The Gertrude Warner Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Middle Grade Fiction. The Gertrude Warner Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring Contemporary Middle Grade, SFF & Paranormal Middle Grade, Mystery Middle Grade, Historical Middle Grade, Adventure Middle Grade, and Graphic Novels. We will put them to the test and choose the best among them. For Young Adult Fiction see our Dante Rossetti Awards here and for Children’s Literature see our Little Peeps Awards here.
The 2021 GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards First Place Category Winners and the GERTRUDE WARNER Grand Prize Winner were announced by Denise Ditto Satterfield on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at the Hotel Bellwether and broadcast via ZOOM webinar.
This is the OFFICIAL 2021 LIST of the GERTRUDE WARNER BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the GERTRUDE WARNER Grand Prize Winner.
Congratulations to all!
Didem Saracel – Story of Carbon
Murray Richter –Fishing for Luck
J. B. Spector –The Sunlit Curse, Book 1 of The Mer-Prince Adventures
Sean March –Little Wade and Watchtower: Abigail and the Great Gang Trap
Ben Gartner –Sol Invictus
Jay Spenser –The Phantom Airplane Mystery
Gloria Two-Feathers – Buck: Keeper of the Meadow
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2021 GERTRUDE WARNER Awards is:
Fishing for Luck
by Murray Richter
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
Attn CIBA Winners: More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners!
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The 2022 GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC23 on April 29, 2023. Save the date for CAC23, scheduled April 27-30, 2023, our 10 year Conference Anniversary!
Submissions for the 2022 GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards are open until the end of August. Enter here!
A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in August. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. We thank you for participating in the 2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards!
Recognizing and Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day and Discussing our Laramie Awards.
It’s October 11th, which in Bellingham, Wash. means it’s Indigenous People’s Day. We believe in recognizing the rich history and contributions of native peoples here in the Americas, and are always working to expand our knowledge and understanding. To that end, we would like to acknowledge that our company is located in downtown Bellingham which is the ancestral home of the Coast Salish Peoples who lived and still live here today. They have a strong connection with the Salish Sea—the marine ecosystem that spans the United States-Canada coastal waterways from Olympia, Wash. to Comox, British Columbia, Canada.
Coastal Salish Annual Tribal Journey on the Salish Sea. Approximately 100 canoes participate in the Potlatch.
There are more than 65 Tribes and First Nations who have lived here for tens of thousands of years. Primarily, the Lummi and the Nooksack Nations reside here in Whatcom County by the Salish Sea. Whatcom is Salish for “noisy water.”
The name Salish Sea was officially recognized by the United States in 2009 and Canada in 2010. Click here if you would like to know more about the Tribal Canoe Journeys: Paddle to Lummi
Members of the Lummi Tribe in the PNW
Indigenous People’s Day began to be celebrated as far back as 1991, with people suggesting it be celebrated as far back as 1977! Of course as most people know, the holiday was intentionally created to overlap, and in some places, replace Columbus Day. Why? History.com offers an answer:
Some may ask why replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Activists have long argued that holidays, statues, and other memorials to Columbus sanitize his actions—which include the enslavement of Native Americans—while giving him credit for “discovering” a place where people already lived.
While there’s no denying that the bloody history of Columbus that has been sanitized throughout historical retellings, the original origin of Columbus Day was never meant to celebrate the brutalization of the people who lived on this side of the hemisphere. Within 60 years after Columbus landed, only a few hundred of what may have been 250,000 Taino were left on their island (currently known as the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean). History.com
The holiday originated as an annual celebration of Italian-American heritage in San Francisco in 1869. In 1934, at the request of the Knights of Columbus and New York City’s Italian community, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared the first national observance of Columbus Day. (Smithsonian Magazine)
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Of course, as we learn more, we always aim to improve and progress as a society and as a country, working for the betterment of all, we can make updates and changes to reflect history more accurately and remember those who have been wronged in the past. Toward that end, we’d like to take a look at our Laramie Awards.
Spotlight on Laramie Awards
This artwork is from a 1907 postcard. The artist is unknown. The Laramie Awards recognize the best in Americana fiction.
