Library @ Little Big Horn College

This is an Apsáalooke bibliography of books for teacher reference, classroom use, and librarian recommendation. The list was compiled in part by the library committee at Little Big Horn College. This is a good list of reliable sources for teachers and classroom use.

Bauerle, Phoenocia. 2003. The Way of the Warrior: Stories of the Apsáalooke People. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• The Way of the Warrior is a description of the significant events in three warriors’ lives: Red Bear, Spotted Horse, and Young Rabbit. Apsáalooke Tribal member Phoenocia Bauerle wrote the book based on materials written by her grandfather and uncle. The book is at a high school level.

Bears, Edwin C. 1970. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Washington: U.S. Office of History and Historic Architecture, Eastern Service Center.

• A historical review of significant events in the Big Horn National Recreation Area Park. The document was actually a government report.

Belue, Clarence Thomas. 1989. Oppressors, Power and Tears. Madison: University of Wisconsin Law School.

• A law dissertation about the history of federal laws that apply to the Apsáalooke Reservation. College Level.

Belue, Clarence Thomas. 1991. White Oppression and Enduring Red Tears. Madison: University of Wisconsin Law School.

• A law dissertation dealing with pre-post reservation laws. College level.

Bernardis, Tim. 1986. Crow Social Studies: Baleeisbaalichiwee. Crow Agency, Montana: Bilingual Materials Development Center.

• A small primer that even a grade school teacher could use for prep. I t includes brief chapters on Apsáalooke manners, the original political structure of the tribe, inter tribal warfare, the affects federal Indian policy, treaties, historical biographies of Chiefs, and a chapter about a typical year. Middle school to high school level.

Bradley, Charles C. 1970. After the Buffalo Days: Documents on Apsáalooke Indians from the 1880s to the 1920s. Master’s thesis, Montana State University, Bozeman.

• A master’s dissertation on the history of the early Crow reservation, based on documents that came in and out of the Apsáalooke Indian Superintendents office. High school to college level.

Bradley, Charles C. 1991. The Handsome People. Billings, Montana: Council for Indian Education.

• A book based on After the Buffalo Days master’s thesis from the same author. The dissertation was based on documents that came in and out of the Crow Indian Superintendents office. High school to college level.

Brown, Mark Herbert. 1969. The Plainsmen of the Yellowstone. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• A history of the early people living in the Yellowstone Valley with references to the Apsáalooke. High school level.

Crummet, Michael. 1993. Sundance. Helena, Montana: Falcon Press.

• This book is a photo essay of the 50th anniversary of the Crow Shoshone sun dance held in Pryor Montana on the Crow Reservation in 1991. The Big Day Family sponsored the event and invited the journalist to document it. High school level.

Curtis, Edward. 1970. The North American Indian, Vol. 4, The Apsaroke or Crows. New York: Johnson Reprint. Originally published in 1909.

• This includes history and culture of the Crow w/photos. It is an ethnographic study and considered a classic. College level.

Denig, Edwin Thompson. 1961. “Of the Crow Nation” in John Ewers, ed. Five Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Sioux, Arickaras, Assiniboines, Crees, Crow. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. Originally published in 1953.

• This book is a manuscript written by the man who ran the Fort Union trading post, located just outside of Sidney Montana. John Ewers edited the document and turned it into a book. It is basically stories and information Denig gathered and heard from different tribes trading at the post. This includes history, warfare, major personalities in the tribes as he knew them. The Crow personalities are Sore Belly and Woman Chief. Middle to high school level.

Fedullo, Mick. 1992. Light of the Feather. New York. Morrow.

• This book was written by a poet who has lived and worked on the Crow reservation for many years. Fedullo also works on other reservation across the west. He has a wonderful knack for teaching poetry and getting kids to write. The book includes many stories, as does the man, and includes anecdotes from all across Indian country. High school level.

Fitzgerald, Michael O. 1991. Yellowtail: The Medicine Man and Sun Dance Chief Speaks of the Sacred Ways of the Crow. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

• This book is split in two with half about sun dance leader Tom Yellowtail, and half describing the Crow Shoshone sun dance. High school level.

Frey, Rodney. 1987. The World of the Crow Indians: As Driftwood Lodges. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

• This book is a contemporary ethnography about the Native social structure of the Crow. It is high school to college level.

Hoxie, Frederick E. 1989. The Crow. New York: Chelsea House Publishers.

• This is a children’s book about the Crow. Grade level 4th and up, great even in high school.

Hoxie, Frederick E. 1995. Parading Through History: The Making of the Crow Nation in America, 1805-1935. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

• A history of the Crow people from contact thru 1930. Upper high school to college level. Used at Little Big Horn College (Crow Tribal College) for Crow history classes.

