This gem showcases the traditional life of the Plains Indians who “resist[ed] the white encroachment” the longest. Although the tribes included had varied cultures, Fitzgerald focuses on two common themes: moral character and the “sacred quality of virgin Nature.” Categorized under headings such as “Mothers,” “Girls at Play,” “Boys Love Bows and Arrows,” “Daily Camp Life,” “Music and Dance,” “Living in Nature,” and “The Olden Days Have Vanished,” each section is generously illustrated with sepia-toned archival photos. Quotes from important members of the tribes, people who had experienced firsthand or learned the traditional ways from elders, make up most of the text. Some of the quotes seem tangential at times. Others have been simplified for the intended audience, but they are not identified. The images are carefully positioned, and spot color photos of cultural artifacts add detail to each topic. The concluding pages, “…But Many Traditions Live On,” switch to color pictures of modern children participating in traditional activities. For the art alone, this will be a useful addition.

– School Library Journal

“Michael [Fitzgerald] has helped to preserve the spiritual traditions of the Crow Sun Dance and he has helped to show us the wisdom of the old-timers.”

– Thomas Yellowtail, Crow medicine man and Sun Dance chief

“Michael Fitzgerald has heard the poignant narratives of the American Indian people, and has lived among the Crow people for extended periods of time since 1970. He has studied American Indian religious traditions on the earth, among the people, in ceremonies and family gatherings. We thank Fitzgerald for his deep-seated appreciation, honor, and respect for American Indian culture, its religion, language, and lifeways.”

– Janine Pease, founding president of the Little Big Horn College, and National Indian Educator of the Year

“I greatly appreciate the recovery work that Fitzgerald is doing, work that makes available for the classroom and popular use texts that have been all but buried in libraries.”

– Stephen Brandon, University of New Mexico