Marlene CarvellBesprekingen

I had read other fiction books about Native Americans being forced to adjust to white culture, but this... this was one of the most moving historical fiction books I've ever read. It does not hesitate to tell the truth about what these children went through. Here is the good, the bad, and the everyday of what it was like for so many Native children to go to "Indian" schools run by white people. Inspired by the experience of author's great aunt (in-law) in a similar school.

Evan takes up his older brother's fight to change the high school mascot, an Indian.

Told in free verse poetry. *SPOILER* Sarah and Mattie are two Mohawk girls sent to a boarding school off the reservation. It is a cold place run by the hard, stern Mrs. Dwyer. The children are forbidden to speak their native language and connot keep items from home such as Indian crafts. The girls are among the other Indian children but even with the few friends they make they are never at ease in this environment. At first the older Mattie seems to thrive academically and loves her teacher Miss Weston, while the more reticent Sarah struggles. But when Mrs. Dwyer accuses Mattie of stealing her brooch, the accusation weighs heavily on her and she runs away. After several days of cold and wet she is returned to the school to face cruel punishment. Mattie becomes ill from her journey and broken spirit and dies in Sarah's arms.

Two sisters, Mattie and Sarah, had to experience life off of their Mohawk reservation after their mother's death. Through their experiences, they learn how to hold onto their culture and beliefs. This is a powerful and impacting novel that intertwines real experiences of Native American children.

The inside cover made the book sound more intriguing than it ended up. The main character, PJ, is not very likable and it was hard to feel sympathy for him even after his mother's accident. While being unmotivated and indecisive are common teenage characteristics, this book doesn't add anything to the field, provide a role model, or even entertain.

Although he doesn't "win" the battle, he certainly learns to remain true to himself and his heritage. This moved me to tears a couple of times and I didn't know why (no, not the scene with the family dog, either). What a beautifully writtn book! I will use this in my classroom for sure!

Susan says: Evan’s story is told in blank verse, and it is definitely a thought provoking one. Evan is half Native American, and goes to a high school whose mascot is a stereotypical Indian. This bothers him, as it bothered his older brother, and he wants it changed. This desire to have the mascot changed leads to a lot of bullying as well as friendship. Evan really has to explore who he is and why this part of his identity matters so much to him. Although the mascot is not changed in the end, people do stand behind him. While this is the story of a high schooler, he is a senior. The voice is far beyond the way most high schoolers think, and his thoughts are also deeper than most high schoolers in my opinion. So this book would be suitable for those students who want to think about a problem like this. I thought it might make a good book club book, but I’m not sure they could really get into the voice.

I chose to read this because as a verse novel it is outside my comfort zone. However I found the use of free verse tremendously effective – the sparseness of the text gave me a strong sense of emotional restraint, a sense of the tight control these two sisters had exert to keep their personalities intact under the cruel administration of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. The neglect and malice Sarah and Mattie experience is more vivid than that in My Name is Seepeetza, even thought it is not graphically described. The sense of foreboding I felt from the beginning proved to be accurate when Mattie becomes ill and dies through neglect.
I really like the way the sister's voices were distinguished, not only by different fonts, but by their different means of coping at the school. I also like that things are not clear cut. Not all of the teachers are actively cruel, some of the staff take great risks to help the children. A teacher that Mattie trusts and is especially fond of fails to act in time. Poor farmers do their best to shelter Mattie when she runs away. While it seems he doesn't like to send them away, their father entreats them to get an education, telling them it will help their future.
I was surprised to discover that the author isn't a member of the Mohawk nation described in the story, but I was relieved to see that Beverly Slapin approves of the book, and even praises it. (Slapin 2007)

From CLCD
Hazel Rochman (Booklist, Jul. 1, 2002 (Vol. 98, No. 21))
A public issue comes close to home in this story of Evan Hill, a part-Mohawk high-school senior, who protests against his school's use of Indian mascots. Drawing on the real-life experience of her own two sons, Carvell lets Evan tell the story, which unfolds in quiet, spare, very readable, free-verse vignettes that express his hurt, anger, and humiliation as he tries to get the school board, the principal, and his classmates to listen to him and get rid of the noble savage caricature of his people. At times the narrative degenerates into sermonizing, with too much reverential talk about "proud solemnity." But Evan's words personalize his search for his Mohawk roots, even as his bullying classmates call him "Injun hippie" and "timber nigger" and then kill his beloved dog. The issues are sure to spark discussion: What about the bystanders who just let it happen? Will Evan change any minds? What's all the fuss about, anyway? Category: Books for Older Readers--Fiction. 2002, Hyperion, $15.99. Gr. 7-10.

Awards won:
Children's Book Award Winner 2003 Intermediate -Fiction United States 1

Best Books:
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to the Eighth Edition, 2003 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2005 ; American Library Association YALSA; United States
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 2003 ; American Library Association-YALSA; United States

Review:
Janet L. Rose (Children's Literature)
Evan is a high school student trying to change his school mascot, a vacant-eyed Indian with a Roman nose. In lyrical verse, Evan tells his story. He comes to know the Mohawk side of his family: "Aunt Margaret--a fragile wisp of ancient history whose heart is warm and open . . . ." He is met with an administration and school board that won't budge from tradition. They cannot comprehend that it is not a matter of a picture but an attitude. Students taunt and threaten him and eventually kill the family dog that was Evan's brother's life-long companion, and, hence, the title of the book--"Who will tell my brother?" Line by poetic line, the emotions filter through the readers' pores till they understand that it is not the situation, but the attitude of intolerance, that is not acceptable. Evan covers his rage with controlled patience and returns hate with friendship. Never does Evan compromise his integrity or beliefs, but it is a dog, the violent act of killing an innocent dog, that finally causes Evan's classmates to rally around him and show support