Hoxie, Frederick E. and Tim Bernardis. 2001. “Robert Yellowtail/Crow” in Edmunds, R. David, ed. The New Warriors: Native American Leaders Since 1900 Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• One chapter in a book is a biography of Robert Yellow Tail, an early reservation leader. The book also has one chapter on Janine Pease, a well-known Crow educator. The rest of the book includes biographies on other Indian reservation leaders from across America. High school level.

Larocque, Francois Antoine. 1985. “A Few Observations on the Rocky Mountain (Crow) Indians with Whom I Passed The Summer of 1805” in Wood, W. Raymond, ed. Early Fur Trade on the Northern Plains. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press.

• This is a manuscript edited for publication by Wood. It is high school level.

Lear, Jonathan. 2006. Radical Hope: Ethics in the Face of Cultural Devastation. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.

• This book is a philosophical analysis of Chief Plenty Coups’ decisions and political actions. It is post secondary to college level.

Linderman, Frank. 1963. Plenty-Coups, Chief of the Crows. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• A classic, this book is a biography of Chief Plenty Coup. Writer/anthropologist Linderman spent a week with Plenty Coup in 1930 interviewing him for the book. Young men love this book because of all of the details on inter-tribal warfare. It is middle school to high school level; the book is used in schools across the reservation.

Linderman, Frank. 1974. Pretty-Shield, Medicine Woman of the Crows. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• A classic, this is a biography of Pretty Shield, a Crow woman who made the transition into reservation life. Writer anthropologist Linderman spent a week with Pretty Shield in 1930 interviewing her for the book. It is a middle school to high school level book used in schools across the reservation.

Linderman, Frank. 1996. Old Man Coyote (Crow). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• This book contains various Old Man Coyote stories. In Crow tradition Old Man Coyote is a trickster. It is middle school to high school level.

Lowie, Robert. 1983. The Crow Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• This book is a classic ethnography of Crow culture in the 1800s. It is high school level.

Marquis, Thomas B. 1974. Memoirs of a White Crow Indian. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, Bison Books.

• Marquis’ book is a biography of Thomas LaForge, a white man who married a Crow woman and lived with the Crow in the late 1800s. LaForge’s home, a log cabin, is preserved for visitors at the Big Horn County Museum in Hardin. The book is high school level.

McCleary, Timothy P. 1997. The Stars We Know: Crow Indian Astronomy and Lifeways. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland Press.

• This book contains a series of interviews of Crow elders telling Crow stories about the stars. It is upper middle school to high school level. The book is used at Little Big Horn College.

McCleary, Timothy P. Carter, Thomas and Chappell, Edward. 2005. Tipis and Square Houses. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks.

• This is the park handbook for Chief Plenty Coup State Park in Pryor Montana. With photos, drawing, and text the book describes the Crows transition from the tepee to log and frame homes. It includes information Crow Chief’s Plenty Coups and Pretty Eagle, using their homes as a reference for the Crow transition to reservation life. Middle school to high school level.

Medicine Crow, Joseph. 1992. From the Heart of the Crow Country. New York: Orion Books.

• This book has various stories and historical accounts written by Crow Tribal Historian Joseph Medicine Crow. It is a high school level book.

Medicine Crow, Joseph. 1992. Brave Wolf and the Thunderbird. New York. Abbeville Press Publishers.

• This book is a children’s version of a classic Northern Plains story of Brave Wolf versus Thunderbird. Elementary level.

Medicine Crow, Joseph. 2006. Counting Coup. National Geographic Books.

• This book is an autobiography of Joseph Medicine Crow’s young life beginning with his birth in 1913 until he went into World War II. The selection was written for young people. Middle school to high school level.

Medicine Horse, Mary Helen. 1987. A Dictionary of Everyday Crow. Crow Agency, Montana: Bilingual Materials Development Center.

• This Crow English/English Crow dictionary of the Crow language with a listing of the Crow alphabet and its use. This book is used at schools across the Crow reservation.

Nabokov, Peter. 1967. Two Leggings: The Making of a Crow Warrior. New York: Crowell.

• This book is a biography of Crow Chief Two Leggings who lived into the reservation era, dying in 1921. It is high school level. This book is used in schools across the reservation.

Old Coyote, Henry. 1980. Isshiiooshkunnaalaau. Crow Agency, Montana: Bilingual Materials Development Center.

• This book written by Crow Tribal member the late Henry Old Coyote is literally translated in English as “the search for red hairs” hair. The traditional story relates the origins of the Crow tepee, written in both Crow and in English languages. Elementary level.

