Assigned reading for MLIS 7421: Multicultural Youth Literature.

To be such a tiny book and a quick read, it really manages to fit in some very important historical stories and commentary on how the native people have been treated in North America. Jimmy struggles with bullying at his school because, despite being 75% Lakota, he looks white, and his classmates tease him relentlessly for it. His grandfather takes him on a road trip and teaches him all about Crazy Horse, Jimmy's great-great-great-great...yougetthepicture-grandfather, a very well-known and beloved Lakota warrior from the 1800s.

It's quickly evident that this book is a mixture of fiction and nonfiction; while Jimmy may not be a real person, you can tell that the stories about Crazy Horse come from a place of truth, and Joseph Marshall III's author's note even talks about how he has devoted his life to studying this great Lakota ancestor of his. It was so wonderful to feel his passion for his culture and history through the writing, and I would definitely recommend this one to any kid or young teen.