The word Laramie has French origins, meaning The Leafy Grove. However, Kiffer named the Laramie Book Awards after Laramie, Wyoming when she lived just south of there when in Fort Collins, Colorado. Laramie was named for Jacques LaRamie, a French-Canadian trapper. He was one of the first Europeans to visit the area (1820s). He disappeared into the local mountain range. Laramie was founded in the 1860s as a “tent city” as a stopover on the Overland Stage Trail that was needed for the development of the first transcontinental railway.
In spite of having stores, houses, a school, and churches, Laramie was known for its rough frontier town lawlessness led by the town’s first marshal (Big Steve Long) who was a notorious gunman and a brutal bully who murdered dozens of Laramie’s people. It wasn’t until October 28, 1868 that some of the townspeople led by the county’s sheriff and fellow rancher, N.K. Boswell, fought back and lynched the marshal and his accomplices, thereby bringing some sort of law and order to Laramie.
It is also said that it was the women who tamed Wyoming.
In 1869, Wyoming with Laramie leading the way, was the first legislature led entirely of men that empowered women with voting rights and to hold office. In March 1870, five Laramie women became the first women in the world to serve on a civil jury. It was a Laramie woman, Louisa Swain, who was the first woman to cast a legal, recognized vote in a United States general election on September 6, 1870.
In 1890, when Wyoming petitioned Congress to for statehood the U.S. Congress pushed back stating that Wyoming’s woman suffrage was obstacle and was delaying approval. The legislature, via a telegram from Joseph M. Carey (who later became governor of Wyoming), replied to the threat, “We will stay out of the Union a hundred years rather than come in without our women.” It was a very close vote in the U.S. Congress of 139 for – 127 against.
In 1890, Wyoming became the 44th state—with the women.
And those weren’t the only female firsts that took place in Wyoming. The first female governor was elected in Wyoming and the nation’s first woman to be appointed to public office was done so in South Pass City, Wyoming. In addition, the Equality State is home to the first female jurors, the world’s first female bailiff and the first town that was governed entirely by women.
Native Americans in their traditional attire holding American flag at the Lincoln Memorial building. STUNNING images of the indigenous Native Americans have been brought back to life through vivid colorization. The remarkable pictures show the group during the 1920s, with some of the leaders meeting with then American president, Calvin Coolidge, at the White House.
The Indian Citizenship Act still didn’t offer full protection of voting rights to Indians. As late as 1948, two states (Arizona and New Mexico) had laws that barred many American Indians from voting, and American Indians faced some of the same barriers as Blacks, until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, including Jim Crow-like tactics and poll taxes.
The last state to guarantee voting rights Native people was Utah in 1962.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was the most significant statutory change in the relationship between Federal and State governments in the area of voting since the Civil War. The act prohibited poll taxes, intimidation tactics, harassment, physical violence, or economic reprisals for voting in civil elections. OurDocuments.gov
Sadly, tragically, Laramie is also known for the inhuman murder of Matthew Shepard on October 12, 1998. It seems that bullying can still find cracks to rear its ugly head. Yet, once again the people of Laramie were not going to put up with it. Law and justice were served.
Americana Fiction
We recently changed the description of the Laramie Awards from “Western Fiction” which could mean a great many things, to “Americana Fiction.” A quick search for Western Fiction shows that it refers the American Old West that takes place anywhere from late 18th to the late 19th century. While this covers our categories of Pioneer and Civil War (the pioneer period is often referred to as 1760-1850 with the Civil War raging from 1861-1865). Also, great contemporary Western Fiction such as New York Time’s bestselling author and the basis for the hit Netflix series, Craig Johnson’s (a Wyoming author) Longmire Series.
And we can’t forget Jim Harrison’s works. You might be familiar with one of his stellar works—Legend’s of the Fall.
Legends of the Fall book cover before the film was made of it.
On the other hand, Americana Fiction is defined by Goodreads as “Novels that help tell the history, culture and folklore of what makes Americans uniquely American.” You can even see a list here of what they consider to be Americana Fiction, which really shows the wide, incredible expanse, that Americana Fiction and history can transcend, though we tend to consider it more of a historical genre than some of these incredible books are.
