This story is about buffalo in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma. A Native American grandmother is telling her grandson about the buffalo. She tells him about their history and how things were when she was young. While she's telling her story, about 15 buffalo are headed towards them coming from the Bronx Zoo. The Gandmother talks about how the white men came and started killing all the buffalo and foring everyone on to reservations. She talks about how they didn't have enough people or the right weapons to fight back. Finally as her story is coming to an end the wagons that were holding the 15 buffalo came to a stop in front of them and the young boy got to see the buffalo. I like this book because it had two stories going on, one to keep kids attention and one that told you some history of Native Americans. ( )

Summary:
This is a good historic realism book. It is about the Wichita Mountains of Southwestern Oklahoma. A grandmother and this boy go up the hill top and she starts explain to him about the past that went on back in the old days. The boy really wanted to know about the buffalo. She tells him that there is no need for explaining because he is going to get to see them for his self. She keeps explaining to him the past and he just asks all kinds of questions. In the back of the book it has a notes page that explains why the buffalo was important and how it all came about.

Personal Experience:
This book was very interesting. I did not know a lot about this history and it was good information for me. I love to go the Wichita Mountains and hike and I love to see the buffalo. So because I am always going to the mountains this book was interesting to me, because now I know the information behind it.

Classroom Extension:
1. I would read this book when I am discussing the Wichita Mountains.
2. I would have them draw a buffalo and color it.

This book is told as two stories that merge together. One story if of a Comanche grandmother telling her grandson of days long ago before the white man came—days when buffalo were friends and providers for the Native Americans. The second story takes place in New York and describes the journey of fifteen buffalo leaving the Bronx Zoo and journeying to their ancestral home. The two stories come together as the buffalo arrive in Oklahoma and are greeting by the Comanche people. ( )

In this book a young Native American boy is listening to his grandmother talk of the days when she was young in the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma. She explains how the buffalo roamed the hills in great numbers. She gives a short lesson in Native American history during this book. She also explains how the white people came to this country and killed almost all of the buffalo and forced the Indians onto reservations. While she is talking, several buffalo are in route back to Oklahoma from the Bronx. They are coming by train and end up arriving in the mountains just as she is finishing her story in horsedrawn carriages.

I had never heard of this book before and was pleasantly surprised when I began reading it and realized that it takes place only a few miles from my home. It was a very interesting read.

I love field trips so going to the Wichita Mountain Refuge to see the buffalo would be great. Also visiting the museum to learn more about the Native Americans that inhabited the state and the buffalo that are currently in the refuge. Asking a Native American to come to the classroom and share information about their heritage, show some of the tribal dances, and introduce some of the authentic foods would be another way to incorporate this book into the classroom after reading.