The Birchbark House

June 28, 1999
Erdrich's (Grandmother's Pigeon) debut novel for children is the first in a projected cycle of books centering on an Ojibwa family on an island in Lake Superior. Opening in the summer of 1847, the story follows the family, in a third-person narrative, through four seasons; it focuses on young Omakayas, who turns "eight winters old" during the course of the novel. In fascinating, nearly step-by-step details, the author describes how they build a summer home out of birchbark, gather with extended family to harvest rice in the autumn, treat an attack of smallpox during the winter and make maple syrup in the spring to stock their own larder and to sell to others. Against the backdrop of Ojibwa cultural traditions, Omakayas also conveys the universal experiences of childhood--a love of the outdoors, a reluctance to do chores, devotion to a pet--as well as her ability to cope with the seemingly unbearable losses of the winter. The author hints at Omakayas's unusual background and her calling as a healer, as well as the imminent dangers of the "chimookoman" or white people, setting the stage for future episodes. Into her lyrical narrative, Erdrich weaves numerous Ojibwa words, effectively placing them in context to convey their meanings. Readers will want to follow this family for many seasons to come. Ages 9-up.

April 1, 2002
Gr 4-6-The melody of a lone flute and the beat of a native drum begin each cassette, setting the mood for this Native American story about an eight-year old Ojibwa girl. Omakayas and her family live on the island of the Golden Breasted Woodpecker in Lake Superior in 1847. Based on her own family history, Louise Erdrich has crafted a richly textured historical novel (Hyperion, 1999). Nicolle Littrell's slow, clear narration is rich and inviting. Ojibwa words are smoothly woven into the narration, and their meaning is clear from context. Littrell gives voice to each well-developed character with varied vocal inflections. We observe a year's cycle of activity in her family and the Indian community. Eventually we learn about "the chimookoman" (the white man) as Omakayas overhears her father and his friends talking around the campfire. Although chimookoman lurks on the fringes of the story, he is central to the plot. A white man brings smallpox to the community and Omakayas can't save her baby brother. In this carefully crafted story, we intimately feel the effect of the Westward Expansion of the United States from the point of view of a loving Ojibwa family. Listeners who prefer action to descriptive narration will find the pace slow. The first of a projected series of books, this audiobook will be a fine addition to school and public libraries.-Bonnie Bolton, Cleveland Public Library, OH

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 14, 2002
Erdrich's crisply envisioned novel, which chronicles a year in the life of an Ojibwa Indian girl and her family during the mid-1800s, loses a bit of its verve in this slightly bumpy audio adaptation. Seven-year-old Omakayas is the heart of the story. Brave, spirited and generally kind, she offers her version of the events—from the mundane to the devastating—on Lake Superior's Madeline Island. As white people intrude upon Ojibwa territory, disease and death also enter Omakayas's world and change it forever. Erdrich has said this book was inspired by her own family tree, and a knowing attention to detail is evident throughout. Universal themes and situations are woven together with historical facts to create a story as enlightening as it is entertaining, introducing Ojibwa words and customs as well as conveying the horror that came with an outbreak of smallpox. Littrell gamely tries to capture the emotions at play here, but her reading rhythm is sometimes uneven and never really in sync with the ebb and flow of Omakayas's account. And though Littrell occasionally affects a tone that borders on precious, her voice is warm and clear, and young listeners will find it inviting. Ages 9-up.

January 1, 2002
Erdrich's crisply envisioned novel, which chronicles a year in the life of an Ojibwa Indian girl and her family during the mid-1800s, loses a bit of its verve in this slightly bumpy audio adaptation. Seven-year-old Omakayas is the heart of the story. Brave, spirited and generally kind, she offers her version of the eventsDfrom the mundane to the devastatingDon Lake Superior's Madeline Island. As white people intrude upon Ojibwa territory, disease and death also enter Omakayas's world and change it forever. Erdrich has said this book was inspired by her own family tree, and a knowing attention to detail is evident throughout. Universal themes and situations are woven together with historical facts to create a story as enlightening as it is entertaining, introducing Ojibwa words and customs as well as conveying the horror that came with an outbreak of smallpox. Littrell gamely tries to capture the emotions at play here, but her reading rhythm is sometimes uneven and never really in sync with the ebb and flow of Omakayas's account. And though Littrell occasionally affects a tone that borders on precious, her voice is warm and clear, and young listeners will find it inviting. Ages 9-up.

Starred review from August 5, 2002
The author's first novel for children centers on young Omakayas and her Ojibwa family who live on an island in Lake Superior in 1847; PW's Best Books citation called it "captivating." Ages 9-up.