We made this change to promote a more accurate and inclusive representation of what we are accepting for the Laramie Awards.
So what are some excellent reads featuring indigenous identities that have already been vetted by Chanticleer you might enjoy? We’re glad you asked!
Jerkwater
By Jamie Zerndt
Somerset Award Winner
Three friends in Mercer, Wisconsin find ways to deal with their problems amid a racist town in Jamie Zerndt’s Jerkwater.
Shawna Reynolds’ life changed when her white stepdad murdered her Ojibwa mother. Now living with her Naan (grandmother), Shawna surrounds herself with those who make her feel most comfortable. Besides Naan, she clings to her horse Seven, her behind-the-scenes Ojibwa boyfriend Elmer, and two white friends: Kay O’Brien and her son Douglas. But racial tension cuts through the town of Mercer itself, galvanized by a fight over fishing rights.
Dr. Nerida Green travels across Australia, tending to struggling communities and connecting with her wife Mari—as well as the three spirits who Mari channels through her body, in Miki Mitayn’s climate-fiction novel The Conscious Virus: An Aedgar Wisdom Novel.
Nerida works sporadic jobs as a doctor, from the mining community of Newman to the small town of Fitzroy Crossing, and back east to a disappointing stint at a naturopathy clinic in Byron Bay. Between her working hours, Nerida speaks with M’Hoq Toq, the Native American medicine man, Bartgrinn the Celtic druid, and Aedgar, an ancient being of the Earth. Nerida asks the spirits for their opinions on topics as broad as climate change and as narrow as her personal matters, engaging them in deep conversation.
Wanders Far
By David Fitz-Gerald
Laramie Award Winner
An engaging history of ancient Native American peoples is brought to magical life by author David Fitz-Gerald.
In the early 1100s, in a region now known to us as the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York, a small band of tribal people is living in longhouses, growing crops, fishing, hunting, and enjoying certain rituals such as face and body painting, occasional migration for food survival, and even seasonal “vacations,” all while willingly obeying a simple form of governance with elements of basic democracy. In this tribe, we meet Wanders Far, a child who earns his nickname after showing a propensity to disappear and explore since he could walk. His mother, Bear Fat, is the recognized chieftainess of their group, mother of a large brood, one of whom is stolen as the book opens. Wanders Far would be considered an unusual child in any society, gifted with a highly accurate memory and the ability to visualize future events. He can also run like the wind, and with his love for travel, he is often the first to see and warn his people of danger, such as a cadre of warriors from a hostile tribe heading towards his home settlement.
Buck: Keeper of the Meadows
By Gloria Two-Feathers
In this engaging children’s tale by author Gloria Two-Feathers, a young colt named Buck will learn how to obey, how to defend, and how to strike out on his own.
The scene is set in the Great Plains, where a river named Minisose divides a sea of tall green prairie grass. Many animals call that grassland their home, and the most magnificent is the herd of wild horses led by a dark stallion named Plenty Coups and his chosen mate, the lovely cream-colored mare, Cloud. By tradition and instinct, Plenty Coups protects the herd from attackers, while Cloud leads them to safety.
When you’re ready,did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services?We do and have been doing so since 2011.
Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).
If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or Sharon at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or SAnderson@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.
We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top-editors on an on-going basis.Contact us today!
Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions being held.
A great way to get started is with our manuscript evaluation service, with more information availablehere.
And we do editorial consultations for $75. Learn morehere.
If you’re confident in your book, consider submitting it for a Editorial Book Reviewhereor to one of our Chanticleer International Awardshere.
Also remember! Our 10th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22) will be April 7-10, 2022, where our 2021 CIBA winners will be announced. Space is limited and seats are already filling up, so sign up today! CAC22 and the CIBA Ceremonies will be hosted at the Hotel Bellwether in Beautiful Bellingham, Wash. Sign up and see the latest updates here!
Thinking of submitting to the Chanticleer International Book Awards for Earth Day? While we don’t have a specific category for environmental work, you can find all sorts of eco-focused work in our Global Thriller Awards, Journey Awards, Little Peeps Awards, and our Cygnus Awards.
