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ec_dee13's review against another edition
4.0
This picture book combines beautiful artwork with historical photographs as it tells the life story of Black Elk, a member of the Lakota nation. It is told from Black Elk’s point of view, telling how the white men came into the Lakota land and forced them to live on reservations. It spends a lot of time talking about a vision Black Elk had as a child and how it shaped his life. Although told in a more “story-like” fashion, this book gives a lot of factual information and has many resources at the end for further learning. Personally, I think this book would be good for 4th/5th grade and up, as it is relatively dense, but still approachable. This book was on the 2011 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People list published by the National Council for the Social Studies.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
4.0
This biography reminded me strongly of Bruchac's Crazy Horse biography. Equal weight is given to his visions and the invasion of the Wasichu. The photographs give excellent primary source documentation of the slaughter of the bison, the encroachment of the trains and towns, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and the massacre at Wounded Knee.
Simply written and accessible for elementary and middle school.
Simply written and accessible for elementary and middle school.
crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
I recently purchased this picture book biography by S.D. Nelson. Black Elk's Vision: A Lakota Story tells the story of Black Elk's life with a focus on the vision that Black Elk had when he was nine years old. The vision was something that shaped his life. Throughout the text, Nelson refers to the vision and the way it affected how Black Elk saw the world and his place in it. There is a lot of tough material presented in the book. Readers will be faced with injustices, death, grief and many difficult topics, but there is a moment of laughter. I am glad that Nelson included the scene with heyokas - foolish clowns. He explains that "laughter itself is a holy gift."
I appreciated the wonderful mix of archival images with Nelson's own illustrations. The photographs from Black Elk's life and the general time period really support the text well. And, the more I see of Nelson's artwork, the more I love it. I read one of his other books, Greet the Dawn, and wrote about it for Non-fiction Picture Book Week back in July. His style is a fantastic blend of traditional and modern art. I couldn't help but relate his art to two picture books that I read with my students today - The Day the Crayons Quit and The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. Nelson is also very playful with color even in more "serious" texts. I'm excited to use that as a bridge to his work.
If you have access to Teaching Books, there is a book reading available if you would like to hear a portion of the text and hear some background from the author. If you would like to see some of the art from inside the book, visit S.D. Nelson's website http://www.sdnelson.net.
Finally, here is a video of the author talking about himself, his art, and this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyFyo5MdSD0#t=58
I highly recommend this book as a way to see U.S. history from a Lakota perspective and will be sharing it with others.
I appreciated the wonderful mix of archival images with Nelson's own illustrations. The photographs from Black Elk's life and the general time period really support the text well. And, the more I see of Nelson's artwork, the more I love it. I read one of his other books, Greet the Dawn, and wrote about it for Non-fiction Picture Book Week back in July. His style is a fantastic blend of traditional and modern art. I couldn't help but relate his art to two picture books that I read with my students today - The Day the Crayons Quit and The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. Nelson is also very playful with color even in more "serious" texts. I'm excited to use that as a bridge to his work.
If you have access to Teaching Books, there is a book reading available if you would like to hear a portion of the text and hear some background from the author. If you would like to see some of the art from inside the book, visit S.D. Nelson's website http://www.sdnelson.net.
Finally, here is a video of the author talking about himself, his art, and this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyFyo5MdSD0#t=58
I highly recommend this book as a way to see U.S. history from a Lakota perspective and will be sharing it with others.
shelleyanderson4127's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A picture book for young readers on the life of Lakota-Oglala medicine man Black Elk (1863-1950).
Lavishly illustrated and also written by S.D. Nelson, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.
Black Elk began receiving visions at the age of nine, while surviving a dangerous illness. He was 12 when the US Army, under Custer, attacked a large meeting of Lakota and Cheyenne camped along the Little Bighorn River. He survived that battle, and again survived the massacre at Wounded Knee, where white soldiers attacked an encampment of mostly women and children.
Black Elk traveled through the US and Europe, performing with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. He died an old man on the Pine Ridge Reservation, still teaching others about the Great Vision he had received.
This is a very informative book which includes a select timeline and archival material.
Lavishly illustrated and also written by S.D. Nelson, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.
Black Elk began receiving visions at the age of nine, while surviving a dangerous illness. He was 12 when the US Army, under Custer, attacked a large meeting of Lakota and Cheyenne camped along the Little Bighorn River. He survived that battle, and again survived the massacre at Wounded Knee, where white soldiers attacked an encampment of mostly women and children.
