As always I say simply that I received this book free as part of a 'First Reads' giveaway but never the less shall do my utmost to give it a fair and honest hearing.

It's a bit difficult to know exactly how to categorize this one. From the outside and based on its copious and colorful illustrations it should be a children's book. Judging by its language, however, it's rather more sophisticated than one would have anticipated. The content though, aside from one attempted mariticide, is suitable for an audience of any age.

Goble's simple stories have the ring of authenticity and each carries along with it an allegory that applies even to today's world. His illustrations are wonderful and appropriate both in content and detail and give added depth to the story being told. It would seem very natural to see this book read aloud to a group sitting around a campfire. Each story is brief yet substantive.

The only real quirk of this work is that I just can't quiet tell who to give it to next. Younger children, I think will be stumped by the vocabulary which is fairly adult. Older children will be put off by the illustrations and the brevity of the stories. Adults will spend an hour on it and then be done. Perhaps it is firmly in the camp of those books which one reads to a child but can't quite expect them to read on their own. I'll try it on my own children and report back on the results later. ( )

This is a collection of traditional stories from a variety of Native American tribes. Beautifully illustrated this book provides insight into a vanishing world and culture. It did not read well on the kindle, but was easily read on the computer. ( )

I received a free copy of this e-book from the publisher.

I have nostalgic associations with Paul Goble's work from my childhood; I was horse obsessed and loved his stories and illustrations. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses was a particular favorite of mine.

In this collection of short stories for middle-graders, he again captures the mood of sitting by a fire and listening to a master storyteller at work. This book is not long. Indeed, some of the stories are about a page in length. However, there is an immense depth to these tales. As Goble notes, unlike in Aesop's fables, many Plains tribes' stories for children did not state the moral outright. They were intended to make the child think and come up with their own interpretation.

Of course, his illustrations are always a joy. I couldn't help but smile at his horse artwork in particular. I especially liked the inclusion of original native art that he used for inspiration. The foreword notes how Goble respects Native Americans and isn't simply appropriating their stories, but actively striving for accuracy to the oral tradition.

I can appreciate that as an adult, but my inner child enjoyed these creation stories and illustrations as an enlightening sort of escapism. My only regret is that the book was so short. ( )