The origins of Earth Day…
Can be traced back to Rachel Caron’s book Silent Spring which caused people to sit up and begin taking seriously the concerns that had been brought up for centuries about how the land was treated by imperialist powers. Carson’s book is cited as inspiration for the founding of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Nixon administration. After the book’s publication, she was hounded by those who promoted pesticides like DDT who said Carson’s would return us to an era where insects and vermin ruled the world.
Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring
Earth Day’s foundation was a bipartisan venture in the United States, supported by both major political parties at the time of founding. By 1990, it became an international holiday around the world for all people to celebrate! It is now the largest non-secular holiday celebrated worldwide.
What is considered environmental writing?
Environmental writing or eco-fiction is most often described as a sub genre. Some people will claim that it just doesn’t exist, probably because of how nebulous it can be, but there definitely is a market for any book that examines the environment at large. From Leanne Betasamosake Simpson and Terry Tempest Williams, to Annie Dillard and Ralph Waldo Emerson, the variety of people and forms for writing about the environment is endless.
So What is Eco-Fiction?
Eco-Fiction, at a minimum, needs to highlight the environment in some way. With that definition, something like Moby Dick could even count as eco-fiction because it features a whale and lots of time at sea, including the impact of whaling at large. What almost all eco-fiction does though is look at the world through a syncretic lens.
What we mean by syncretic is that it crosses borders. For a long time, the unrecognized leaders of environmental writing have been Indigenous thinkers and writers. This, by necessity, ties up the question of environmentalism with economic policy, racism, and colonialism in fascinating and important ways that draw in readers.
While Non-Fiction Environmental work often looks at the questions of where we are and what can we do, Eco-Fiction will ask what is happening and what will the world look like when we continue on this path? Work like that of Octavia Butler and NK Jemisin (renowned scifi writers) show us, using cross-cultural syncretism, the worst paths our current choices could lead us down.
Whether we decide to accept Eco-Fiction as real or not, no one can say that environmental fiction and non-fiction can’t be marketed.
Join us in looking at some of the wonderful books that draw inspiration from our Earth and environmental themes.
The Suburban Micro-Farm: Modern Solutions for Busy People by Amy Stross
5-Star Book Review
1st Place Winner in the Instructional & Insightful Awards
Author, educator, and urban farmer Amy Stross offers a comprehensive look at how to repurpose a small yard in the city for basic sustenance and so much more.
Award-winning writer Stross has composed a thoroughly practical guide to everything a reader would need to know to do what she did: transform a yard into a farm. Acknowledging that the ground surrounding a town dwelling is hardly what one thinks of when one thinks farmland, Stross draws from her personal experience to show precisely how the transformation can take shape. Her colorfully illustrated manual gives the basics for managing an ample garden space, or micro-farm, almost down to the minute (in fact, seven minutes twice a day).
Genetic engineering, murder, corporate-conglomerate profiteering, Interpol, and a plot to control humanity make Dark Seed, by Lawrence Verigin, a suspenseful thriller novel.
When jaded journalist Nick Barnes learns that Dr. Carl Elles has contacted him to say that Barnes’ recent article about the positive contributions of Naintosa Corporation is all wrong, Barnes feels compelled to educate the scientist about information laundering—the strategic planting of false information in the media so the planting organization can quote the media later for their own benefit. “It makes total sense,” Dr. Elles replies. “Naintosa employs that strategy on a regular basis.” Nick was about to explain to the scientist why he needed to check Dr. Elles’ information, when the scientist soon proves to Nick that the journalist is the lazy dupe who just published Naintosa’s propaganda in a complimentary article.
WANDERS FAR by David Fitz-Gerald
5-Star Book Review
First Place Winner in the Laramie Awards
In the early 1100s, in a region now known to us as the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York, a small band of tribal people is living in longhouses, growing crops, fishing, hunting, and enjoying certain rituals such as face and body painting, occasional migration for food survival, and even seasonal “vacations,” all while willingly obeying a simple form of governance with elements of basic democracy. In this tribe, we meet Wanders Far, a child who earns his nickname after showing a propensity to disappear and explore since he could walk. His mother, Bear Fat, is the recognized chieftainess of their group, mother of a large brood, one of whom is stolen as the book opens. Wanders Far would be considered an unusual child in any society, gifted with a highly accurate memory and the ability to visualize future events. He can also run like the wind, and with his love for travel, he is often the first to see and warn his people of danger, such as a cadre of warriors from a hostile tribe heading towards his home settlement.
