Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)
Katie, whose Nanticoke name is Red Bird, is headed for the annual fall powwow. It is a joyous time, when relatives gather together to dance, eat, sell their crafts, and listen to stories. As family ties are strengthened and traditions passed from one generation to another, we see it all in the wonderful oil paintings of Doney. His pictures of the dancers, their colorful costumes and happy faces tell more than the words what a truly happy event this powwow is for Red Bird. 1996, Lothrop, $16.00 and $15.93. Ages 4 up.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1996)
Mitchell (Down Buttermilk Lane, 1993, etc.) makes the Nanticoke powwow near Millsboro, Delaware, an event that becomes a visual feast in Doney's eye-catching illustrations. The powwow is seen through the eyes of a young girl, Katie, whose family is of Nanticoke descent. Each September these city dwellers travel to the farm where the powwow is held. As Katie hears the beating of the drums, she feels her "Katie" self slipping away; she becomes Red Bird, Nanticoke daughter. As rendered by Doney, the participants of the powwow are plain folks who achieve a special dignity when dressed in native regalia. As is true of museum pieces, the paintings are best observed from a distance; the luminous colors will fill the eyes of young listeners at story hours. Katie's perspective makes the whole experience accessible in this readable, informative book. 1996, Lothrop, $16.00; PLB $15.93. © 1996 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Amy E. Brandt (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 1996 (Vol. 50, No. 1))
Bring the trunk of regalia down from the attic. Load the station wagon with camping gear and Dad's feather headdress. September heralds the Nanticoke powwow, held in a bayside grove of pines in Delaware, far away from the noise-filled city where Katie lives with her family. For two days, Katie assumes her Nanticoke name and identity; "Red Bird, Nanticoke Daughter" reunites with relatives, dances to the drums with her scarlet shawl, eats fry bread with spicy beans, buys a beaded headband, and listens to Grandfather's stories around a campfire. All of the elements comprising a powwow are there, but the personal connection one expects from a fictional account is lacking: Who is Katie? What is she thinking and feeling? Is this the only time of the year she celebrates her Native heritage? In addition, flat writing ("On Monday, Mom puts on her uniform and goes to her work at the hospital. Dad returns to his office. Katie is off to school") interspersed with an idealized vision in quasi-mystical and self-conscious prose ("She will hear her people singing. She will hear the far-off drums. The heartbeat of the People stays with her all year long") makes this A Book About Indians without conveying much about Indians at all. It is Doney's illustrations that leave readers with an I-was-there feeling; his figures have a photographic quality that is softened by the texture of the oil paints against the canvas. Sunlight dapples dancers and regalia, implying vitality and movement. Readers hoping to learn more about powwow traditions and participants might pair this with George Ancona's photoessay Powwow (BCCB 5/93). Ad--Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. (c) Copyright 1996, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1996, Lothrop, 32p, $15.93 and $16.00. Grades 2-4.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, 1996)
Lush and vivid paintings suffused with light and shadow extend themes of family and Native American traditions. This is the story of one family's participation in an annual powwow in southern Delaware. The celebration of ancient customs and contemporary camaraderie are seen through the eyes of a proud young girl named Red Bird. A concise history of the Nanticoke tribe is included. Category: Fiction. 1996, Lothrop, 32pp.. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.