Short biographical essays on six 19th century Indian leaders who clashed with white soldiers and settlers are accompanied by black-and-white documentary photographs appearing on nearly every double page spread. A well-researched. well-documented and attractively presented work provides a unique perspective on the Indian Wars. While Freedman's tone is relatively objective in that he does not condemn either side, his choice to focus on Indian leaders, rather than whites, gives readers a fresh outlook on the conflict and a new insight into U.S.A. history. (Ages 10-14)

A narrative biography of six native leaders facing an historical moment of crisis, by award-winning historian Russell Freedman
 
As pioneers began to head westward in the mid-1800s, they came in contact with the native inhabitants of those territories—a meeting that was often peaceful at first, until white settlers began to lay claim to the land and the United States government built forts to defend them. 
 
It was up to the leaders of these western tribes to decide how to react—whether to cooperate peacefully, agreeing to live on ever-shrinking reservations granted to them, or to fight back and defend their right to the lands they'd always lived on.
 
Illustrated with numerous historical photographs and prints, Indian Chiefs tells the stories of six western chiefs who led their people through this turbulent time.  The biography focuses on Red Cloud of the Oglala Sioux, Satanta of the Kiowas, Quanah Parker of the Comanches. Washakie of the Shoshoni, Joseph of the Nez Perce, and Sitting Bull of the Hunkpapa Sioux.
 
Meticulously researched, this narrative account of the lives of these early leaders balances contemporary historical accounts with more recent reflections, focusing on the choices leaders made in these times of crisis and how these conflicts shaped our modern nation. 
 
ALA Notable Book
ALA Best Book of the Year for Young Adults