Intermediate (ages 9-14)

Material appropriate for intermediate age groups

The Horse And The Plains Indians

The image of a Native American on horseback has become ingrained in the American consciousness. But the Plains Indians and the horse were not always inseparable. Once, Native Americans used dogs to help carry their goods, and even after the Spaniards introduced the horse to the Americas, horses were considered so valuable that the Spanish would not allow the Indians to have them. But soon horses escaped from Spanish settlements, and Native Americans quickly learned how valuable the horse could be as a hunting mount, beast of burden, and military steed. Follow the story of this transformative partnership, starting in the early sixteenth century and continuing today.

The Man Who Dreamed of Elk-Dogs

The story of how horses first appeared to the tribes of the American Plains. In his final collection of “stories from the tipi,” Goble features a collection of 23 traditional stories from the Blackfoot, Lakota, Assiniboin, Pawnee, and Cheyenne nations. This book features a foreword by Lauren “Candy” Waukau-Villagomez, an educator and author of works on the oral traditions and storytelling of the North American tribes.

Precious Bones

In 1949 in the Florida Everglades, a ten-year-old girl called Bones, whose father is part Miccosukee Indian, tries to discover what really happened when he is accused of two murders and sent to jail.

His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg

An amazing and inspirational World War II story about how one man saved the lives of many.

Son of a Gun

Eight-year-old Liberian Lucky, his ten-year-old sister Nopi, and their schoolmates are kidnapped and forced to become child soldiers, but even after they escape along with some other children and are reunited with their parents, their lives will never be the same. Includes chapter about Liberia.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 5, Issue 2

War Brothers

Jacob, the son of a wealthy landowner, attends a Catholic school and expects to go to university. A good boy, he believes that his father and God will keep him safe from harm.

Oteka lost his parents to AIDS and lives in one of the many displacement camps that circle the city of Gulu. Alone in the world, upon the advice of a medicine man, he sets out for an unknown future.

Jacob and Oteka’s lives become entwined as they find themselves in the clutches of the Lord’s Resistance Army, forced to obey the strange and brutal rules of Joseph Kony’s henchmen. Marching endlessly through rough terrain with little food or water, the boys form a plan to make their escape. Will hope, friendship, courage, and resilience be enough to save them?

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 5, Issue 2

The Elephant’s Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India

Draws eight stories from well-known collections of Indian folktales–Hitopadesha tales, Jataka tales, and Panchantra tales–and presents them with cartoon-like illustrations.

Mimi’s Village: And How Basic Health Care Transformed It

In this newest addition to the CitizenKidTM collection of inspiring stories from around the globe, Mimi Malaho and her family help bring basic health care to their community. By making small changes like sleeping under mosquito nets and big ones like building a clinic with outside help, the Malahos and their neighbors transform their Kenyan village from one afraid of illness to a thriving community. “A great resource for introducing children to the issues surrounding global health and empowering them to get involved.” — Ophelia Dahl, Executive Director, Partners In Health

This book has been included in WOW’s Kids Taking Action Booklist. For our current list, visit our Boolist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.