Buffalo Hunt

By supplying food and raw materials closely linked with survival, the buffalo (American bison) was the most essential animal to the Indians of the Great Plains of North America. The migration of the buffalo ruled the rhythm of the Indians' daily lives, and the spirit of this sacred beast was incorporated into sacred rituals and tribal lore. A successful hunter became a man of influence and importance. Freedman, author of the Newbery Medal-winner Lincoln: A Photobiography , has written a gripping account of the sacred relationship between the Great Plains Indian and the buffalo, whose slaughter by whites assured the destruction of the Indian way of life. Illustrated throughout with reproductions of paintings and drawings by 19th century artist-adventurers, this book tells a poignant tale about a once-indomitable animal and the independent people who were its hunters. Ages 8-12. (October)