Old Coyote, Henry. 1985. Uuwatisee. Crow Agency, Montana: Bilingual Materials Development Center.

• A book written by Crow Tribal member the late Henry Old Coyote relaying a traditional story of Big Iron an orphan boy thrown over a cliff by his step father, the origins of the seven rams, where the Big Horn Mountains get their name. It is elementary level.

Old Coyote, Mickey. 1993. Apsaalooka: The Crow Nation Then and Now. Greensburg, PA: MacDonald/Swãrd Publishing Company.

• This book is a legal history of the Crow Tribe by Crow Tribal member the late Mickey Old Coyote. High school to college level

Old Horn, Dale D. 1986. Baaanniile. Crow Agency, Montana: Bilingual Materials Development Center.

• This literally translates as “path of the people’. It contains various ethical and moral teachings of the Crow tribe written in Crow and English by Crow Tribal member Dale Old Horn. It is at high school level.

Old Horn, Dale D. and Timothy P. McCleary. 1995. Apsáalooke Social and Family Structure. Crow Agency, Montana: Little Big Horn College.

• This is a textbook with a description of Crow family and political structure written by Crow Tribal member Dale Old Horn and Little Big Horn College professor Timothy McCleary. High school to college level. Used at Little Big Horn College, order from Little Big Horn College.

Real Bird, Henry. 1972. Far Out, A Rodeo Horse. The Indian Reading Series. www.nwrel.org

• This is a children’s book written by Crow Tribal member and cowboy poet Henry Real Bird. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. This is a wonderful book for Montana children who are familiar with rodeo, it is not about the Crow, but comes with a Crow perspective because of the author’s world view. Elementary level.

Real Bird, Henry. 1972. Santa Clause Comes to the Reservation. The Indian Reading Series. www.nwrel.org

• This is a children’s book written and illustrated by Crow Tribal member and cowboy poet Henry Real Bird. This funny story relates what happened when Santa Clause first arrived on the Crow Reservation. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. Elementary level.

Real Bird, Henry. 1972. The Water Story. The Indian Reading Series. www.nwrel.org

• This is a children’s book written and illustrated by Crow Tribal member and cowboy poet Henry Real Bird. This book relates the story of water, great for science too. It is not about the Crow, but comes with a Crow perspective because of the author’s world view. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. Elementary level.

Real Bird, Henry. 1972. I Am a Rock. The Indian Reading Series. www.nwrel.org

• This is a children’s book written and illustrated by Crow Tribal member and cowboy poet Henry Real Bird. This book tells the story of a rock, charming. It is not about the Crow, but comes with a Crow perspective because of the author’s world view. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. Elementary level.

Real Bird, Henry. 1972. End of Summer. The Indian Reading Series. www.nwrel.org

• This is a children’s book written and illustrated by Crow Tribal member and cowboy poet Henry Real Bird. This book is about a boy lamenting the end of summer and tells about his activities. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. Elementary level.

Real Bird, Henry. 1972. Tepee, Sun, and Time. The Indian Reading Series. www.nwrel.org

• This is a children’s book written and illustrated by Crow Tribal member and cowboy poet Henry Real Bird. This is a wonderful book about how the Crows can tell time based on the sun’s position inside a tepee. Great for science class. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. Elementary level.

Real Bird, Henry. 1972. Birds and People. The Indian Reading Series. www.nwrel.org

• This is a children’s book written and illustrated by Crow Tribal member and cowboy poet Henry Real Bird. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. Elementary level.

Real Bird, Henry. 1972. My Name is Pop. The Indian Reading Series. www.nwrel.org

• This is a children’s book written and illustrated by Crow Tribal member and cowboy poet Henry Real Bird. This book is the story of a pop bottle found on the side of the road. It is not about the Crow, but comes with a Crow perspective because of the author’s world view. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. Elementary level.

Reed, George. 1983. Isaahkawuattelak biaxaakuumnak awe chichiiluuk: The Crow Story of Creation for Young Readers. Crow Agency, Montana: Bilingual Materials Development Center.

• Literally translated as “Old man coyote and the ducks create the earth” this story, as related by Crow Tribal member George Reed, is the Crow’s creation story. Elementary to middle school level.

Russell, Angela. 1978—and continuing. Apsáalooke Calendar. Apsáalooke Calendar Crow Design, Angela Russell, Box 333, Lodge Grass, Mt. 59050, angirusl@nemontel.net

• These calendars, made yearly by former Montana State Representative Angela Russell, are beautiful! They include monthly historic photos of Crow people, with descriptions of the photo and where it was located. In addition the calendars include one poem, per month, written by Lodge Grass school students. Occasionally Ms. Russell has past calendars for sale as well. These would be so wonderful for classroom use, because the photos reveal many snapshots of Crow life, including dances, camps, family life, Crow Fair, and more. The poetry is touching and offers the worldview and experiences of contemporary Crow youth. As of 2007 the calendars were still under $15.

