Chapter Book 12: Thunder Rolling in the Mountains

Author: Scott O’Dell and Elizabeth Hall

Illustrator: none

Genre: Historical Fiction

Subgenre:

Themes: Native American relocation, fighting for justice, peace, cultural clashes

Characters:

~Primary: Sound of Running Feet

~Secondary: Chief Joseph (Thunder Rolling in the Mountains), Swan Necklace, General Howard, Too-hul-hul-sote, Wah-lit-its, Red Moccasin Tops, Two Moons,  White Bird, Looking Glass

Awards:

~Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

Date of Publication: 1992

Publication Company: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers

Summary: The world is changing for Sound of Running Feet.  All she would like to do is marry the man she loves, Swan Necklace, and continue to live on her people’s land, the Wallowa Valley, the Land of the Wandering Waters.  But white people have been drawn by the promise of gold to their valley, and the United States army is forcing them to leave for the reservations.  Her people, the Ne-mee-poo, also known as the Nez Perce, do not want to leave their land, and are ready to fight the army to keep it.  Sound of Running Feet is eager for her people to stay and fight, but she might not be prepared for what she has to give up for her people to stay in the Land of the Wandering Waters.

Recommendation: This would be a good book to use in a unit about Native American relocation.  The book is short, and the main character is relatable.  Many different students will be able to connect to different aspects of the book.  In addition, Thunder Rolling in the Mountains would be a good book to use to talk about the differences between how people think of themselves, and how the outside world labels them.