Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Brother Eagle, Sister Sky by Susan Jeffers


Brother Eagle, Sister Sky
Written and Illustrated by Susan Jeffers
Published 1991


This book was written to be based on a speech given by Chief Seattle at treaty negotiations in 1854.
The author however took liberties with the speech and misinterpreted the speech. 

The story is about Native Americans and portrays the people in a very stereotypical way. The author writes things like: 

"My father said to me, I know the sap that courses through the trees as I know the blood that flows in my veins, We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters."
(Jeffers, 9)


Chief Seattle was a well respected and peaceful leader of one of the Northwest Indian Nations there is much controversy about whether his speech was actually a speech or a letter. 


The earth does not belong to us Chief Seattle said, we belong to the earth and we must respect the earth. The books comes off as having a good message but to a Native American is the epitome of a stereotype of an Indian.

This books goes by the stereotype of what a Native American is. Page nine in the book depicts the Indians all dressed in standard buckskin and feathers and on the same page is a white family wearing modern day clothing. Another example is the book uses the term Red man when referring to the Native Americans.

Native Americans are always thought to be all natural and in tune with the earth this book focuses on that aspect.


In my opinion there are better books out that show a better, more well rounded portrayal of what being a Native American really is. Susan Jeffers the author is not of Native American descent.




Jeffers, Susan. Brother Eagle, Sister Sky. New York. Dial Books. 1991




12 comments:

  1. Yes the cover of this book does show a stereotype outfit on the Chief. I would have like to have read the original speech or letter. It sounds like something that would have been more interesting to learn about. Yes I definitely think there are much better books or stories about the Native American's. I like the quote about that we belong to the earth. Makes you think.

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  2. Oksana, I had no idea this book was based on a speech (or letter). The illustrations in this book definitely portrays Native Americans in a stereotypical way. I appreciate that you pointed out that in some illustrations, the Native American family are represented in the stereotypical way, whereas the family who is white are shown to wear modern clothes. Aside from the illustrations, do you think the content of this book is harmful? Do you think this book should have a place in children's libraries?

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  3. I love the message in this book. It is so disappointing to have the illustrations over shadow what Chief Seattle was trying to say. You would think that if someone felt enough passion about the speech/letter to go so far as to write a book based on it they would want it to be as authentic as possible. I hope it was the publishers doing and not the illustrators ignorance.

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  4. Stereotype a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. I think when we say something is Stereotype we have to also look at the actually life style of the person we believe is stereotypical. American Indians road horse and lived off the land that was their way of life. Look upon the lives other others we have to depict it to the best of our knowledge and the best of the history of the people. Native American were one with the earth and sky. They lived their lives in nature and believe they were of this world as each tree and bird was. I Believe is review needs more depth and I don't really understand what the book is really about based on your review. I think this book is beautiful in the two pictures and I liked the quotes and based on that I believe it should be shared with children.

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    1. The book was a little hard to summarize as it wasn't a story it was a speech and I mentioned that. The front cover shows a boy wearing modern day clothing while the Native American chief is wearing buckskin and feathers. Native Americans are like the rest of us and dress like everyone else and even drive BMWs. The stereotype was in the white people being dressed in their modern clothing and the Native Americans wearing traditional attire. Native Americans don't walk around wearing their traditional clothing nowadays just like the rest of us don't walk around wearing clothes from our ancestors past.

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    2. The book was meant to show the past. If you look closely at the illustrations of the native people with the modern day whites, the natives are shown as spirits, as in you can see the land through them. showing the natives as were in 1850's is not stereotyping! The authors aim was to blend past with present to help with carrying the message to younger generations. Your review did give me pause, but after I looked carefully with your words in mind, I must say your review is completely off the mark. The message is relevant today, it is meant for modern clothed children of today. The message comes from 180 years ago, what is so wrong about illustrating that time period? I am super confused by you.

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  5. I have heard of this book before, I have never read it. I can see from the cover of the book that is does show some stereotyping on the Native American side. I have heard good things about this book, but it is a bit sad that it can be frowned upon because of the illustrator. But all in all, I do think this is a decent book and you did a good job on analyzing it.

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  6. I have heard of this book before, I have never read it. I can see from the cover of the book that is does show some stereotyping on the Native American side. I have heard good things about this book, but it is a bit sad that it can be frowned upon because of the illustrator. But all in all, I do think this is a decent book and you did a good job on analyzing it.

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  7. I too have heard of this book but didn't realize it was from a speech. I noticed it really didn't go into any sort of detail but I really like the colorful pictures and how it was expressed.

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  8. This stereotype is one that is so common. I cant believe that children's book authors and illustrators teach children these things. All children will ever think about Indians is that they dress a certain way and are people who are into nature and the earth. I feel like all children's books that have Indians in them are so similar.

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    1. I agree Laura. I remember thinking as a child that I had never seen a Native American before because I had never seen a person dressed the way they are depicted.

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