Children's Books

A COLORING BOOK OF HIDATSA INDIAN STORIES BASED ON THE LIFE AND DRAWINGS OF EDWARD GOODBIRD, Compiled by Roberta Krim and Thomas Thompson; Minnesota Historical Society, 345 Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55102, 800-647-7827; 1988, 32 pages, bibliography, map; paperback oversize, $3.95. 0-87351-229-4

Goodbird, a Hidatsa who lived from 1869-1938, belonged to the Hidatsa family to whom Minnesota ethnologist Gilbert L. Wilson became very close, as he spent all the summers with them for many years in the early 1800's and after. Wilson told the stories of Goodbird's mother, both as a little girl living in the old way and in the fascinating agricultural book by his mother reviewed in the adult section here. Wilson met Goodbird when he was in his mid-forties, and told the entire story of Goodbird's life -- a life after the smallpox had nearly wiped out the nation, and the white man had drowned the traditional village under dammed waters. The coloring book's simple stories -- short excerpts and facts from the traditional Hidatsa life and from Goodbird's upbringing as white culture had changed many ways -- come from Goodbird's own story, and that of his mother's girlhood remembrances.

Goodbird drew (and often colored) most of these drawings that illustrate the stories Wilson collected from himself and other Hidatsa at Fort Berthold reservation, As mentioned in the review of his mother's garden and food book, many models were made -- mostly by Goodbird himself -- for Wilson of "old time" objects, tools, etc. North Dakota. Simplified to outline drawings, they make a fine traditinal-lifestyle coloring book for younger children, with interesting and historically and culturally accurate info from Goodbird's own recollections and drawings telling what's going on in the pictures. The bibliography will be useful for teachers and parents. Highly recommended is the beautiful, illustrated history of Hidatsa life. Reviewed by Paula Giese

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