Only the Names Remain: The Cherokees and The Trail of Tears - Alex W. Bealer

A solid and informative piece of children's non-fiction based on the Trail of Tears.  I can't say it makes for the most thrilling reading, however, and I feel that a more engaging format could have been utilized. 

 

It's also worth noting that Native American children's literature expert, Debbie Reese, has some pretty strong objections to this book.  Mainly she dislikes how the book implies that there are no more Native Americans in Georgia (hence the title....only the names remain).  She points out that while there are no federally recognized nations in Georgia today, there are plenty of Cherokee people currently living in the state. 

 

I don't necessarily agree with Reese that this is grounds for removing the book from circulation entirely.  I think it still has some value. However, she does raise a salient point about how Native Americans are generally portrayed in literature and media.  Their stories are almost always rooted in the distant past and are of the 'tragic victim' variety.  Children (and the rest of us really) need and deserve a more nuanced picture. A good start would be acknowledging the vibrant, diverse, and complicated Native American populations living today. (This is why I think Sherman Alexie is one of the most important living authors!) I think this particular book could have been much stronger if it had included at least an epilogue about the Cherokee nation today.