Crazy Horse's Vision

Bruchac, Joseph. 2000. CRAZY HORSE’S VISION. Ill. by S.D. Nelson. New York: Lee and Low Books.
ISBN-10: 1880000946

PLOT SUMMARY
Curly, better known as Crazy Horse, was a quiet boy. Even as a quiet child he showed his bravery. At the age of eleven he conquered a wild horse his father brought into camp. Two years later he killed a mighty buffalo and gave it to the people of the camp that could not hunt for themselves. Things were good for Curly until one day when the white man killed Chief Conquering Bear in a battle at the camp over a lost cow. Sensing that his people would need someone to guide them he defied tradition and went out on a vision seeking guidance without being properly prepared. It is this vision that guides Curly to become Crazy Horse and to one day defend his people.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Bruchac has done a wonderful job telling the story of a young Crazy Horse. Children are often amazed at seeing their heroes as young children. Much detail is given to the personality of Curly. He is seen as a quiet yet brave child who soon finds his mission in life. Bruchac makes sure to give accurate detail about the traditions of the Lakotas such as the vision quest. The author’s note at the end of the story gives additional details on the entire life of Crazy Horse so that students and teachers can continue their learning experience after the story ends.
Nelson, a Sioux artist, used the Plains Indian style of ledger book for many of his illustrations. Special attention was given to colors. Crazy Horse is painted blue to show his connection with the sky and the connection with the spirit world. His double page spreads help to draw the reader into the story and the small print does not distract from the illustrations. The illustrators note at the end of the book gives additional information on the style and technique that is used to create the pictures.
Overall, this is a wonderful story to share with students. They will enjoy looking at a hero as a child and seeing the important events that shaped his life.


REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly
As he did in Gift Horse, Sioux artist Nelson blends contemporary and traditional elements for the striking illustrations that accompany this story of the legendary Lakota warrior. Bruchac (A Boy Called Slow: The True Story of Sitting Bull) traces Crazy Horse's boyhood, zeroing in on a pivotal event in his life and highlighting an important Native American rite of passage. As a youth, Crazy Horse (then known as Curly) witnesses U.S. Army soldiers brutally and unjustly attack his people. Troubled, he embarks on a vision quest and sees a figure on horseback riding untouched through a storm of lightning, hail and bullets. His father interprets the vision, telling him that "the man on that horse is the one you will become" and that he is destined to defend his people. Bruchac's description of the vision quest is compelling, and his decision to limit his canvas to a few select events demonstrates his understanding of his audience; an afterword describes subsequent events in the warrior's life. Endmatter also illuminates Nelson's approach. The artist explains his approximations of the Plains Indians' traditional ledger-book style (characterized by indistinct facial expressions and flat, two-dimensional figures) and his symbolic use of color (Crazy Horse is painted blue, representative of a connection with the spirit world). His sweeping vistas and somewhat ghostly textured brushwork bolster the book's visionary theme..

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 5-Crazy Horse is the revered Lakota warrior who defeated General Custer during the Battle of Little Bighorn. Bruchac provides this information and much more in an author's note, but the main narrative involves scenes of his subject's youth. He presents details from oral history, such as "Curly's" quiet nature, early leadership skills, and vision quest. The boy sought divine inspiration after his tribe was invaded by white settlers; the vision, which taught him to "Keep nothing for yourself," was to guide him throughout his life. Nelson's note acknowledges the influence of his ancestors' ledger-book style on his acrylic paintings executed on wood panels. The artist uses stylized figures, symbolic color, and texture to create dynamic scenes. While there are many stylistic similarities to Nelson's art in Gift Horse (Abrams, 1999), here the artist has a stronger sense of book design, and takes better advantage of double-page spreads, full bleeds, and tight croppings. Older children will appreciate comparing the images to the 19th-century ledger-book drawings reproduced in Russell Freedman's The Life and Death of Crazy Horse (Holiday, 1996). A fine introduction to a hero long overlooked.


Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Horses-Vision-Joseph-Bruchac/dp/1880000946


CONNECTIONS

Classroom teaching guide
http://www.leeandlow.com/pdfs/vision.pdf