feelings, in the end it did not have that great of an impact. show less

The thing that stood out to me in this book is that people are vastly different,yet so much the same.

It was BORING…about an Indian guy who plays lacrosse.