The Porcupine Year (Birchbark House, 3)

I'm reading Erdrich's Birchbark series to compare her work for children vs adults and also just to get a fuller sense of her representations of the Ojibwa. I highly recommend it to adults. The 1st 2 books in the series are on Audible, but not the last 3. So if you want an audio version of book 3, this is the only one you can get. It's on 4 disks and easily transfers to your music on yr computer. Came in perfect, new condition. Arrived on time. Just remember that you'll probably need a CD drive since so many computers don't have them today.

My 10 year old son and I have been reading this series for about a year and a half - no longer as a nightly bedtime story as we did with other books when he was younger, but in moments grabbed out of our increasingly busy days. One of us reads a bit ahead, the other catches up, and I've had to restrain him from spoiling the book for me many times. As we reached the end of this third book, I felt sure that there was another following it.. and I don't know what to do now that there isn't!This series is a must-read, full of emotion and details of the life of survival that all of our ancestors led. We've cried many times as beloved characters have been lost or betrayed.. we've marveled at human ingenuity. I sincerely hope that the author is still working on the continuation... we need to see Omakayas grow up and meet her destiny as she saw it in the Game of Silence.These are such beautiful, clean, moving novels.. if only there were more books like this to expand children's hearts and introduce them to the reality of life.

Picked this for my kid's for they're AR reading. I bought it because they're Native American's and it's hard to find a book that shows a more "real" picture of the daily life and struggles of the Native American's of the past that young people find interesting and will read on their own. It's hard to find AR books at their level that will keep them hooked so that they'll finish it on their own because they like it, not because they "have" to read it. I like how the author shares Omakaya's, the young girl and also the main character, feelings and how she struggles with good and bad thoughts like all kid's do but also what she does about them. So far I've seen 2 of my 5 girl's open it on their kindles. They tell me it's "pretty good" which means they like it too.

I loved all 4 of the Birchbark series books. They were written for children, but within the stories was a lot of material about the Ojibwe culture. It, as well as the other 3 of the series, was a clean interesting story which could be read independently, but is best if read in the sequence of the series. The series convey the pain of having to move from where you have lived a long time. Louise Erdrich is a great writer even though some of her books have some racier parts that help convey the story of life on the reservation which in some ways is much like life in a small town where everybody knows everybody and families have known each other for years.

This book gives the reader great insight into the life-style, attitudes and cultural values of out First Nation friends. Reading this book puts right into the Boundary Water's Quetico region, locked into a family that is trying to survive a harsh environment and an unjust external environment of unscrupulous trappers and government agents. It allows the reader great insight into the tenacity against social and environmental struggles that kept the Anishinaabe people thriving to the present day.Richard R. Roach, MD, FACP, author of Saving Skunk.

A marvelous insight into life in Indian country through the eyes and emotions of a young girl. A culture very different and at the same time not very different at all. Danger, jealousy, budding love, coming of age, learning old wisdom and the power of family and friendship - this has it all. I loved every minute of it.

I have read many of the books that Ms. Erdrich has written. Each one is amazing in it's own way. With this book you will be swept away by the danger, romance, sacrifice and drama that the author spreads out like a feast before you. I highly recommend this novel to all - not just those who love a great book about Native Americans.

I have enjoyed reading these books with my daughters. We have learned so much from them, and have really come to care about the characters. Throughout Erdrich depicts the wonder that children take in the world around them, and the resilience and love of this little family.

even though I think it is a children's book I loved it, as I have done with everything Louise has written.

I use this well written culturally nuanced and child development authentic rendition for my teacher candidates to learn about Native American childhood experience history....as a counterpoint to the Laura Inglis Wilder books that all are overly familiar with ...the American mythos that inapproriately renders the First Americans invisible and disappearing celebrating genocide in the Americas.....Erdrich provide a more truthful version of North American history from the perspective of Native Americans...esp. children need to read this..this book is one in a series that chronicles the life of a girl child and her family