Young history buffs will be fascinated by this detailed examination of two notable warriors from the mid-19th-century U.S. conflicts between the country's Indigenous inhabitants and the descendants of European settlers.
S.D. Nelson, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, juxtaposes the stories of two long-time enemies: Crazy Horse, a Lakota man named Light Hair at birth, who grew up to become a tribal chief, and United States Army officer George Armstrong Custer. The parallel presentation of the men's actions and their perspectives of the events that lead to their final confrontation is as gripping as any novel. Nelson incorporates a variety of stunning art--including his own ink, colored-pencil and acrylic paint illustrations--such as pieces that mimic the Lakota's use of ledger-style cultural images. Crazy Horse and Custer is a thoughtful approach to the flesh-and-blood adversaries that aims to identify the truth within the myths that have grown up around them. --Jen Forbus, freelancer