The Hopis (A First Americans Book)

by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, Ronald Himler (Illustrator)

Overview

In this new and updated edition, award-winning author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve introduces young readers to the Hopi people.

Did you know that the Hopi people have always lived on three mesas, big flat-topped hills, in Arizona? This accessible nonfiction picture book introduces the Hopis’ creation story, history, beliefs, daily ways of life, and more. Learn about the Hopi secret societies, underground kivas, kachina masks, the snake dance, and more.

Expertly reviewed by members of the Hopi tribe, this updated edition provides the most up to date and accurate information on the Hopi people of the past and present. Historical information is accompanied by a section on modern life.

Author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve grew up on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation and is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe. She has brought the richness of Native American culture and heritage to thousands of children for over 40 years as a teacher and children’s book author. Her First Americans books introduce young readers to the many diverse and unique Native American nations that first called this land home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823460946
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	07/22/2025
Series:	First Americans Book Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.50(w) x 9.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, teacher and children’s book author, has brought the richness of Native American culture and heritage to thousands of children for over 40 years. Virginia spent her childhood on the Rosebud Sioux reservation and now lives with her husband in Rapid City, South Dakota. She has written the First Americans picture book series for Holiday House, Jimmy Yellow Hawk, and High Elk’s Treasure among others. She is the anthologist of the highly acclaimed poetry book Dancing Teepees: Poems of American Indian Youth, illustrated by Stephen Gammell. She has received numerous honors, including the National Humanities Medal, the Human Rights Award from the South Dakota State Counselors Association, and Author-Illustrator Human and Civil Rights Award.

Born in Cleveland Ohio, renowned illustrator Ronald Himler attended the Cleveland Institute of Art, where he majored in painting and illustration. Ron has illustrated more than 75 picture books and earned many awards over the course of his career, including the prestigious Society of Illustrators Silver Medal for the cover of Red Cap.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 3-5-Another solid series entry in picture-book format. After opening with a retelling of the creation myth, Sneve goes on to provide a fair amount of detail about the religion, social structure, and general way of life of the Hopi. Historical coverage is rather sporadic. Two early pages describe the coming of the Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries, with the last few pages picking up the historical narrative from 1848 to the present. Sneve's prose is simple and straightforward, with short, clear sentences. Himler's appealing oil paintings lend a rich atmosphere to the book, with a variety of scenes focusing on people, customs, land, and tools. A Hopi quotation opens each section, offering extra insight into the culture; published sources are cited, but there is no indication when the original statements were made. There are other titles on the Hopi that offer more thorough information for reports, but this is an accessible and attractive introduction for younger readers.-Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR

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