The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow

The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow
from the Dear America series

Ann Turner (1999)

A story of the Navajo people forced from their homes, as told from a young girl's view; tragic, but not harsh, some danger but with the book beginning as the girl a grandmother telling her story, we know it has a "happy" ending... strong on family values and respect for elders, also with encouraging journal writing...

the folks at Oyate ( http://www.oyate.org/books-to-avoid/theChased.html ) don't like the book, because it doesn't adhere to Navajo storytelling tradition, but it seems like nitpicking -- it's more important to get the story told and sometimes changes need to be made to appeal/communicate to the intended audience; although this could be brought into a discussion with students, as well as reviewing historical accuracy...

connections: Native Americans, southwest US, origin myths, Sing Down the Moon, diary/journal writing, oral storytelling