Secret Ways : Character Building

Regular readers of American Indians in Children's Literature know that I emphasize several points when reviewing children's or young adult books, especially:

1. Is the book by a Native author or illustrator?
2. Does the book, in some way, include something to tell readers that we are sovereign nations?
3. Is the book tribally specific, and is the tribally specific information accurate?
4. Is it set in the present day? If it is historical in structure, does it use present tense verbs that tell readers the Native peoples being depicted are part of today's society?

John Herrington's Mission to Space has all of that... and more! Herrington is an astronaut. He was on space shuttle Endeavor, in 2002. Mission to Space begins with his childhood, playing with rockets, and ends with Endeavor's safe return to Earth.

Here's the cover:




That is Herrington on the cover. Here's a page from inside that tells readers he is Chickasaw.



While he and the crew were waiting for Endeavor to blast off, the governor and lieutenant governor of the Chickasaw Nation presented a blanket to NASA.



Those are two of the pages specific to Herrington being Chickasaw, but there's photos of him, training to be an astronaut, too. There's one of him, for example in a swimming pool, clad in his gear. And there's one that is way cool, of his eagle feather and flute, floating inside the International Space Station:



I absolutely love this book. There is nothing... NOTHING like it.

Native writer? Yes.
Sovereignty? Yes.
Tribally specific? Yes.
Present day? Yes.

The final two pages are about the Chickasaw language. In four columns that span two pages, there are over 20 words in English, followed by the word in Chickasaw, its pronunciation, and its literal description. And, of course, there's a countdown... in English and in Chickasaw.

Published in 2016 by the Chickasaw Nation's White Dog Press, they created a terrific video about the book. You can order it at their website. It is $14 for paperback; $16 for hardcover.

I highly recommend it! Hands down, it is the best book I've seen all year long.

The American Reader: Words That Moved a Nation
Ed. Diane Ravitch

A different type of literature which builds character is this collection of primary source documents which includes famous speeches, quote, anecdotes, and letters in American history. It was compiled by a national leader in the drive to educate today's students to know, understand, and value democratic ideals as they have evolved in their country. (Ravitch is an education historian.)

I have used this with 7th and 8th grade students since it was first published in 1990 and have found it an excellent resource for a variety of purposes. It is organized in chronological order so a walk through the table of contents is a fascinating overview of American history and culture. Some examples from the first section entitled "The Colonial Days and Revolution" are:

• Seventh graders love reading the funny and witty sayings of Benjamin Franklin from Poor Richard's Almanack. From his Autobiography his list of virtues was the spark for our own leadership program. Since he intentionally studied how to cultivate these virtues in himself, students are inspired to set goals and be reflective about their own growth into strong human beings. 
• Such a simple document as the Mayflower Compact lays out the principles of shared government and common consent that were set as founding principles before the Pilgrims even stepped off the boat! Students enjoy that. The idea transmitted to them is huge.
• This rich section reveals that many seeds of liberty and justice were present from the earliest days including Alexander Hamilton's Freedom of the Press, James Otis's Demand to Limit Search and Seizure, Thomas Jefferson's Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, John Adam's Liberty and Knowledge, The Slaves Appeal to the Royal Governor of Massachusetts, Chief Logan's Lament, Abigail Adam's Letter to John in which she tells him to "remember the ladies," the compelling essays by Thomas Paine, and the stirring speech by Patrick Henry. A little here and little there and these seeds get planted in our children.

Our copies at school are well-worn so I recently ordered fresh copies and found that the book continues to be reprinted (last copyright 2010) and is available as an e-book and for e-readers. On Amazon you can view the table of contents to see the full scope of what I've tried to highlight. I highly recommend reading the introduction by the author which is also available via the "look inside" feature. Her review of the value to be found in sharing these selections with young people is outstanding - and better than mine.

Here is the publisher's review found on the back of the book:
The American Reader is a stirring and memorable anthology that captures the many facets of American culture and history in prose and verse. The 200 poems, speeches, songs, essays, letters, and documents were chosen both for their readability and for their significance. These are the words that have inspired, enraged, delighted, chastened, and comforted Americans in days gone by. Gathered here are the writings that illuminate�with wit, eloquence, and sometimes sharp words�significant aspects of national consciousness. They reflect the part that all Americans�black and white, native born and immigrant, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American, poor and wealthy�have played in creating the nation's character.