Told in the rhythms of traditional oral narrative, this powerful telling of the history of the Native/Indigenous peoples of North America recounts their story from Creation to the invasion and usurpation of Native lands. As more and more people arrived, The People saw that the new men did not respect the land. The People witnessed the destruction of their Nations and the enslavement of their people. The People fought hard, but eventually agreed to stop fighting and signed treaties.

Many things changed and became more difficult, but The People continued to farm and create crafts. They remembered and told their children, "You are Shawnee. You are Lakota. You are Pima. You Acoma. . . . You are all these Nations of the People." The People held onto their beliefs and customs and found solidarity with other oppressed people. And despite struggles against greed, destruction of their lands, and oppression, The People persisted.

“The times call on all of us to share The People Shall Continue. Ortiz reminds us that we must come together to save our planet.” —Debbie Reese (Nambé Pueblo), PhD and publisher, American Indians in Children's Literature

Republished for its fortieth anniversary, this powerful story by renowned Acoma Pueblo poet and storyteller Simon J. Ortiz traces the history of Native/ Indigenous people of North America from the time of creation to the present. - (Baker & Taylor)

Traces the progress of the Indians of North America from the time of the Creation to the present - (Baker & Taylor)

Republished for its fortieth anniversary, this powerful story by renowned Acoma Pueblo poet and storyteller Simon J. Ortiz traces the history of Native / Indigenous people of North America from the time of creation to the present.

Many, many years ago, all things came to be.
The stars, rocks, plants, rivers, animals.
Mountains, sun, moon, birds, all things.
And the People were born.

Told in the rhythms of traditional oral narrative, this powerful telling of the history of the Native/Indigenous peoples of North America recounts their story from Creation to the invasion and usurpation of Native lands. As more and more people arrived, The People saw that the new men did not respect the land. The People witnessed the destruction of their Nations and the enslavement of their people. The People fought hard, but eventually agreed to stop fighting and signed treaties.

Many things changed and became more difficult, but The People continued to farm and create crafts. They remembered and told their children, "You are Shawnee. You are Lakota. You are Pima. You are Acoma... You are all these Nations of the People." The People held onto their beliefs and customs and found solidarity with other oppressed people. And despite struggles against greed, destruction of their lands, and oppression, The People persisted.

Republished for its fortieth anniversary, this powerful story by renowned Acoma Pueblo poet and storyteller Simon J. Ortiz traces the history of Native / Indigenous people of North America from the time of creation to the present.

Simon J. Ortiz is a Puebloan writer of the Acoma Pueblo tribe, and one of the key figures in the second wave of what has been called the Native American Renaissance. Ortiz has published many books of poetry, short fiction, and nonfiction, but The People Shall Continue is his only book for young readers. His writing focuses on modern people's alienation from others, from oneself, and from one's environment--urging humanity to reconnect the wisdom of ancestral spirits and with Mother Earth. Ortiz lives in Tempe, Arizona.

Sharol Graves is a multimedia artist who creates innovative paintings, serigraphs and computer-generated artworks. She studied art at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico during high school and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Mills College in Oakland, California. Her artwork has been shown throughout the U.S. since 1977. Her Native American Indian lineage includes Chief Tecumseh of the Shawnee Tribe and Chief Peter Graves of the Red Lake Chippewa Tribe. She is a member of the Absentee Shawnee tribe.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

A compact and rightly sobering overview of the history of native Americans, this begins with their story of Creation and continues through the white man's usurpation of Indian lands and, too often, lore. It is written in straightforward syntax and in the cadences of traditional oral narration; as such, it derives its power from direct, forceful statements and the repetition of phrases and rhythms that assume a quiet insistence. The accompanying illustrations are similarly unembroidered yet dignified; they contain simply drawn figures and shapes, strong, vivid colors and a minimum of pattern and detail. A self-described ``teaching story'' whose mission is to instill a sense of responsibility for life, this is necessarily expository rather than dramatic; its lesson is inarguably worthy. Ages 7-12. (Jan.) Copyright 1988 Cahners Business Information.