Product Description

The people who lived in the northeastern woodlands belonged to many nations and spoke many languages including Iroquoian and Algonkian. Life in a Longhouse Village was a way of life all of the nations shared. Children will learn about the fascinating lifestyle of these hunters and farmers and discover what life was like in a longhouse clan.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60389 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-Accessible books about topics that are studied in most elementary schools. The information on housing, storage, village structure, and family life is straightforward, easy to read, and interesting, although life on the Plains seems less harsh than existence really was. The texts are peppered with full-color illustrations-at least one to a page-that depict Native Americans in historical times engaged in daily activities such as eating, storytelling, and building lodges. There are no source notes, and the glossary has no pronunciation guide. The illustrations are uneven. Some are reminiscent of 18th-century romantic paintings, some are contemporary, and some are just plain bad. For example, along with works by quality contemporary artists Howard Terpning and James Bama there are others where facial features are so poorly rendered that it is difficult to distinguish one person from another. The books are generally good, but the illustrations do them a great disservice. Michael Bad Hand Terry's Daily Life in a Plains Indian Village 1868 (Clarion, 2001) is a better choice because it uses real-life models to show actual clothing and articles used by Plains Indians.
Dona J. Helmer, College Gate School Library, Anchorage, AK
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Bobbie Kalman is the author and publisher of more than two hundred quality children's library books. She has created many of Crabtree's most popular series, including "The Early Settler Life Series," "The Historic Communities Series" and "The Crabapples Series" of "starter" books for younger children. Bobbie's latest series include "The Science of Living Things" and "Sports in Action."

Bobbie's series are extremely successful in schools and public libraries because she writes them with specific curriculum needs in mind. She works with a writing team of creative writers who thoroughly research each topic. Colorful, attractive covers and entertaining text make her books sell equally well in bookstores and museums. Bobbie holds degrees in English, Psychology, and Education. She has taught at both the elementary and secondary level. As well as being a teacher, Bobbie has worked as an educational consultant with several publishing companies.

Excerpted from Life in a Longhouse Village (Native Nations of North America) by Bobbie Kalman, Lewis Parker. Copyright © 2001. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
The people who lived in longhouses Iroquoian speakers The languages spoken by the longhouse dwellers belonged to the Iroquoian language group. Historians believe that the people speaking these languages came from the southern plains of North America, around the banks of the Mississippi River. They migrated northeast to settle in what is now New York State, Ontario, and Quebec. In those days, the United States and Canada were not yet countries.

Customer Reviews

Highly Detailed, Interesting Book
I first encountered this book, along with others in the "Life in a. . ." series about Native Americans, as I was going through a teacher training program in college. The 5th-grade classroom teacher who I interned with loved these books and used them every year during her Native American Social Studies Unit. And they are great books. With lots of relevant text combined with plenty of descriptive illustrations, this book is one of few that is historically accurate while being interesting. While some critics disliked the pictures, I thought the mix of illustrations and photographs gave the book balance and appeal to a wider range of readers. In addition, the information presented is detailed enough for students to use in reports or class projects. I highly recommend this book for kids 4th through 8th grade.