This book follows Miranda, a young girl who's father was killed in the battle of Little Big Horn. She and her mother join Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, where Miranda meets and befriends some of the indians that her mother blames for the death of Miranda's father. Miranda begins to see that there are two sides to every story, thus seeing things differently from her mother. This book is good for 3-5 graders, and is a historical coming of age story. ( )

I was pretty disappointed in this book. It was brave of the author to attempt to write about such a conflicted time in history, and also people at Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, who were often enemies as well as friends. It might also have been well intended to have a girl taught to hate Native Americans learn to try to see their point of view. Where this book became problematic was in incorrect portrayals of Native Americans, the "Indian Wars," American history, and in trying to equate the feelings white people and Native Americans might have had of each other. Some Native people are shown explaining to Miranda that "their land" was taken in exchange for government stipends and forced living on reservations. Actually, Native people did not see themselves as landowners. They were being killed by white people who thought they were claiming ownership of land that Native people lived on and lived with. Implying otherwise superimposes European cultural assumptions on Native Americans and promotes continued ignorance. Another problem was when characters said that "the Indian wars are over." There were no Indian wars. Europeans came and killed many millions of people who were living peacefully, and at times defended themselves. Certain characters, too, imply that whites killed Natives, Natives killed whites, and the whole thing was just a shame. These two points indicate an attempt to share the blame on a one-sided attack against peaceful peoples. Altogether, this book promotes an ignorant and anti-Native American viewpoint that, contrary to the author's intention, is more likely than not to perpetuate racism and ignorance.

There is no appropriate place for this title in an educational or library curriculum.