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Rating: 
Summary: What happened to the Black Dog?
Review: The paintings (illustrations) are beautiful, they capture the beauty, thoughtfulness and resourcefulness of the main character. They make her the central figure and the white men in the story the are the backdrop, as it should be, as it is a story about a Native American girl. I am rating this book 5 stars solely on the illustrations. The text is written like a history lesson rather than a children's story. The text to me is based on white values - where dates and facts are the main focus. There is just not much story or feeling in the text - it is all in the illustrations. A dog is introduced and then not brought up again except in the illustrations. The text is a little disorienting... it isn't easy to follow. But BUY THIS BOOK!!!! As an adult, I will use the book as a picture book and then read to kids in a paraphrased manner... not making up anything about Sacagawea - but utilizing the illustrations to tell the story and to bring to life this character. The publisher missed a chance here. The illustrations are award winning and the text is plain and dull. Maybe the name Erdrich is well know, but here it did not live up to my standards of what children's stories can/should be.
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