33. A Boy Called Slow

After the visit a few weeks ago with Cynthia Leitich Smith, I started think about the portrayal of Native Americans in picture books...and there aren't many examples. Most of them talk about the past or are written by people outside of the culture, which can be problematic. Also, many times they are pan-tribal, melding all of the tribes' traditions together and portraying it as if there is only one way to be a Native American. So now I am on a search to read some books with Native American protagonists, preferably in more modern times, but I'll take what I can get. A Boy Called Slow (1994) written by Joseph Bruchac and illustrated by Rocco Baviera, is one of those books.


This story tells the tell of a young Sitting Bull, first named 'Slow' by his family, who later grew up to become a famous Lakota chief. This book focuses on his desire to earn a more mature name than Slow, hoping for a powerful dream or the opportunity to do a brave deed. He grew strong and one day was able to prove himself, earning the name we know today. 


Bruchac infuses native language into the text, which is something I always appreciate, though I wish he didn't translate right afterwards into English, instead letting us use our context clues. Also I like the information he provides about how the Lakota people named their children-- I find those cultural differences fascinating. It is a coming-of-age tale that older students will understand, since they too are about to embark on the transition from children to young adults. This is probably better for upper elementary students, since the text can get quite meaty at times, but it is definitely worthy delving into.


Baviera's oil paintings give us sweeping visions of men in battle and Slow on the buffalo hunt, while also focusing in on quiet moments, like the cover of Slow sitting contemplatively in his tipi or the view of Slow at the fire with his uncle. Thus, he swings perspective from outsider to insider and back again. Baviera's earth tones are dark and somber, until the end when Slow triumphs and we see the brilliance of a blue sky. After years of searching for his time, it was finally his moment to shine. Baviera's paintings look as if they are painted directly on the canvas, with the grainy surface underneath. This gives them a look of realism. Also, the borders of his illustrations look like they came from the skin of an animal hide. This gives the impression that someone painted these images on a hide, stretched them out, and put them in the book. He is great at showing us the traditions in detail and makes us feel like we were really there. 


A great book to start building kids' awareness of tribal cultures within the Native American community.