Slapin, Beverly.; Seale, Doris.; Gonzales, Rosemary.; Fadden, John K. 1995. How to Tell the Difference: A Guide to Evaluating Children’s Books for Anti-Indian Bias: Oyate Revised edition

• Multicultural Studies. Co-writtten by Doris Seale and Rosemary Gonzalez. Since the realities of Native lifeways are almost completely unknown to outsiders, it is often very difficult for them to evaluate children’s books about American Indians. For this reason, this list of criteria was compiled in the hope that it will make it easier for a teacher, librarian or student to choose non-racist and undistorted books about the lives and histories of indigenous peoples. HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE was originally a chapter in THROUGH INDIAN EYES: THE NATIVE EXPERIENCE IN BOOKS FOR CHILDREN, which is also available through SPD.

Smith, Helene and Lloyd George Mickey Old Coyote. 1995. Flag and Emblem of the Apsaalooka Nation. Greensburg, PA: MacDonald/Swãrd Publishing Company.

• This book has a detailed description of the Crow Tribe flag, written by Crow Tribal member the late Mickey Old Coyote. Middle school to high school level.

Snell, Alma. 2000. Grandmother’s Grandchild: My Crow Indian Life. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• This book is an autobiography of Crow Tribe member Alma Snell. Her maternal grandmother Pretty Shield raised Snell when her mother died at a young age. Snell is known across the state for her work as an herbalist and healer and sought after as a speaker. She has a video of her talk available as well. High School level.

Snell, Alma Hogan. 2006. A Taste of Heritage: Crow Indian Recipes and Herbal Medicines. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

• This is a cookbook of sorts written by Crow Tribe member Alma Snell that includes not only recipes, but additional culturally relevant information. Ms. Snell has a wonderful way with words and wisdom; the book lists and offers anecdotal evidence of various healing plants as well. Her maternal grandmother Pretty Shield raised Snell when her mother died at a young age. Snell is known across the state for her work as an herbalist and healer and sought after as a speaker. She has a video available as well.

Toineeta, Yellowtail Joy. 1972. Grandma Rides in the Parade. Northwest Indian Reading Series.

• This is a children’s book written by Crow Tribal member the late Joy Yellowtail Toineeta; the book is illustrated by Audrey Toineeta. The story provides a great glimpse at a family at Crow Fair. The book is part of a series. Anyone can download copies of the book from the Northwest Indian Education Association website. Elementary level.

Voget, Fred. 1984. The Shoshoni-Crow Sun Dance. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

• This book is a description of the transfer of the Shoshone sun dance to the Crow; it also includes a description of the sun dance ceremony itself. High school level.

Voget, Fred. 1995. They Call Me Agnes. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

• This book is a biography of Agnes Yellowtail Deernose. Voget wrote this book to provide a woman’s story of early reservation life. High school level.

DeMallie, Raymond J., ed. 2001. Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 13, Plains Washington: Smithsonian Institution.

• This book includes one chapter on the Crow written by anthropologist Fred Voget. College level.

Vanderworth, W.C., compiled by 1971. Indian Oratory, Famous Speeches by Noted Indian Chieftains, New York New York: Balentine Books.

• This book contains one speech by an Apsáalooke, Chief Blackfoot.

Wildschut, William and John Ewers. 1960. Crow Indian Beadwork: A Descriptive and Historical Study. New York: Museum of the American Indian.

• This book has descriptions of early reservation era beadwork styles. High school level.

Wildschut, William. 1975. Crow Indian Medicine Bundles. New York: Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation.

• This book has descriptions of Crow medicine bundles held by the Natural Museum of the American Indian. High school level.

Wolf, Helen Pease. 1989. Reaching Both Ways. Laramie, Wyoming: Jelm Mountain Publications.

• This book is a biography of Helen Pease Wolf; it is valuable for content and the descriptions of the Pease family. Middle school to high school level.

Yellowtail, Thomas. 2007. Native Spirit The Sun Dance Way. Ed. And recorded by Fitzgerald, Michael O. World Wisdom Inc.

• This is a photo essay/book with an introduction by Crow Tribe historian Joseph Medicine Crow. The book is based on an autobiography of the late Thomas Yellowtail, written with Fitzgerald in 1991. The book has many beautiful photos dating from 1903 to 2004. It includes materials from elders of several other tribes. Middle school to high school level.