The Summer of the Bone Horses

Gr 1-3–In this spare and moving early chapter book, a Dakota boy spends the summer with his grandparents on their reservation while his father undergoes a serious operation. At first, Eddie struggles with homesickness and adjusting to life on the reservation, but new experiences with his grandparents—learning how to ride and take care of a horse, playing with toys made from cow bones, whistling through a blade of grass—eventually help him push through his worries about his dad. When his grandfather gets hurt, Eddie rises to the occasion to get him medical attention. Through cultural touchstones and resonant themes, Sneve and Littlebird sensitively capture the uncertainty caused by familial challenges as well as the resilience a child can derive from intergenerational bonds. The language is thoughtful and respectful of readers, and the pencil-like illustrations done in a limited palette of yellow, brown, and blue, offer a sense of place and authenticity.