A beautiful account of the prairies and buffalo being restored. ( )

I liked this book because it was written in a story form versus the others I have read. But at the same time it was informative about the buffalo and how their population went down dramatically.

Your personal response to the book: The book was excellent. I would like to see the library acquire this book for the collection.
Curricular connections: The curricular connections include Native Americans, wildlife, ecology, history and Montana. A TL could use the book to enhance a Native American unit here in Montana.

This book emphasizes how the buffalo became an endangered species. The book states that when settlers took land away from the Indians they hunted buffalo for their fur and for fun. This in return hurt the land the settlers were trying to harvest. Buffalo's hooves help the rain reach deep into the soil. The buffalo's importance explains how essential it is to protect the animals of the land. People may not realize, but the animals might have qualities that improve aspects of the environment. The author clearly shows how environmental protection is needed and animals need to be protected. ( )

This book is filled with many historical fact and it is a good book to read when studying about history, Theodore Roosevelt, or just interested in buffalo in general. The story is honest and slightly depressing because it has true facts that you wish would not have happened. However the story is a great educational tool and ends on a happy note because of the revival of the buffalo. It tells the story through someone observing the birth of a calf and fallowing it's historical journey in the plains. It also explained how buffalo helped the grass grow. The painting in this book realistically portrays the story without loosing the texture of the paintings. Overall I enjoyed this book because it was a learning experience and was an example of how humans can help nature triumph. This book is recommended for 4th and 5th grade.