The Heat of a Chief

I just finished reading The Heart of a Chief by Joseph Bruchac.  I thought this book was very informational and insightful on the traditions and culture of Penacook Native Americans.  One major theme that I saw throughout the book was nature.  There were many times when Chris, the main character, explained/describes certain things by relating them to animals or nature in general.  An example of this comes from page 83, "Suddenly, like fish at the approach of a shark, the guys around me scatter to the sides.  A broad-shoulder figure is coming across the gym toward our group of sixth graders."  Also, many of the nature references in the book show how the Penacook tribe look to nature for guidance, inspiration, and strength.  An example of this comes from page 76, "Doda places his hands on a birch tree for a minute.  He always does this, and i think maybe it is so he can absorb some of the tree's strength."  The more i read the book, the more I liked it because of how the main character grows and moves away from thinking he is an outcast.  I think not only a Native American student but any student can take away something from this book.  This book demonstrates the influence that students have in their schools and how their voices can be heard.  However, the one area that i found to be a problem and unrealistic is how the author, to me, made Chris seem way older than an eleven year old.  I thought in some situations the way Chris handled it or acted seemed unrealistic.