Indian Boyhood

A newly illustrated edition with reader's notes for tricky words. Complete and unabridged.

A squirrel once scolded a baby from the bow of his cradle—and baby Hakadah scolded right back. But the Dakota boy’s wild childhood soon brings bigger challenges than a bold forest visitor.

Ohiyesa begins life in an oaken cradle swaying from a tree branch, with his wise grandmother close by. She teaches him to read the woods, listen for danger, and find his place among the Dakota people. But when conflict drives his family from home, the young boy faces long journeys, sudden storms, scarce food, and dangers on every side. With courage to learn and a remarkable grandmother to guide him, can Ohiyesa endure the hardships ahead and discover the strength within himself?

This complete and unabridged edition of Charles Alexander Eastman’s story includes reader’s notes to help untangle tricky words as young readers explore his childhood memories.

At Wise Minds Press we believe the years between childhood and the teenage leap are a golden window: curiosity runs high, vocabulary explodes and a single page can spark a lifetime of possibility. We were those wide‑eyed readers once—hungry for challenge, eager to roam far‑flung worlds, and guided by parents and teachers who knew the right story could light the path ahead. Today we honor that legacy by bringing time‑tested classics to young readers complete and unabridged, with reader's notes for the tricky words, and original illustrations for Grades 4‑7 (Ages 9‑12).

Our mission is simple: to place in every young reader's hands a bridge to literature's greatest adventures, turning boundless imagination into confidence, empathy, and the readiness to write their own remarkable futures.