Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People

First-person narration, while invented, makes Nelson’s (Digging A Hole to Heaven: Coal Miner Boys) illustrated biography of Native American warrior Sitting Bull both powerful and poignant: “The white men came to our land with two faces. They said one thing but did another. The trespassers spoke of peace and sharing while taking our hunting grounds.” Calm, measured storytelling details Sioux life and customs, as well as horrific battles with the U.S. Army. Archival b&w photos punctuate Nelson’s dynamic ink-and-colored-pencil illustrations, featuring stylized Native American warriors on horseback. His fluid artwork appears atop ledger paper, juxtaposing chaotic, all-over-the-page battle scenes with lined backdrops representing the white man’s more rigid, record-keeping ways. Harkening to an era when imprisoned tribespeople were given discarded ledger paper on which to draw, Nelson (a member of the Sioux tribe) succeeds in showing the disconnectedness of the two cultures. The tale ends with Sitting Bull’s tragically ironic death at the hands of fellow Native Americans. An extensive time line and author notes provide substantial background to reinforce the more creative tack Nelson uses to share Sitting Bull’s story. Ages 8–12. (Nov.)