Sioux Winter

Sheree Haughian, a teacher-librarian with the Dufferin County Board of
Education and former editor with Gage Educational Publishing, is the
author of The Private Journal of Day Applepenny, Prisoner.

Living in the Canadian prairies in the 1870s is an adventure in itself,
but Jamie and Kate Bains rise to a particular challenge. The Sioux in
Montana Territory have captured Spotted Bird, the mother of their
Assiniboine friend, Black Eagle. Resisting warnings about traveling
south of the border, the trio ventures into an environment made harsh by
more than frigid rivers and wild blizzards. The American army is trying
to control the Sioux following the defeat of General Custer at the
Battle of Little Bighorn. The Sioux are also the sworn enemies of the
Assiniboine people. The West is at its most untamed.

This eighth book in Bill Freeman’s series of historical novels for
young readers brings a stirring period of history alive; photos and
drawings bring verisimilitude to the writing. While the details of the
setting are very believable, the characters are somewhat less
convincing. Although gender and racial stereotypes are carefully
avoided, the young people sometimes seem stiff and wooden; the adults in
the novel, including such historical figures as Sitting Bull and
Superintendent Walsh, remain shadowy. Unanswered questions of character
motivation remain. Why does Jamie and Kate’s mother show little
resistance to their dangerous mission? Why are the Bains so willing to
help Black Eagle? How does Spotted Bird feel about her rescue?

The steady action of this novel will engage readers and introduce them
to the spirit of the times; a tad more human spirit would have been a
bonus. Recommended.