The Heart of a Chief

By Joseph Bruchac

Book Overview

Chris Nicola's life is complicated. He lives on the Penacook Indian Reservation and goes to school in town. At school, things are going great--he's been selected to lead a group project on using Indian names for sporting teams. But it's another story at home. The Penacook are divided over whether or not to build a casino on a beautiful island Chris things of as his own. Is there anything one sixth-grade boy can do?

"Chris's compelling voyage of self-discovery is grounded in everyday events...allowing readers to see into the heart of this burgeoning chief." -Publishers Weekly

"Readers who see injustice in their own lives will admire how much Chris accomplishes with a simple message of respect." -Booklist

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 014131236X
• ISBN13: 9780141312361
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Alec speaks Out

THE HEART OF A CHIEF My name is Alec and I finished reading THE HEART OF A CHIEF. If I had to rate the book I would give it 5 stars because of the dialogue. I learned that present day Indians drive cars, live in reservations, have small councils, and live in trailers. It really annoys them when team names are named after them. Chris is like me because he is Indian, and he cares for nature. He is different because he lives in a trailer and he lives with his grandparents. My favorite part is the chapter talking stick. An excerpt in this story is : The "Aye" that comes back so load so strong that it shakes the building like a giant roar of thunder . Other kids should read this book because it teaches about present day Indians. It's a great book!!

heart of the chief review

Hi my name is MeeRee and I read The Heart of the Chief. The book is about a young Indian trying to handle everyday problems. The story takes place during around this time today. When I read this book I learned ten things about the modern day Native Americans. I learned they live on reservations and go to regular schools, they drive in cars, and really enjoy following their cultures. What I found interesting is that a lot of them don't speak their native tongue. Native American kids today also enjoy doing what regular kids like to do. Most Indians now live in houses on reservations instead of teepees or wigwams. They eat our food and most of them shop at stores instead of poaching for food like deer or turkeys. They also wear regular clothes. They don't wear deerskins or hide anymore. Native Americans are very different today! There is a sentence that inspired me. "And I know that whatever happens to me from now on, whether it is good or bad, I will always remember this: that the heart of a true chief beats with the hearts of the people." That sentence was my favorite in the whole book! It shows that to be a true leader you have to think about your people before yourself. Chris was the main character in this book. His family have a lot of similarities and differences to people today. Chris lives in a modern day house and goes to regular schools, just like me. Chris lives on a reservation for Native Indians and he and his friends are still called nicknames, which they got after something they did incredible or something they are. People today are still a lot like Chris and his family. The part I enjoyed the most was when Chris and his friends did their report on Indian names being used as sports logos or team names. I thought that the report they did really started to make a difference. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend especially if they wanted to learn more about Native Americans. Out of 5 stars I would give a 5! It was well written and had a good moral. I think the book was really inspiring. It shows not to give up. A little believing can make a big difference!

Becca's Reveiw

My name is Becca and I finished reading The Heart of a Cheif.I would give this book 5 stars I learned that Indians don't like it if you nane sports teams after them. My favorite part is when they save the island from getting a casino built on it. My favorite excerpt is on pg.153: " And I know that whatever happens to me from now on,whether good or bad,I will always remember this: that the heart of a true chief beats with the hearts of the people." Other kids should read this book because it teaches you to stand up for what you believe in and it's really good.

A Great Book

I read this book for an Elementary Ed Teaching Literacy course, and I really enjoyed it. It seems very real, but also encouraging and hopeful. I like how it dispels some common stereotypes about Native Americans, but there are also many situations and emotions the main character experiences that can be related to any person of any ethnicity, which I think would help children see Native Americans as very much like themselves, but also appreciate their different ways of life. I found some of the issues presented very relevant to real situations in New England (the school mascot names, the casino controversies, even some of the tribal names which correspond to places or rivers in New England that students may recognize). This book teaches that even children can make a difference and people will listen if you stand up for what is right. It also exemplifies that there is always hope, possibilities, and alternative solutions to problems. It doesn't pretend there are no problems, it's real, and also encouraging. I especially liked the stories that the wise old Doda told to teach life lessons. My favorite is in chapter 6. :) But I don't want to give it away. I highly recommend the book!

Beautiful, Sensitive, Heart-warming

Joseph Bruchac presents a vivid and heart-warming story about the life of a contemporary Native American boy living between the wrenching descrimination and exploitation of his People and the beauty and peace of his home. I do not profess to know much about the Native American lifestyle, but I would trust any book Bruchac writes. His book has given me an authentic and sensitive picture of one boy's struggle to balance his heritage with the pressures of life on and off the reservation. I can now only imagine how this story is familiar to many people in the U.S. Beautifully written.