The Boy and the Buffalo

The Boy and the Buffalo
by Kerry Wood

The Boy and the Buffalo is about a First Nations boy named O-Shees. I got this book when my grandparents came to visit and my Nana gave me a pile of books from when she was a child. The one that interested me most was The Boy and the Buffalo. It is a story based on true events when O-Shees became separated from his tribe and lived with the buffalo for a time. I found out O-Shees, also known as Jim O'Chiese, was a real man who later became chief of his band near Rocky Mountain House, Alta.  The author of the book, however, embellished his story a lot to make it more interesting.

My mom and I did an Internet search about what really happened to Jim O'Chiese ( O-Shees ). We were lead to Virtualmuseum.ca where we found copies of notes written by Henry Stelfox, who knew O'Chiese firsthand. Stelfox also recorded O'Chiese own words about his experience.

According to the notes, O-Shees' tribe was trying to evade the Blackfoot tribe at night and he was travelling with them on a travois. He got off the travois and fell asleep under a bush because he was very tired. The tribe travelled on but his parents didn't notice he was missing until it was too late. A few people who were in there tribe came looking for O-Shees, but they did not succeed in finding him.

When O-Shees woke up, he realized he had been left behind. He was very afraid. On the morning of the third day that he was lost, he awoke to see two old buffalo bulls standing a short distance away from him. They did not bother O-Shees in anyway, they just seemed to be curious about him. As they walked away, they occasionally looked back at him as if inviting him to follow them. He was very frightened and lonely, so he followed them at a distance. While they grazed, O-Shees hunted for birds eggs and young birds to eat, which he found lots of.

In the Boy and the buffalo book, O-Shees is adopted by two buffalo cows that lost their calves. O-Shees survives by drinking their milk. I don't think a wild animal would really try to adopt a boy. Our Jersey cow sure would, but I don't think a buffalo cow would. I think they would either charge or run away.

But even though there were many parts that were made up, I enjoyed this book because I had never read a book about the First Nations people and it helped me to learn about them. I also liked this book because it is written well and is not dull. But I didn't like that the northern lights are called the 'Dead Man's Dance' in the story. It's not a very nice name for such a pretty thing.

The book is worth reading and even my younger siblings enjoyed it when my mom read it aloud to them (I had read it first and told them about it). The real story is also very interesting. You can read copies of Stelfox's notes about O'Chiese here:

http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/histoires_de_chez_nous-community_memories/pm_v2.php?id=search_record_detail&fl=0&lg=English&ex=00000290&hs=0&sy=&st=O%27Chiese&ci=&rd=172932#

Raccoons on the Roof

Raccoons on the Roof
by Ben M. Baglio

Raccoons on the Roof is a Animal Ark book. It doesn't take place in its usual location in Welford, Yorkshire, because the main character Mandy is visiting Blue Bayous, in Florida. It is about Mandy, Joel, a boy from New York, and Courtney, who is from Blue Bayous and daughter of a man who hates animals.

Raccoons are usually viewed as pests, but in this book the author gives a different perspective. They can be both pests and cute friends, they just have to be managed right. I like this book because even though Courtney's dad hated animals and thought raccoons are pests, he learned a lesson from them.

Some Animal Ark books are predictable, but this one isn't. In places you don't know what will happen, and that's what makes this book special. But I don't like how Mandy spoke to Joel on the beach, even if she found out that she was wrong. Mandy got angry and accused Joel of doing things she didn't know if he had done or not.

But overall, I found Raccoons on the Roof scary, cute and funny. It's most suited to those ages 7 to 10, or anyone who enjoys animal stories.

First Lady of the Seeing Eye

First Lady of the Seeing Eye
By Morris Frank and Blake Clark

First Lady of the Seeing Eye is a book written by Morris Frank and Blake Clark. I read the Reader's Digest condensed version. It is about the first seeing eye dog in America, Buddy. It is taken from the view of Morris himself, who is blind and owned Buddy.

I came across this book when I had nothing to read and I had read all the children's books in the house. Then my Mom handed me an old copy of Reader's Digest Twenty Best Books. She suggested I read Wilderness Wife by Kathrene Pinkerton but what really interested me was The First Lady of the Seeing Eye. I had read a children's reader version of the story called Buddy a few years ago and I wanted to know more about it.

I think the author wrote this book so others would know all the wonderful things Buddy did. Buddy obeyed and helped her owner to the end, sensed when there was danger and always did something to stop it. I think people should read this book because it shows how the seeing eye program got started, the difficulties of people who are blind, and how they can overcome the difficulties with a seeing eye dog.

Morris said getting a seeing eye dog was like getting out of a prison. He could go to the barber shop and go straight back home without waiting for someone to come and take him. 

This book is not a children's book, nor just a adults's book, but a book someone of any age would enjoy very much. I think even my five-year-old sister would enjoy it if it was read aloud to her. Now I certainly know the wonderful things Buddy did. And everyone that reads this book will, too.

The book is happy, and funny. I would recommend this book because it makes me laugh and be happy, but it is also sad at the end. It shows how animals have lives and feelings, just like us.

Top 10 Pony Pal Favourites

The Pony Pal series is a series of books written by Jeanne Betancourt. They are about three girls, Pam Crandal, Lulu Sanders, and Anna Harley. It is called Pony Pals because the girls own ponies, and they are pals. I enjoy this series because they aren't dry and boring. In every book there is a mystery to solve or a problem to overcome. And the pals solve the problems by working together. They'll each think of an way to solve the problem and then all decide which idea would work the best.

Some of Ms. Betancourt's books I won't recommend, like The Pony and the Haunted House and Magic Pony because even if the haunted barn isn't haunted, I don't like them saying it could be.

These below are my top ten favourites. I've read almost all of the Pony Pal books.

1) The Last Pony Ride
2) Western Pony
3) The Girl who Hated Ponies
4) The Baby Pony
5) The Pony and the Lost Swan
6) A Pony in Trouble
7) The Pony and the Bear
8) The Newborn Pony

9) The Pony and the Missing Dog
10) Circus Pony

Top 10 Animal Ark Favourites

Animal Ark is a series of books written by Ben M. Baglio. You may wonder why it is called Animal Ark. It is because Mandy and her family ( Mandy Hope, Adam Hope and Emily Hope ) live in a vet clinic called Animal Ark Veterinary Clinic. Mandy is the vet's daughter. In some books Mandy does naughty things, but she gets punished. They also teach lessons. I think a good scripture from the Bible for Animal Ark would be Proverbs 12:10, "A good man regards the life of his beast". Mandy loves animals of all shapes and sizes and cares for them as if they were human. Her best friend, James, cares about animals as much as she does. As a side note, you may get confused with Walton and Welford in the books. Welford is were Mandy lives, and Walton is were Mandy's school is.

I haven't read all the Animal Ark books, but I've read a lot! These are my recommended and top ten favourites:


1) Ponies at the Point

2) Goat in the Garden

3) Cub in the Cupboard

4) Pony in the Pumpkin Patch

5) Chick Challenge (Animal Ark Pets)

6) Shetland in the Shed

7) Hamster in the Handbasket

8) Raccoons on the Roof

9) Husky in a Hut

10) Dog at the Door