Little Star

Between 1819 and 1969, the United States government sent hundreds of thousands of Native American children to cruel Indian boarding schools that it had funded in an effort to eliminate Indigenous people and culture. Of the 408 federal Indian boarding schools across 37 states that operated in our country for over 150 years, New Mexico had at least 43 of these schools, which was the third most in the country just behind Oklahoma with 76, and Arizona, who had 47 schools.

Little Star…a historical fiction tale which is based on one of these New Mexico Indian boarding schools, and follows the main character, Tarak, or Little Star as Grandfather loves to call him, over the span of more than thirty years. Ripped from his family at the age of six years old, he is sent to one of these federally funded educational institutions, and must endure years of horrific abuse, while he is forced to give up his savage ways in order to be properly assimilate into what is to become a white American future for him. As this courageous, young boy grows up, he unfortunately becomes a very injured man, who is left with the residual scars from the inhumane atrocities that are forced upon him at the hands of this corrupt system and the trusted adults who had promised him a much better life, then the one he had been living on the reservation. Will he be able to reconnect with his native roots again and return to the sacred place he once called home?

©2025 Joplin James Sell (P)2026 Joplin James Sell

Excellent story of survival and perseverance

A good story about overcoming events you don't control. Early events are set in the early 1900s indian schools and capture both the attack on culture and the abuses inherent in the system. While that would typically be enough, the challenges of being a mixed race child are added as the book moves along. The success of the central character to overcome/survive these circumstances is compelling.
Listening to this story was easy and helpful. The narration was smooth and easy to understand. Character's voices were consistent and supported the story. The emotions communicated helped to understand the characters and the plot lines.
I ended wanting to know more which is always the best sign of a well told and compelling story.