Apache

Children's Literature

Part of the "Tribes of Native America" series, this volume introduces the history and culture of the Apache people of Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma. With a briefer, simpler text than most anthropological series books, this volume greatly depends on visual material to impart and enhance information. Many attractive color and black and white photos add to the book's appeal and usefulness. The brief text first introduces the Apache by giving the origin of their name, locating reservations and traditional lands, describing population growth and touching on their origins. Following chapters present basic information on their history, daily life and customs. The last chapter also touches on current tribal issues and introduces several notable Apache people. Some information about modern Apache is also interwoven into other chapters. A map, timeline, folktale, index, glossary and bibliography are included. Unfortunately, the book has enough errors that I cannot recommend it for general use. The map is very confusing and has several errors. As an example, the Yavapai-Apache Tribe is located on the map in Arizona, where it belongs, but is listed underneath as being in New Mexico. The section on the population of the Chiricahua is also confusing. The book claims that both boys and girls were taught how to sneak up on enemy villages, while usually only boys did this. Another paragraph erroneously suggests that reservations tried to impose white ways and language on Apache children, when it was really the boarding schools that did this. 2002, Blackbirch Press/Thomson Gale, Ages 7 to 10.
— Gisela Jernigan, Ph.D.