“Her name, Omakayas, meant Little Frog. She was nine winters old.” It was 1849. She grows up a lot in this book both in her family and in her training with medicine. She has her vision quest! She also gets a new pet and a new baby brother! And a new threat - the white man.

I love Old Tallow! And her winter coat! I also liked the Break-Apart-Girl!

It's another great chapter in this series, though it ends with great sadness. The encroachment of the chimookoman, or white people, change everything for Omakayas and her people.

Last sentence:

“Here was the next life they would live together on this earth.” ( )

I've read this at least twice, and am puzzled that goodreads seems to have deleted my review. Continues Omakayas' story and Erdrich's superb storytelling about a Native family's experience during the White westward expansion. Extremely well done. ( )

I very much enjoyed reading The Game of Silence, but I think it is important to consider that much of what is revealed (or not revealed) depends on the viewpoint of the person telling the story. It is certainly important to acknowledge Erdrich's Native American heritage and the importance of minority storytellers contributing to the "canon," for lack of a better word. But should we not also consider what does not get said? Except for Two Strike and Pinch, who are children and are therefore expected to misbehave on occasion, there are no Native American adults who behave less than nobly in the story. If we accept Erdrich's version of life among the Anishinabeg, everyone gets along, newcomers are always accepted with open arms, resources are always shared and distributed equally, and the white settlers (including the priest and Break-Apart Girl) are treated with nothing but kindness and even a winking acceptance of their "white" ways. Nokomis, Deydey, and Old Tallow are benevolent, loving leaders who nurture Omakayas and the other members of the community without strife or conflict. I felt this was somewhat unrealistic. Native Americans are human. That means they make mistakes and bad decisions, they are not always kind or unselfish, and they are not universally supportive and understanding parents. I say all of this to suggest that perhaps, in attempting to counteract the negative stereotypes contained in so many of the stories written about Native Americans, Erdrich went overboard in attempting to depict them positively, and in doing so sacrificed some of the realism necessary to effectuate acceptance and understanding by non-Native American readers.
The inclusion of Old Tallow, who acknowledges her inability to remain in a marital relationship but survives and thrives on her own, contributes to the message that girls are important and contribute to the community in significant ways. I also appreciated Erdrich's subtle inclusion of environmental issues, such as the importance of conserving natural resources and recycling available materials rather than throwing them away. These messages were subtle, and not "preachy," but were communicated in ways that younger readers can appreciate and understand. ( )

the overarching plot point of this book is an important one, and i'm glad she gets to it immediately after setting the scene in the birchbark house. the white people going back on their word and forcing the ojibwe people from their homes and into dangerous territory. (not to mention, territory that is unlike what they're used to and know; changing all they know to do to live.) but in the end, this is - plot-wise - quite a small portion of the book. it is mostly taken up with everyday stories of the family and the people. small anecdotes that, to me, don't make a very compelling book, but do give a good idea of the life in that time, for those people, in that place. i would have preferred more of the larger plot, but, again, my 9 year old son liked this more than i did as it was. the writing in this one seemed a little better than in the birchbark house. ( )

A compelling story about strength and gifts in a time of uncertainty. This sequel to The Birchbark House continues Omakayas' quest to understand her power as a dreamer, even as white settlers threaten to encroach on their way of life. ( )