Doesn't Fall Off His Horse
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $2.99
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
This magnificent true story offers a rare and breathtaking look into the life of a Kiowa boy at the end of the nineteenth century. The story is told by a very old man to his youngest great-granddaughter, Saygee, as he shows her of his treasures: a leopard skin quiver, obtained at great price from the white traders. But there was one time when the quiver could not help him, the time he participated in a daring raid on an enemy tribe.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Saygee's great-grandfather, almost 100 years old, is ``like a living book,'' made up of so many stories. During his life great changes have come to his people, the Kiowas, and much time has passed since he earned his warrior name, Doesn't Fall Off His Horse. He tells Saygee how he won that name in his youth, unfolding the tale in stirring, carefully crafted prose. His story is of a brush with death; of bravery and foolishness; of Native American traditions. Stealing horses from Comanches to ``count coup'' (dishonor an enemy and demonstrate one's own courage), he and his comrades escape the Comanche camp-although he takes a bullet in the neck. In her first picture book, Stroud writes so vividly that the hot breath of the pursuing Comanches can almost be felt. Equally effective are boldly colored yet delicately patterned acrylics. Horses sport coats of violet, manes of aqua, and yet they do not seem unreal. The illustrations, like the text, stream with movement. Ages 6-9.
