The Return of the Buffaloes

Bibliographic Information
Title: The Return of the Buffaloes; a Plains Indian Story about famine and renewal of the Earth
Author: Goble, Paul
Publisher: National Geographic Society 1996
ISBN: 9780792265542
Dewey: 398.2
Interest Level: 3rd-6th grade Reading Level: 4.8
Classification: nonfiction

Plot Summary
This is a tale of a time when the Plains indians were struggling to survive. No animals could be found by the hunters and the people were starving. In desperation two young warriors were chosen to find the buffalo. They were not to come back unless they were successful. Their quest was successful thanks to the help of a mysterious woman.

Critical analysis
Pau Gobles uses text and illustrations to potrray the life experiences of the Plains Indians. The book begins with a note about the importance of the buffalo to the native group in the story.This enables a level of conprehension that many readers would not otherwise bring to the book. By putting this tale on paper, Paul Goble is helping to keep oral tales from being lost to future generations.. The parfleche, a pouch important to the people. is described prior to the text Directions are given for students to make one.This project can add real meaning for any reader. The patterns often used on these pouches can be found on each page of the text that serves as a thread pulling the narrative together.

The characters were flat and more symbols then actual people. The warriors are symbols of the hope the people had that they would be saved. This gives the text more power then if the reader were focused on the character rather than on the theme of renewal and hope. The description of the return of the buffalo is for me the most powerful section of the narrative. Any reader is able to imagine the sight and sound of these magnifivant creatures returning to the plains due to the descriptive words chosen by the author.

There are some words in the text that are somewhat ambigouous and the context does not support their meaning. "Ehanni, in the old days, people dried buffalo meat in the sun to preserve it." Does Ehanni mean the meat or does it mean the process? Even more fuzzy if this one, " Keyapi, that is what they said." What does Keyapi mean? Younger readers will find this somewhat problematic.

At the end of the text is a note about how present day visitors still visit the area and hear the wind and feel the breath of the bufflaoes waitin to come to earth. This is a very powerful way to make the tale personal.

Review Excerpts
Starred Review, Publishers Weekly: "Gobles ... vivid retelling of a Lakota legend dances against the backdrop of highly spirited artwork, an homage to the relationship between man and buffalo and to beauty and design in nature. This book has much to say and does so with eloquence."
School Library Journal, "... entertaining, informative, and inspiritational."
Kirkus Review, "... an extraordinary story central to spiritual and cultural life of the Lakota people... absofbing fare."

Connections
Many urban students have little or no connection to life on the plains. In order to fill in this gap there are several often used strategies that can be very effective. Setting up a bulletin board decorated with pictures of Native Americans past and present is a good way to start. Placed on display around the library should be artifacts and books related to Native Americans. A research unit can be set up in collaboration with teachers for the students. At the end of the unit each student or group can create a postcard that is appropriately decorated and has on it an interesting fact they learned These can be put on the bulletin board.
This book can be used as introductions for units that are not specifically about Native Americans but can be used for science or health units about respect for the earth and its resources.

Books
Bala, Olaf, Where the Buffaloes Begin
Crowl, Christine, White Buffalo Woman
Goble, Paul, Buffalo Woman
Goble, Paul, The Girl who Loved Wild Horses

Websites
There are many good websites related to this topic. Just can just put the word buffalo or bison in the search engine. It is best to be careful, however, some sites are not appropriate for students. The sites sponsored by native American groups themselves are the best. If you would like a graphic of how the parts of the buffalo are used the following site is good;; http://.tbcbison.com/educator.