Eagle Song

Gr 2–4—Joseph Bruchac packs a lot into this modern-day story (Puffin, 1999) of a young Mohawk boy who has been transplanted from the reservation, where he felt at home, to Brooklyn, where he is an anomaly, taunted and teased by students in his fourth grade class. Danny Bigtree's father, an ironworker on skyscrapers, is a strong influence on the young man. When Danny comes to him for advice, his father teaches him about his culture; the Iroquois legend of Aionwahta, the peacemaker; and the Iroquois Confederacy which strongly influenced our American forefathers. Danny's father visits his class and shares the same stories with the students. This visit paves the way for Danny to make peace with his classmates and helps him stand up to the bullies. There are many subplots woven throughout the story. Danny dreams of a falling eagle, and later his father is badly injured in a fall at work. An old friend of Danny's, a Seminole native, apparently joins a gang in an attempt to fit in at his school. The legend of Aionwahta, the strongest section of the book, is read with the most expression and emotion by Bruchac. While there are many lessons inherent in the book, the main story of a young man who struggles to live in two cultures and maintain his identity is strong, and his courage in the face of bullies will be cheered.—MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools, Binghamton, NY