The narrative of this story focuses on events from the early life of Crazy Horse, the daring and dedicated leader of the Lakota (Sioux) in the mid-1800s. As a young boy, Crazy Horse was nicknamed Curly, because of his curly hair. He was different but brave, and a leader determined to fulfill the vision of helping his people. 

The story is set in the present day, on the Rosebud Sioux reservation.  The protagonist Jimmy McClean is a young Lakota boy who lives on the reservation. Jimmy is teased because he does not have typical Lakota features as he has light brown hair and blue eyes. Additionally, McClean is his last name which is connected to the Scottish/white people. Through his relationship with his grandfather, Grandpa Nyles, he begins to form a kinship with Crazyhorse, a famous Lakota warrior who also did not have typical Lakota features. Grandpa Nyles and Jimmy go on a road trip where they travel in the footsteps of Crazyhorse’s to discover Jimmy’s ancestral identity.   Jimmy learns to be proud of being a Lakota regardless of how others see him.

Big Ideas: 

• History can be passed down and preserved through storytelling. It is important to consider various perspectives. 

• Colonization and westward expansion impacted and caused conflict with the indigenous communities. Land was viewed as sacred; that is how the indigenous communities connect to their ancestors. The westward expansion did not honor their land or traditions. 

• Oral traditions are important to indigenous culture and history.  

• No one person has a single identity. People grapple with conflicting identities which change and grow as we experience life.