With Herman J. Viola. Ninety-year-old Joseph Medicine Crow recalls his childhood and youth on Montana's Crow Indian Reservation. In a cheerful, dryly humorous, and occasionally garrulous voice, he retells stories he heard from elders about the Battle of Little Bighorn, his own tales of school and summers, and his four WWII coups that made him a "full-fledged Crow war chief."

Gr 6 Up-In this fascinating autobiography, the chief shares the events in his life, from his birth in 1914, to his training to be a Crow warrior when he was six or seven, to his World War II experiences. He tells his story with an elder's humor. Reminiscing about his first hospital visit to have his adenoids removed, he shares his fear of whites, of Sioux, and of ghosts. Experiences from Baptist, public, and boarding schools show the prejudices that he encountered. Four pages of color and black-and-white photos show his family and the Crow reservation in Montana. Using large print and short chapters, this informative yet entertaining read just might inspire children to interview their elders and write their stories.-Marlette Grant-Jackson, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

This fascinating account of life on a Crow reservation is told by a Crow chief and tribal anthropologist. The author was born in 1913 on the Crow reservation in Eastern Montana and trained as a Crow warrior, but he also enjoyed a carefree childhood full of games and Crow lore. It ended abruptly when he was sent to a Baptist mission school and forced by white teachers to shed his tribal identity. Yet he was a bright student who quickly learned to balance life in both worlds and ended up the first male member of the Crow tribe to graduate from college. Inducted into the army in 1942, he served his country overseas during World War II. Because of his bravery in battle, he became a Crow war chief upon his return to the reservation. After the war, he earned a Master's Degree in anthropology and was appointed tribal anthropologist, allowing him to document the quickly vanishing Crow cultural legacy. This primary account of life as a Crow warrior is invaluable to students learning about Native American culture and history. Joseph Medicine Crow tells his story in an absorbing, humorous style borrowed from the tradition of Crow storytelling. It would be an excellent addition to middle school history curriculums as it brings the past to life in a way that textbooks often fail to do. The colorful photos included in the text heighten the immediacy of the narrative. The book is highly recommended for both public and school libraries.-Jan Chapman.