An account of the life of Black Elk, the Lakota-Oglala medicine man, is based largely (but not wholly) on Black Elk Speaks and strikingly illustrated by artist S. D. Nelson. Born in 1863, Black Elk’s Great Vision came to him when he was nine years old. As he grew into adulthood he became known in his community as someone who could heal others through his connection to the Spirit World. Black Elk fought in the Battle of Little Big Horn, saw the slaughter of the buffalo that were so important to Lakota survival, and witnessed the Wounded Knee massacre. He worked in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, a stereotypical production in which Indians pretended to die at the hands of cowboys, in part to try to learn about the Wha-shi-choo (“Wasichu” in Lakota, meaning white man). Throughout his life, he held fast to his vision, which affirmed the circle of life, of support and respect. S. D. Nelson’s stunning artwork offers an expressive, cohesive visual accompaniment to the narrative, which is also enhanced by archival black-and-white photographs. A timeline, source notes, and other material round out the volume. (Ages 9–13)

A stunning picture book biography of Lakota-Oglala medicine man Black Elk, from the award–winning author and illustrator of Crazy Horse and Custer.

Black Elk (1863–1950) was a Lakota-Oglala medicine man and a cousin of Crazy Horse. This biographical account follows him from childhood through adulthood, recounting the visions he had as a young boy and describing his involvement in the battles of Little Big Horn and Wounded Knee, as well as his journeys to New York City and Europe with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

Award-winning author and member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe S. D. Nelson tells the story of Black Elk through the voice of the medicine man, bringing to life what it was like to be Native American from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. The Native people found their land overrun by the wasichus (White Man), the buffalo slaughtered for sport, and their people gathered onto reservations.

Interspersing archival images with his own artwork, inspired by the ledger-art drawings of the nineteenth-century Lakota, Nelson conveys how Black Elk clung to his childhood vision, which planted the seeds to help his people—and all people—understand their place in the Circle of Life. Backmatter includes a Lakota description of the Circle of Life, a brief history of the Lakota and a timeline.

“Colorful, imaginative artwork, created using pencils and acrylic paints, is interspersed with nineteenth-century photos, underscoring that this dramatic account reflects the experiences of a man who witnessed history.” —Booklist (starred review)



“An important contribution to Native biography.” —School Library Journal