Reviews
Turtle Island: The Story of North America's First People by Kathy Lowinger, Eldon Yellowhorn
oldgum101's review
4.0
I didn't expect to like this.
I'm not a big fan of non-fiction, but this book combines Indigenous folklore and the history of how they got to North America. It's in a friendly format, with plenty of illustrations and pictures to keep a reader's attention.
I'm not a big fan of non-fiction, but this book combines Indigenous folklore and the history of how they got to North America. It's in a friendly format, with plenty of illustrations and pictures to keep a reader's attention.
amandac43's review
4.0
I loved the intertwined stories from a variety of indigenous groups. I enjoyed the visual elements as well, from maps and photographs, to the beautiful illustrations.
ex_libris_volantes's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Great introductory piece on the vastness that was Native Indigenous culture in the North American continent before the age of colonization from the east. My only slight complaint was that I wanted more indigenous stories like the Turtle Island origin mythos that this book takes its name from, but I was glad to see such a good source post/bibliography at the end that I will happily look into for more of that.
ljrinaldi's review
5.0
Too many books about the Indiginous people of North and Central America take place after first-contact, after the Europeans have come and "discovered" them, as though they needed to be found.
This book, based on myths, and archeological digs, and stories that the elders have passed down, is the story of the people of Turtle Island, one of the names given to the North American continent by some of the First Nation people. The stories of these people, go from the time that they first came to Turtle Island in the last great Ice Age, to the year before Columbus came, bringing death and the end of a way of life that had been going on for thousands and thousands of years.
Each section explains how we know what we know, and what life was like back then. The saddest part, is the last chapter, with assimilation, and residence schools.
This should be a text book in all classrooms, and I hope it is. This is the story that needs to be taught.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This book, based on myths, and archeological digs, and stories that the elders have passed down, is the story of the people of Turtle Island, one of the names given to the North American continent by some of the First Nation people. The stories of these people, go from the time that they first came to Turtle Island in the last great Ice Age, to the year before Columbus came, bringing death and the end of a way of life that had been going on for thousands and thousands of years.
Each section explains how we know what we know, and what life was like back then. The saddest part, is the last chapter, with assimilation, and residence schools.
This should be a text book in all classrooms, and I hope it is. This is the story that needs to be taught.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
readingwithkaitlyn's review
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Genocide, Violence, and Colonisation
Wounded Knee, residential schools, assimilation.ashleygsiler's review
3.0
Very good overview of North America’s indigenous people. The history starts in the Ice Age and continues through modern day, so obviously each chapter is extremely short and offers only the broadest of overviews. It’s full color on every page with helpful photographs, historical documents, drawings, and artifacts. My complaint is that because it’s such a broad timeline packed into such a short space the writing is very choppy and many tribes are left out of the narrative. Definitely read it as an overview instead of looking for specific information.
sammah's review
5.0
Note: I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
I really loved how this was written and put together! It reminded me a lot of the reference books you used to find in the children's section of the library, and I think it will prove itself to be a valuable resource for young people who want to understand more about the Native Americans culture, or who are perhaps studying them in school. The illustrations and photographs were gorgeous and really helped bring the information to life in a really lovely way.
I really loved how this was written and put together! It reminded me a lot of the reference books you used to find in the children's section of the library, and I think it will prove itself to be a valuable resource for young people who want to understand more about the Native Americans culture, or who are perhaps studying them in school. The illustrations and photographs were gorgeous and really helped bring the information to life in a really lovely way.