Book review: Sarah Winnemucca Scout, Activist and Teacher       

Author: Natalie M. Rosinsky

Compass Point Books 2006

Non-fiction

Thocmetony “Sarah” Winnemucca was a Kuyuidika-a woman born in 1844. Her birth shortly preceded the arrival of Whites from the east who, through Manifest Destiny felt entitled to the land. Sarah’s life began on a very traditional path until she and her family were forced to move to California. Many events that caused the Piute to lose their land, struggle with disease and poverty, be denied education and live with no basic rights. Sarah’s story is almost lost in the telling of the history of the Piutes and it can be difficult to understand what moitivated many of her actions. However, middle school students who read this book would need this context to understand the difficulties Sarah faced.

Sarah’s grandfather, “Captain Truckee” was a leader of the Nuyuidika-a, one of the Northern Pauite bands. He was somewhat forward thinking, accepting the presence of Whites without prejudice. The consequences were devastating. Winnemucca herself accepted many of the ways of the whites and was not always accepted by her own people for doing so. She was able to receive an education, could read, write and speak both English and Spanish. She wrote the first book published by a Native American woman north of the Mississippi, Life among the Piutes: Their Wrongs and Claims.

As an adult reading this book, it can be easy to see it as another book that presents wise, mystical and exotic natives. However, Rosinsky actually does a talented job of smoothing the horrors committed by Natives and Whites and of trimming Winnemucca’s misjudgments into a story acceptable for middle school students.

Rosinsky’s book is supplemented with evidence from Winnemucca’s book and from photo archives. The back of the book also offers links to Internet resources, timelines and museums.

Rosinsky’s biography of Northern Paiute leader Sarah Winnemucca was honored by the Western Writers of America as a finalist in the 2007 Spur Award competition for juvenile nonfiction. Sarah Winnemucca: Scout, Activist, and Teacher also represented the state of Nevada at the 2006 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. This biography was named one of 2006’s best books for children by the Bank Street College of Education.