Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gorgeous picture book brings timely peace message.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In the 14th century, Mohawk warrior Hiawatha returns home to find everything burned to the ground and his wife and daughters slain. Knowing this can only be the work of the evil Chief Tadodaho, Hiawatha is planning revenge when a stranger appears. It's the Peacemaker, who brings a new message: The five Iroquois tribes must stop warring with one another and behave as one family. His word is strong, but his voice is weak because of a speech impediment, so he asks Hiawatha, a fine speaker, to help him reach the tribes. Soon HIAWATHA AND THE PEACEMAKER set sail in a white canoe of hand-carved stone, hoping to persuade the nations to lay down their weapons; they face many challenges along the way.
Is It Any Good?
A long-overlooked, still-timely story, which Robbie Robertson first heard as a child from an Iroquois elder, comes to life in stately language and rich, brilliantly colored illustrations. Robertson complements the book's strong, poetic narrative with an audio track, "The Peacemaker," in which he tells another version of the legend. Kids too young to read the book themselves or to understand all the vocabulary will be drawn in by the sound and rhythm of the words, as well as by David Shannon's magnificent illustrations.
Sensitive or nightmare-prone kids may have trouble with some situations, especially the killing of Hiawatha's family, or images, especially of monstrous villains and characters in face paint.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Native American history and what North America was like before the arrival of Columbus and other Europeans. What other stories do you know about this time?
Do you think that fighting makes sense as a way to solve problems, or do you think something else might work better?
Have you ever been nice to someone who hadn't been nice to you? How did it turn out?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : David Shannon
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , History
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Abrams
- Publication date : September 8, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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