Lana's Lakota Moons
Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, . . Univ. of Nebraska/Bison, $12.95 (116pp) ISBN 978-0-8032-6028-3
Driving Hawk Sneve's unassuming yet potent chronicle of a fateful year in the lives of two preteen cousins follows the Lakota calendar observed by her characters, who according to Lakota tradition are sisters. Lori, the narrator, paints Lana as mischievous, often lazy and something of a show-off, but her admiration and envy also come through, and there's never any question that these two are the closest of friends. Lori and Lana's new, strong friendship with a third girl, a Hmong refugee, demonstrates the vitality of their own bond even as it allows the author to draw parallels between the Lakota and the Hmong. Throughout, the grandparents teach the “sisters” Lakota traditions and beliefs, prepare them for their naming ceremony—this proud, happy Native American community stands in stark contrast to the rez of Sherman Alexie's
Reviewed on: 12/17/2007
Genre: Children's