BLOSSOM — The Wild Ambassador of Tewksbury (Audiobook Review) by Anna Carner
5-Star Book Review
Author Anna Carner lived in a horse-friendly farming area of New Jersey in 1999, when she encountered a newborn fawn, barely breathing, near her home. The animal seemed to be communicating its need to her, and, with some experience of animal and human care, Carner set out to revive the fawn. She took the baby deer into her house and nursed her back to health. When she and her husband, Pino, saw the fawn curled up asleep with the family dog, the couple knew they had a new pet. Her name, Blossom, seemed suited to her sweetness and soft, gentle beauty.
The ONLY ONE LEFT (The Neema Mysteries, Book 3)
by Pamela Beason
First Place Winner in the Clue Awards
While spending some time with his sweetheart, animal behavior scientist Grace McKenna and her adopted family of gorillas, Detective Matthew Finn finally endures a kiss from Neema while keeping an eye on the huge silverback Gumu. He accepts a ‘toy’ from their baby, Kanoni. But upon further inspection, Matt and Grace believe the object might be part of a human finger bone. Where did it come from? How did it get in the gorillas’ remodeled barn? The homicide detective knows he’ll need to investigate, but just then, his cell phone chirps.
Desk Sergeant Greer of the Evansburg, Washington, Police Department tells Matt to get back on duty and head directly to the Gorge Amphitheatre, where the Sasquatch Festival has just ended. A car belonging to a 17-year-old girl, last seen by her parents in Bellingham, Washington, three days earlier, has been found abandoned next to a tent in the Amphitheatre campground.
In this engaging children’s tale by author Gloria Two-Feathers, a young colt named Buck will learn how to obey, how to defend, and how to strike out on his own.
The scene is set in the Great Plains, where a river named Minisose divides a sea of tall green prairie grass. Many animals call that grassland their home, and the most magnificent is the herd of wild horses led by a dark stallion named Plenty Coups and his chosen mate, the lovely cream-colored mare, Cloud. By tradition and instinct, Plenty Coups protects the herd from attackers, while Cloud leads them to safety.
Chanticleer Editorial Services – when you are ready
Did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services?We do and have been doing so since 2011.
Tools of the Editing Trade
Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).
If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or Sharon at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or SAnderson@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.
We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top-editors on an on-going basis.Contact us today!
Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions being held.
In this engaging children’s tale by author Gloria Two-Feathers, a young colt named Buck will learn how to obey, how to defend, and how to strike out on his own.
The scene is set in the Great Plains, where a river named Minisose divides a sea of tall green prairie grass. Many animals call that grassland their home, and the most magnificent is the herd of wild horses led by a dark stallion named Plenty Coups and his chosen mate, the lovely cream-colored mare, Cloud. By tradition and instinct, Plenty Coups protects the herd from attackers, while Cloud leads them to safety.
Cloud knows how to find watering holes when the sun, Wi, is at its hottest and how to locate grass when Winter Man covers the ground with snow. One day in early spring, she realizes she must find a safe place to deliver a foal. In a secluded spot near a little pool, surrounded by the fresh grass, she delivers Buck, the young colt who soon accompanies her to find the herd again. But the winter has brought out a pack of hungry wolves led by the fierce Yellow Eyes, determined to bring Cloud down and feast on her son. This is the first great danger Buck will face, and he shows himself to be smart, plucky, and independent. One day these qualities will come to the fore as he takes on his destined role: to search for and rule over a magic meadow.
This mystical story is intertwined with the ancient lore of the Lakota people. This is the second book for children with a traditional framework, the first being the award-winning and delightful, Tallulah’s Flying Adventure. In this book, Two-Feathers identifies many natural presences with traditional names that play a role in the story’s drama and poetic nature. Buck’s youthful spunk will resonate with children and adults who will admire his spirit and growing strength. As much as readers admire Buck, they will fall in love with Cloud, the gentle mother who is not afraid to fend off a gang of bloodthirsty wolves. Buck – Keeper of the Meadow contains beautiful, expressive illustrations by fourteen-year-old artist Lucy Roe, and concludes with an urgent plea to all children, “to save the wilderness areas for future of all creatures,” as Buck will do as he guards the ancient meadows.
