Legends, Myths & Fables - General & Miscellaneous, Native American Studies, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous

The ghost and Lone Warrior

Name: The ghost and Lone Warrior
Author: C.J. Taylor
ISBN: 9780887762635

by C.J. Taylor

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Overview

Crippled in an accident and left behind by his hunting party, Lone Warrior must overcome hunger, cold, pain, and despair to survive. But most terrifying of all his trials is the appearance of a skeleton-ghost arisen from the grave. That Lone Warrior can still remember to express his gratitude to the animal he must kill to survive, and that he does not allow fear to diminish his dignity, makes him an ideal hero.

About the Author, C.J. Taylor

C.J. Taylor is an internationally acclaimed artist and children’s author of Mohawk heritage. She has traveled extensively throughout North America helping make the rich cultural history of native people accessible to the young. Her paintings are in many private collections across Canada and the US. She is a self-taught artist and storyteller who has organized exhibitions of Native art across North America. She lives near the Kahnawake Reserve outside Montreal.

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Editorials

Children's Literature - Wendy Ricci

This Arapaho Indian legend uses a powerful story and dramatic paintings to illustrate the qualities of an ideal hero. Lone Warrior was the leader of a hunting expedition but was crippled along the way and left behind by the hunting party. He is forced to overcome hunger, cold, loneliness, despair, and the most frightening of all, the appearance of a skeleton-ghost of a past ancestor who had been chief of his tribe. Readers will be surprised when Lone Warrior remembers to express gratitude to the animal he must kill to survive and that he does not allow fear of the skeleton-ghost to diminish his composure. He later learns that he was the only survivor of the hunting expedition and will be the new chief of the tribe. The story provides good insight into the values that the Arapaho felt their leaders must possess.

School Library Journal

Gr 2 Up-- Before the Spaniards brought horses to the American continent, the Arapaho people hunted buffalo on foot. One day Lone Warrior leads a hunting party into the distant mountains, looking for smaller game. When he slips on a wet stone and can no longer walk , he must be left behind. It takes ingenuity, courage, and strength of character for Lone Warrior to cope with the onset of winter, injured and alone. After surviving a ferocious blizzard, he discovers a herd of buffalo and kills one for food, expressing his gratitude in prayer. When the skeletal spirit of his ancestor appears, the young man needs all his courage but proves himself worthy of the great responsibility that is given to him: the role of a leader among his people. The oil-paint illustrations convey the beauty and grandeur of the Northern Plains. Taylor tells a story that embodies traditional Native-American values while expressing a universal truth: it is often adversity that allows us to discover our strength and find meaning in life. This moving and well-told story will be a welcome addition to any children's collection. --Carolyn Polese, Gateway Community Sch . , Arcata, CA Grades 3-6