Greg M. Romaneck (Children's Literature)
When Joseph Medicine Crow was born on October 13, 1913, there were no doctors, nurses, or other medical staff around. No, Joseph was born on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, under the supervision of a medicine woman who specialized in childbirth. With the smell of burning cedar in the air, Joseph began his eventful life among his people. Over the years Joseph Medicine Crow experienced the joys and pains of living among the Crow Indians in the American West. A proud people with a noble warrior tradition, the Crow Indians occupied land that had once been a part of their much larger ancestral holdings. Life on the reservation was both uplifting and painful for Joseph. His experiences in white schools were laced with prejudice and violence. Ultimately, Joseph Medicine Crow became the first Crow Indian man to graduate from college. Joseph went on to fight in World War II in Europe. There, Joseph “counted coup” through brave hearted service and returned to Montana as a Crow war chief. This story of life on the plains makes up this episodic recollection and autobiography. In this title Joseph Medicine Crow shares insights not only into his own life but also the culture of his people. Besides personal anecdotes, the author also relates elements of mythology, Native American lore, and history that are enlightening. This is a touching book about a man whose life and times were unique. Readers with any interest in Native American studies will thoroughly enjoy the author’s story. 2006, National Geographic, $15.95. Ages 10 up.

Louise Miller (Library Media Connection, November/December 2006)
Counting Coup is a memoir of Chief Joseph Medicine Crow. In this book, we learn about his life on a reservation in Montana. Crow describes the four trials he had to perform in order to become a chief. In each one he risks his life. The Chief tells of what life was like on the reservation when he was growing up, about school, and the stories that they tell. Illustrations consist of an insert of four color pictures in the center pages. Although some students will be interested in the content, more visuals would attract a greater number. Researchers will find some useful information for reports. Additional Selection. 2006, National Geographic Society, 128pp., $15.95 hc. Ages 10 to 13.

Karen Coates, Reviewer (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, May 2006 (Vol. 59, No. 9))
In this autobiography of a life that has spanned most of the twentieth century, Joseph Medicine Crow paints a vivid picture of growing up Crow. He describes the harsh training regime his grandfather subjected him to, the intricate web of family relationships that enveloped him, and the fun and hardships of boyhood on the Montana Crow reservation and at various schools, as well as how he became the last traditional chief of the Crow people. The titular “counting coup” refers to the four dangerous feats required of warriors to become a chief, each of which he accomplished during his service in World War II rather than in battle with the Sioux, the historical enemies of the Crow people. He matter-of-factly describes the contradictions of twentieth-century Native American life; he explains how, while the adults had a hard time adjusting to life on the reservation, the boys made their own fun, how the need for a school on the reservation led to an appeal to the Baptists, resulting in a fusion of religious traditions, and how he was determined to become a warrior in the Crow tradition, even though the United States Army didn’t function according to tribal law. He devotes chapters to the Native accounts of the Battle of Little Bighorn and the spiritual traditions and beliefs of his people, offering accounts of personal experience with those stories and traditions, rather than anthropologically or historically thorough treatments. His unapologetically bellicose ambitions may give some readers anxious to diffuse stereotypes of Native American savagery pause, but his personable and action-oriented account of his life will especially appeal to boy readers pining for a carefree life marked by a warrior’s glory. A forward by Herman J. Viola and color pictures of Joseph and his family are included. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2006, National Geographic, 128p, $23.90 and $15.95. Grades 5-8.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2006)
With Herman J. Viola. Ninety-year-old Joseph Medicine Crow recalls his childhood and youth on Montana's Crow Indian Reservation. In a cheerful, dryly humorous, and occasionally garrulous voice, he retells stories he heard from elders about the Battle of Little Bighorn, his own tales of school and summers, and his four WWII coups that made him a "full-fledged Crow war chief." Category: Nonfiction-History. 2006, National, 128pp, 15.95, 23.90. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.

Jan Chapman (VOYA, August 2006 (Vol. 29, No. 3))
This fascinating account of life on a Crow reservation is told by a Crow chief and tribal anthropologist. The author was born in 1913 on the Crow reservation in Eastern Montana and trained as a Crow warrior, but he also enjoyed a carefree childhood full of games and Crow lore. It ended abruptly when he was sent to a Baptist mission school and forced by white teachers to shed his tribal identity. Yet he was a bright student who quickly learned to balance life in both worlds and ended up the first male member of the Crow tribe to graduate from college. Inducted into the army in 1942, he served his country overseas during World War II. Because of his bravery in battle, he became a Crow war chief upon his return to the reservation. After the war, he earned a Master's Degree in anthropology and was appointed tribal anthropologist, allowing him to document the quickly vanishing Crow cultural legacy. This primary account of life as a Crow warrior is invaluable to students learning about Native American culture and history. Joseph Medicine Crow tells his story in an absorbing, humorous style borrowed from the tradition of Crow storytelling. It would be an excellent addition to middle school history curriculums as it brings the past to life in a way that textbooks often fail to do. The colorful photos included in the text heighten the immediacy of the narrative. The book is highly recommended for both public and school libraries. VOYA CODES: 4Q 2P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2006, National Geographic, 128p.; Photos., $15.95. Ages 11 to 15.