The Summer of the Bone Horses by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

The Summer of the Bone Horses recalls a boy’s sojourn with his Dakota grandparents on the Rosebud Reservation.

The Summer of the Bone Horses by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, illustrated by Steph Littlebird. Amulet, 2025, 55 pages.

Reading level: Chapter Book, ages 7-9

Recommended for: ages 6-8 as a read-aloud, 8-10 for independent readers

Eddie’s dad needs an operation with a long rehab in another city. It’s not practical for a young boy to go along, so his parents plan for him to stay with his grandma and grandpa on their reservation waaaay out in the prairie. Eddie isn’t happy about the arrangement: he hasn’t spent much time with Grandma and Grandpa, and what is there to do on a little ranch five miles from the nearest neighbor?

This is a classic setup for a children’s story, but the setting adds a new level of interest. Eddie learns to manage his Grandpa’s horse, helps Grandma in her garden, and makes Ba start at learning Lakota after attending Sunday’s church service conducted entirely in that language. For play, he exercises his imagination with the “bone horses” made from cattle vertebrae that his grandfather gives him. Simple toys and simple tasks prepare him to deal with a crisis when it arises.

The Summer of the Bone Horses is based on the real-life experiences of the author’s brother, who spent a summer with their grandparents on the Rosebud reservation. It’s both authentic and affectionate.

Bottom Line: A quietly entertaining story with echoes of the Little House books.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: See our roundup of Native American Folktale picture books.
• Reviews: Middle-grade/YA novels and nonfiction about the native-American experience include Undefeated, Red White and Whole, and Crazy Horse and Custer.
• Reflection: Toward a Positive Multiculturalism in Children’s Literature presents ways (and books!) to introduce children to cultures outside their own.

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