Pocahontas

Children's Literature

This is a young reader biography written in short, easy sentences appropriate for a beginning reader. There is the usual information about who Pocahontas was, what tribe she was from, and the experiences she had with the English settlers. The author explains the meaning of Pocahontas's name which means peacemaker. This was her nickname. Her real name was Matonka. Pocahontas led an interesting life. She befriended the settlers who came to live in Jamestown even though her tribe and the settlers fought with each other. It is said that she was responsible for saving Captain John Smith's life. She became known as a peacemaker. Pocahontas was kidnapped by an English captain and kept in Jamestown. They taught her how to be a Christain and renamed her Rebecca. She may be the first American Indian Christian. Pocahontas married a farmer named John Rolfe and they had a son. She traveled to England and died there at the age of twenty-two. Author Gosda has written a clear, simple biography of this well-known American Indian. The book is illustrated in color and with black-and-white drawings and reproductions. 2002, ABDO Publishing Company, Yannuzzi

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-Each of these books contains simple, large-type print with plenty of white space. There is usually one picture or illustration on every spread, and the illustrations are either photographs or what appear to be hand-tinted engravings. Unfortunately, the texts are a bit wooden. The first paragraph in the first book reads: "Pocahontas is a famous peacemaker. She helped early American settlers get along with American Indians. Another word for American Indian is Native American." Isn't that two words? The book does go on to explain that Pocahontas may have saved John Smith's life and later married John Rolfe and sailed to England where she died at the age of 22. Sitting Bull describes the leader's attempt to save his people's way of life, the Battle of Little Big Horn, and his death. These books are accurate per se and will be useful for young researchers or beginning readers but they lack the competent writing of Joseph Bruchac's A Boy Called Slow (Philomel, 1995) or even David A. Adler's A Picture Book of Sitting Bull (Holiday, 1993; o.p.).-Dona J. Helmer, College Gate School Library, Anchorage, AK Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.