Buck: Keeper of the Meadow will be a strong read-to for younger children and a very appropriate exploration for older children and young teens, with many thought- and question-provoking themes for family talks and lively classroom discussions.
Here at Chanticleer, we love Children’s literature! There is just something about a truly well-told story that sparks the imagination of the young – and the young at heart.
So, as we celebrate Children’s Book Week – May 4 – 10, 2020, allow us to bring along a few friends and share with you some really good books.
Did you know that 2020 marks the 96th anniversary of the first edition of the first book The Boxcar Children by Gertrude C. Warner?
It’s true! We titled the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBAs) division for middle-grade readers The Gertrude Warner Awards in honor of the author of the well-loved children’s The Boxcar Children Series.
I guess you could say, we’re fans. BIG fans!
We love Gertrude and so many others! Here’s a little list of some of Middle-Grade Children’s authors you probably already know:
Are you interested in seeing how your Middle-Grade book stands up to the competition? Submit them to the Chanticleer International Book Awards and we will choose the best among the entries!
The deadline to submit your book for the Gertrude Warner awards is May 31, 2019. Enter here!
The deadline for 2019 submissions has been extended to June 15, 2019. Grand Prize and First Place Winners for 2019 will be announced on September 5, 2020, at the CIBA Awards Banquet.
Any entries received on or after June 16, 2019, will be entered into the 2020 Gertrude Warner Book Awards.
As our deadline draws near, don’t miss this opportunity to earn the distinction your Middle-Grade Reader deserves! Enter today!
The GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards – the CIBAs.
All Finalists and First Place category winners will be recognized, the first-place winners will be whisked up on stage to receive their custom ribbon and wait to see who among them will take home the Grand Prize. It’s an exciting evening of dinner, networking, and celebrations!
A fable with an ancient feel, this story of a plucky spider and her tiny bird companion rests comfortably in the story-telling tradition of Native American peoples.
Tallulah is unusual in a number of ways. Born last and alone after her many siblings had already left the cocoon of the Mother Spider, she is not black but white “with golden eyes and soft golden hair on her long slender legs.” Then, instead of hustling off like the others to explore the wide world, she decides to make her home in the old barn where she was born. She soon befriends a horse named Buck, who gives her the name Tallulah. Buck is the Keeper of the Meadow, and he and Tallulah become great friends. But one day, Buck falls ill and it will be up to Tallulah to save him, and by saving him, to save the meadows that are dying without his daily grazing visits.
Fortunately, she meets another friend who can assist her on her mission, a tiny bird stuck in a web in the rafters. He will help her get to the Old Forest and the home of the Great Grandmother Tree. Tallulah has always longed to fly, and the bird teaches her how to harness her web to make a flying craft. Together they find the Great Grandmother Tree, where the Great Grandmother herself, recognizing Tallulah’s talent and persistence, instructs her in how to save Buck.
This is a book for children that people of all ages can appreciate for its multi-layered charms. There are simple but endearing pen and ink illustrations, and every chapter begins with a quotation from Native American lore, such as this, from the Wisdom of the Elders: “We are each a thread in the web of life, strengthened by the promise of our dreams.” The story itself has many symbols and harks back to a simpler time when children learned such natural but surprisingly mature themes from their elders. Tallulah embodies many admirable qualities, making her a role model of bravery and persistence, while Buck and the bird represent friendship and loyalty. The book offers a small list of Lakota words interspersed in the narrative. Thus, it offers many ways to learn.
Gloria Two-Feathers comes from a combined Scottish and Native American heritage and studied extensively with a Lakota elder. Story-telling springs naturally from her background, allowing her to create, in Tallulah’s Flying Adventure, a tale ideal for reading aloud and sure to engage the reader as much as the listener.
A fable with an ancient feel, this story of a plucky spider and her tiny bird companion rests comfortably in the story-telling tradition of Native American peoples.