Cherokee Summer by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith

Multicultural
3rd Grade

This book is about a young Cherokee Indian named Bridget. The book is divided into sections that talk about the Cherokee heritage. The first thing the book talks about is how the Cherokee nation ended up in Oklahoma because of the Trail of Tears. It gives a description of what the Trail of Tears was and why the Indians were forced to move. It then goes on to talk about Tahlequah which is where most Cherokee Indians live in Oklahoma. Bridget talks about the principal chief of the Cherokee and how she is a woman. In the Cherokee nation women play a huge part in the tribe. The book then goes on to talk about Cherokee traditions such as basket weaving, hunting, young Cherokee's learning the language, legends, and the summer stomp dance. Also, in the book there is a Cherokee story called the "Possum Learns a Lesson." The purpose of this is to give readers an example of the stories told to Cherokee children. The book also includes a glossary that can help readers look up words they may not know.


This picturebook really captures many traditions of the Cherokee Indians. In the NCSCOS one of the 3rd grade standards for social studies is for students to to be able to compare and contrast different communities from different times and places. I will use this book along with others about the Cherokee Indians and other Indian tribes. Students will read these books and then compare and contrast the traditions the Indians tribes have to the traditions their family and culture has.