Reviewed by Susan Kay Phillips

This retelling of a Lakota story reminds us that all of creation is alive and connected. In this modern world, it is easy to forget this Native American insight that the stars, the clouds, the Earth have their own life, and our lives are inextricably woven together with theirs.

In this book, author/illustrator S. D. Nelson takes us on a journey with two Lakota children, Sister Girl and her brother, Young Wolf, who wander away from their village under the huge expanse of sky.

Out on the prairie, Sister Girl and Young Wolf watch the huge, cumulus clouds floating through the blue expanse of sky. They find familiar shapes, horses and buffalo. Sister Girl teaches Young Wolf that their Lakota spiritual tradition sees the clouds as the "Cloud People". Young Wolf is surprised to see in the clouds a likeness of their grandmother, Elk Tooth Woman, who had died in the spring. Both children miss Elk Tooth Woman very much and are delighted to see her in the clouds.

Quite suddenly, the scene changes. They smell smoke. Terrified prairie animals race past them fleeing a raging prairie fire. Sister Girl and Young Wolf run with the animals. Blinded by the smoke, the children tumble down a hill into a stream and are saved from the fire.

Darkness closes in and they realize they are lost, far from their village. The stars dance in the sky above. To comfort her brother, Sister Girl tells Young Wolf that the stars are "the spirits of the Old Ones who once walked on this earth."

Young Wolf is the first to see their grandmother, Elk Tooth Woman, in the stars. She comes down to the Earth to embrace her grandchildren. Now feeling safe, the children sleep in their grandmother's arms and dream of a green, renewed prairie and a great dance with grandmother and the prairie animals celebrating their lives and their connection to the Star People.

In the morning, Elk Tooth Woman leads Sister Girl and Young Wolf safely back to their village. They beg her to stay with them, but she answers that she cannot, she must return to the stars. Before she leaves, she comforts them once more telling them to remember "Star People are always with you. Look up and you will see me among the stars."

In his vibrant illustrations S. D. Nelson skillfully blends the colors of the prairie and the sky and the clothing of the two Lakota children into a beautiful whole, echoing the unity to which they all belong. Nelson calls upon the Native American artistic tradition known as "ledger art" in his illustrations.

In his author's note, Nelson recounts that his mother, Elk Tooth Woman, taught him to see Mother Earth and Father Sky as Wakan or sacred. He quotes his mother as saying "there is a spirit within all things known as Wakan Tanka, the Great Mystery". This book, Star People, certainly reflects the knowledge that Nelson's mother shared with him.

Reviewer's Note

Ledger Art

Native American's traditionally used art to record their history. Every Lakota tribe had a designated historian who painted hides, tipis and clothing to commemorate significant tribal events. A yearly record referred to as the "winter count" was also kept. In the late 1800s and early 1900s when Native American men were incarcerated and Native children were forced into government boarding schools, both groups used art as a means of expression and remembrance. They drew on discarded ledger book paper using pens, pencils, and crayons, hence the name "ledger art". Ledger art has a particular profile style of drawing which Nelson uses beautifully in this book. Below is an example of ledger art from Wikipedia. It is noted on Wikipedia that this art piece is in the public domain. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledger_art

Learn even more about Native American ledger art at this link: https://americanhistory.si.edu/documentsgallery/exhibitions/ledger_drawing_2.html

Review: The Star People

Reviewer's Note

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