Brothers of the Buffalo: A Novel of the Red River War

by Joseph Bruchac

Overview

A captivating and historical story of two young men on opposing sides of war. 
 
In 1874, the U.S. Army sent troops to subdue and move the Native Americans of the southern plains to reservations. Brothers of the Buffalo follows Private Washington Vance Jr., an African-American calvaryman, and Wolf, a Cheyenne warrior, during the brief and brutal war that followed. Filled with action and suspense from both sides of the battle, this is a tale of conflict and unlikely friendship in the Wild West. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781938486920
Publisher:	Fulcrum Publishing
Publication date:	02/02/2016
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Joseph Bruchac is an internationally acclaimed Native American storyteller and writer who has authored more than 70 books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for adults and children. His writings have appeared in more than 500 publications, including National Geographic, Parabola, and Smithsonian. He is the author of the novels Dawn Land and Long River and is the coauthor of the Keepers of the Earth series. He lives in Greenfield Center, New York.

Editorial Reviews

"This wonderful balance of scientific and indigenous people's outlooks empowers children to touch the continuum of nature pulsating within and around them. The reconnection makes possible their creation of vital new stories to cope with today's misguided beliefs about the natural world." —Dr. Michael J. Cohen, director, National Audubon Society Expedition Institute, on Keepers of the Earth


“A fascinating way to learn about our environment. The combination of Native American stories and related activities will spark children's imaginations and help them explore their environment."  —Augusto Medina, PhD, education specialist, World Wildlife Fund, on Keepers of the Earth


"Should be in every library. Social studies, science, environmental responsibility can be greatly enriched by using this book. The 25 legends from 20 different cultures selected by Abenaki Joseph Bruchac, and interpreted by easily understood scientific information and hands-on activities by Michael Caduto makes this a gold mine for teaching important concepts."  —Dr. Helen Ross Russell, author, Ten Minute Field Trips: Using the Schoolground to Teach, on Keepers of the Earth


"By combining the Native American flair for storytelling with modern Western understandings of science and education, Caduto and Bruchac reacquaint youngsters with the natural world and our relationships with it. Keepers of the Earth is a unique approach to guiding our youth to a sustainable future. School, club and camp youth leaders will find this book a treasure."  —Charles E. Roth, director of educational services, Massachusetts Audubon Society, on Keepers of the Earth


"A sensitive and well thought–out guide for helping children love and care for the Earth. I heartily recommend it as a resource for parents and teachers."  —Joseph Cornell, author, Sharing Nature with Children and Listening to Nature, on Keepers of the Earth

From the Publisher

03/01/2016
Gr 8 Up—Not only does Bruchac's latest novel transport readers to the gritty reality of the Red River War of 1874, it explores teachings and lessons from long ago that transcend powerfully into today's world. This work is told in alternating perspectives, from the points of view of an African American cavalryman (a buffalo soldier) and a Cheyenne warrior whose paths continually cross in obscure ways. Questions of race, loyalty, and which side is right and worth fighting for or against are raised in this novel. Readers get a look into the lives of historical figures such as Quanah Parker and Lt. Richard Pratt and how these battles shaped their future legacies. Bruchac allows teens to see the true nature of people during this time with figures such as buffalo hunters, whiskey traders, buffalo soldiers, Indians, and military command. This is a well-researched book that brings a voice to names only learned about in textbooks. With the knowledge of the controversial actions of Lieutenant Pratt and his impact on Native people in the years after, readers will find that he is sympathetically portrayed, adding nuance to the complexity of Pratt's characterization in this work. VERDICT A great historical fiction title that will have readers wanting to learn more about this piece of American history. Recommended.—Amy Zembroski, Indian Community School, Franklin, WI

School Library Journal

2015-12-22
In a mix of history, fiction, letters, and folk tales from two continents, Bruchac chronicles a particularly ugly chapter in the Indian Wars. Whites are the villains here, from the paternalistic likes of those out to forcibly "civilize" African and Native Americans to buffalo poachers who decapitate their Indian victims and vicious rustlers who disguise themselves as Indians before slaughtering a family of black settlers. The primary narrative concerns Wolf, a teenage member of the Wutapio band of the Striped Arrow People (Cheyenne), and newly arrived young buffalo soldier Wash, who alternately witness (or more often hear of) major events in the Red River War of 1874-75. In between chapters, the author inserts short tales and speeches drawn from the Cheyenne and the Hausa heritages of the central figures, hinting at their parallel richness and wisdom. Within the Red River story, these cultures and the people who embody them are as idealized as the lying, violent "ve'hoes" (a greedy spider from Cheyenne folklore) are vilified. Despite glints of romance and irony, the story is weighed down with infodumps and lectures on the evils of drink and other topics. Although this acts as a corrective to the dominant historical narrative, it also makes for a slow and unsatisfying plot. Considering the grim ending, the moral that closes a final, otherwise amusing tale has a bitter edge: "There is always more than one way to solve a problem." While no specific sources are given for the interludes, a large bibliography is appended. Agenda trumps story in this loosely jointed account. (Historical fiction. 12-14)

Kirkus Reviews