In The Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III, Amulet Books, 2015, 165 pages

Fatty Legs: A True Story byChristy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, Annick Press, 2010, 104 Pages.

Trickster: Native American Tales- A Graphic Collection by Matt Dembiki. Fulcrum Books, 2010. 220 pages.

Graphic compilation of native american trickster tales-- rabbit, raven, raccoon and coyote-- trickster tales from many native peoples, each retold by different authors and illustrators. I love folktales, trickster tales in particular and this compilation, while  necessarily uneven-- all those different writing and illustration styles-- is still very well done. The graphic format enhances the volume-- it is very tough to get most middle schoolers to pick up a volume of folklore. I loved it. A winner. BPL_BPS summer reading myths and legends- 6th - 8th grade.

Bearwalker by Joseph Bruchac. HarperCollins 2007, 208 pages.

13 year old Baron is a small for his age new kid at school. Both his parents are military personnel-- his father is MIA and his mother is active duty in Iraq, so Baron lives with his grandmother. Already a bully magnet, Baron keeps his Native American heritage to himself, until the class takes a school trip to an outward bound type camp in the Adirondacks. There he must call on his knowledge of Mohawk legends to help save his classmates from the Bearwalker.
I love Joseph Bruchac, but i was so disappointed in this story. It reads like a reluctant reader--not like the work of a master storyteller, and the storyline was so cliché-- i actually cringed when i read it. The professional reviewers gave it great reviews-- and school library journal called it a work for teens- 7 grade +-- and based on that-plus the fact that it is written by the a literary lion like Bruchac, i put it on the middle school myths and legends summer reading list. But i had not read it, and now i am so sorry. i would still recommend it to certain kids-- boy reluctant readers, or, even more likely-- younger boys who read well above level-- but that is about it.
disappointed overall-- will try Skeleton Man instead.