"Chickadee" by Louise Erdrich is a novel set in 1886 that tells the story of title character, Chickadee, and his adventures to return home after being kidnapped. "Chickadee" is the third book in a series of highly acclaimed books for elementary school aged children by Erdrich. This novel is exciting and will capture the interest of young readers as they follow Chickadee's clever ways as he makes a dangerous escape and comes across a group of Metis fur traders who help him in his journey to get back home to his family. The novel has many historical elements that are educational, yet the adventures and hazards that Chickadee face are so dramatic and intriguing, readers will hardly noticing they are learning at all! There is even a map, a historical introduction, and a glossary explaining the Ojibwe words included in the novel.
Louise Erdrich comes from the Ojibwe Nation and based this story on her own family history. With the authority to create a story located in the home territory of her ancestors, this book and its illustrations (that begin each chapter and drawn in black and white by Erdrich herself) remain true to the history of the Aboriginal people that inhabited the Great Plains of North America.
"Chickadee" has officially been selected by the First Nations Community Read booklist of recommended titles and comes "highly recommended" from the website Goodminds.com, a publishing company which reviews and suggests high quality Aboriginal literature.
References:
Erdrich, L. (2012). Chickadee. Toronto: Harper Trophy Canada.
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