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From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

Sister Girl and Young Wolf are away from their village when a storm hits. Lightning starts a prairie fire, and in their frantic flight to safety, they lose their way. In S.D. Nelson’s dramatic and enchanting original tale, the children are guided back to their village by the spirit of their grandmother, Elk Tooth Woman, who is now one of the Star People. Nelson’s narrative is woven from the magical stories he heard in childhood about the Star People—the traditional Lakota term for the stars—as well as characters created from his own imagination. His informative author’s note blends Lakota history and autobiography, enriching the context and meaning of both the story and his stirring, beautiful artwork that is inspired by Lakota ledger art and incorporates many of its traditional elements. (Ages 6–9)

CCBC Choices 2004 © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2004. Used with permission.

From Horn Book

January 1, 2004
Simply but fluently, Sister Girl tells how she and her brother Young Wolf wander so far that they lose their way home after a prairie fire. That night, from the "Star People" comes the spirit of their grandmother, who comforts them and leads them home the next morning. Full-page impressionistic art advances the narrative and tone of the text.

(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Booklist

November 15, 2003
PreS-Gr. 2. While exploring the land around their village, two young Plains Indians--Sister Girl and her little brother, Young Wolf--stray too far. After narrowly escaping a roaring prairie fire, the siblings find themselves lost and frightened in the dark, open land until the Star People, "the spirits of the Old Ones who once walked on the earth," offer comfort and guidance home. In clear, captivating language, Nelson, the creator of " Gift Horse "(2000) and a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, tells a stirring, original story based on Lakota legend. An extensive author's note introduces Ledger Book Art, the nineteenth-century Plains Indian style of art that influenced Nelson's acrylic paintings. The graphic, stylized scenes tend to blur individual faces, but the swirling images of the celestial dance beautifully reflect the story's celebration and awe of the natural world. A fine choice for story hours, this will also find wide curricular use.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)

From School Library Journal

September 1, 2003
Gr 1-4-A young Lakota Indian girl narrates the story of how she and her little brother, Young Wolf, survive a prairie fire. They had wandered away from their village, entranced by the changing cloud shapes created by the Cloud People. They fall into a river and are guided home by their deceased grandmother, one of the Star People, who are the spirits of the Old Ones. The acrylic illustrations are inspired by the Native American ledger-book art of the late 1800s, with figures in profile, vivid colors, and bold shapes. The art enhances the text by blending the supernatural world with that of the children's reality. When Sister Girl and Young Wolf are lost, they are depicted in a heavenly space whirling and swirling with star groups outlined to show animals like the eagle, wolf, elk, and horse. According to the author's note, the Lakota Indians refer to clouds and stars as "Cloud People" and "Star People." A solid addition to collections of Native American tales and an enjoyable read-aloud.-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.