Drumbeat Heartbeat: A Celebration of the Powwow

Braine, Susan. Drumbeat Heartbeat: A Celebration of the Powwow. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications Company, 1995.

Drumbeat Heartbeat is a nonfiction book about Native American powwows  that is very informational while still engaging its audience, and it reads very smoothly. With a preface and a word list, it ends up being a little over 47 pages, so in middle schools it would probably be for 6th graders who were perhaps behind in their reading level, or used as a class activity that lasts only a day or two. It would be an excellent book choice for teaching summarization skills. Another idea could be for the students to take one of the examples of tribal differences in powwows and traditions provided in the book and begin their own research projects, linking a writing component to the reading that has been done. 

The story of powwows that this book illuminates includes much more information than a non-Native person would assume, because the celebrations include not just dancing but camping, food and craft vendors, parades, contests, and giveaways honoring people who have accomplished something or passed away. The book also provides historical information on Indian men's participation in World War II and the dance and singing styles that came out of that camaraderie, the impact of the Indian Religious Freedom Act, and the exploitation of certain Indian dances by Buffalo Bill Cody in his Wild West show, and as such could be good to use interdisciplinary with students' History classes. On top of this, the book illustrates the significance and symbolism of certain animals and rituals. The importance of family and community connections, and the sense of connection across tribal difference, is a major trope throughout the short book, as well as the spiritual and artistic aspects of the events. The book also highlights the prevalence and scope of powwows throughout the U.S. and their openness to non-Native participation, which is important in helping students understand that Native American culture is still very present and often in interaction with other cultures in America. In this way, this book is a great way to talk about multiculturalism on a broader scale than many middle school students might be used to. Although it is short and the reading is not very challenging, the content makes Drumbeat Heartbeat great to include in a larger unit on multiculturalism in America.