MANY NATIONS: AN ALPHABET OF NATIVE AMERICA by Joseph Bruchac with Illustrations by Robert F. Goetzl

Bruchac, Joseph. Many Nations: an alphabet of Native America. Illustrated by Robert F. Goetzl. Mahwah, NJ: Bridgewater Books. 1997.  ISBN 0816743894

Being an abecedarian, I love to collect ABC books to share with my kindergarten students.  I am happy to share with them (and you) Many Nations, an Alphabet of Native America.  First published in 1997, it has been around for awhile, but it’s a new discovery for me.  Joseph Bruchac, well known for his numerous contributions to Native American children’s literature purposed this volume “to help children recognize the diversity of Native Americans.”  The beauty of this book is that you can use it early in a child’s education to teach the concepts that Native Americans are real and are a diverse people (not just one tribe).

The tribes mentioned in this volume are Anishanabe, Blackfeet, Choctaw, Dakota, Goshute, Hopi, Iroquois, Jemez Pueblo, Klallam, Lummi, Micmac, Navajo, Otoe, Penobscot, Quapaw, Rappahannock, Shinnecock, Tuscarora, Umpqua, Wampanoag, Yavapai, and Zuni.  Robert Goetzl’s illustrations are beautiful, bright representations of native peoples in various tribal dress and occupations.  Although this is Goetzl’s first children’s book, his interest in Native Americans is known from his exhibition called “Vision Quest” which explores the lost cultures of Native American life.  His research is evident in the detail he brings to his illustrations.

In the back matter of the book, Bruchac adds an author’s note explaining that the tribes represented in his book cover the whole North American continent.  He chose tribes found in the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest so that his readers realize that many (over 400) Native American nations were present before Columbus.  I think it would have been helpful to include a map of North America to show the present day location of these nations.  Also, a glossary with a pronunciation guide would be helpful.  Most of the tribal names can be tackled phonetically, but being able to pronounce the names accurately would lend more authenticity to the read aloud.

The cultural markers I noticed in this collection included careful representation of differences between the native peoples.  For example, some were dressed warmly, others had few clothes.  Hair was worn long, tied, cropped, or decorated with feathers, bands or braids.  In the author’s note, Bruchac calls attention to the Klallam men illustrated with moustaches.  He notes that Klallam men “wore mustaches long before Europeans came.”

Most of the illustrations show the Indians engaged in outdoor activities such as hunting, farming, storytelling or playing games.  There is a good mix of gender and ages, ceremonial and everyday life. Additionally, the illustrations of these native peoples along with their varied styles of houses and activities are set in the past with the exception of the Navajo who are in modern dress and shown in their present occupation of shepherding.  Because of this I would suggest detailing more fully the modern life of Native Americans with other sources. 

Book List suggests “Look to this book for a means of organizing visual information for younger readers on some of the cultures and nations of North America’s native people.”  School Library Journal  discounts it as a “marginal addition,”  but for my class, I consider it a good find to enlarge my all too scant collection of authentic Native American literature for young students.