Doesn't Fall Off His Horse: A Cherokee Tale

Teachers searching for authentic literature about Native Americans will find this the perfect book for several reasons. First, it is not a set-in-the-past story. Rather, it opens in a modern day home, with a contemporary Native child and her grandfather. Second, it is written by a Native American woman, and her insider experience makes the text ring with the authentic speech patterns of the Kiowa people. Third, Stroud is an award winning artist whose work is known world wide. Her illustrations for the book are stunning. Finally, the story is about two different tribes: the Kiowa and the Comanche. By naming these two groups in the book, Stroud's story can help children understand the diversity that exists in Native American culture. There are presently over 500 tribal entities in the United States; Kiowa and Comanche are only two. It is truly wonderful to have this book in today's classrooms. It helps to counter the idea that Native Americans are extinct and that there is a monolithic tribe.