Black Elk traveled through the US and Europe, performing with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. He died an old man on the Pine Ridge Reservation, still teaching others about the Great Vision he had received.
This is a very informative book which includes a select timeline and archival material.
wayfaring_witch's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the balance of art work and real photos in this children’s book about a Lakota, Black Elk. It was interesting that the story was told as historical fiction instead of non-fiction, but sometimes it made the flow of photos awkward. It seemed like the captions and the story were aimed at different age groups. Overall, mostly interesting. Some generalizations made by the author irked me because they didn’t tell the whole story as understood by historians, but how specific can you get in 50 pages of mostly pictures?
Still a great book, and I’d recommend to make it available to students and children. Good for parents and teachers looking to integrating books with a multicultural edge.
Still a great book, and I’d recommend to make it available to students and children. Good for parents and teachers looking to integrating books with a multicultural edge.
abigailbat's review against another edition
4.0
Told in the first-person from Lakota Indian Black Elk's point of view, this book gives young readers a look into the Native American genocide of the late 1800s. Colorful art by Sioux author/illustrator S.D. Nelson brings Black Elk's visions to life, while archival photographs give readers a sense of the time. Extensive back matter includes authors notes, a timeline, an index, a bibliography, and source notes.
buuboobaby's review against another edition
4.0
4/4.5 stars
I found Black Elk’s Vision a compelling read. Interspersing colorful acrylics with vintage photos of the events described in Black Elk’s narrative, I found this book hard to put down. I also found myself going back to key passages, illustrations, and photos to ensure that I absorbed everything. From the photograph of Black Elk on the cover to the portrait of his family near the end, this is a haunting book. Black Elk believed that all of us have a part in the circle of life. We can all hold weapons of destruction or the sacred water of life. Each of us carries the power to nurture or destroy. Black Elk choose the cup of life, and he wished that all of us would choose it as well.
Full review here - http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=6579
I found Black Elk’s Vision a compelling read. Interspersing colorful acrylics with vintage photos of the events described in Black Elk’s narrative, I found this book hard to put down. I also found myself going back to key passages, illustrations, and photos to ensure that I absorbed everything. From the photograph of Black Elk on the cover to the portrait of his family near the end, this is a haunting book. Black Elk believed that all of us have a part in the circle of life. We can all hold weapons of destruction or the sacred water of life. Each of us carries the power to nurture or destroy. Black Elk choose the cup of life, and he wished that all of us would choose it as well.
Full review here - http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=6579
sparkingwonder's review against another edition
4.0
Written as a first-person narrative, the book is very informational about Black Elk's life. It incorporates original artwork with historic photographs and art from the time period. Very well done. My one concern is that it is written in a picture book format for younger kids, but includes some graphic information, most notably an image of a mass grave at Wounded Knee.
claudiaswisher's review against another edition
4.0
I read BLACK ELK SPEAKS years ago, and was intrigued by this short biography in my Grand's school library.
Exhaustively researched and documented, Nelson has treated Black Elk as the leader and visionary he was. Nelson is from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and his respect is clear here.
Black Elk saw the best and the worst of human behavior and motivations. He traveled the world and he contributed so much to his tribe.
Since this is a picture book, I must comment on the illustrations: they have the feel of ledger art and native paintings of the time. Because Black Elk lived into the 20th century, there are many photographs as well. Lots of visual interest for young people.
I so appreciated the research, the respect, the reverence.
Exhaustively researched and documented, Nelson has treated Black Elk as the leader and visionary he was. Nelson is from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and his respect is clear here.
Black Elk saw the best and the worst of human behavior and motivations. He traveled the world and he contributed so much to his tribe.
Since this is a picture book, I must comment on the illustrations: they have the feel of ledger art and native paintings of the time. Because Black Elk lived into the 20th century, there are many photographs as well. Lots of visual interest for young people.
I so appreciated the research, the respect, the reverence.
erine's review against another edition
4.0
This was a lovely short little tale about Black Elk's vision and what happened to his tribe. The illustrations are complimentary to the text and provide a great background for the story. This nonfiction seems to be geared more toward tweens or younger. While the information may be universally appealing, the writing style is more for a younger crowd.