MANY NATIONS is an alphabet book that highlights many Native American nations. Illustrator Robert Goetzl’s paintings bring the varying ways of life of each nation to light. Nations from all four corners of the United States are represented in the book. Throughout the book, each nation is shown in accurate settings, dress and activities. Some men are depicted with long loose hair, while others have heads with shaved sides. The Klallam men are depicted with mustaches where the Navajo Mimac men wear hats that resemble a great horned owl. Women are shown with braids, and long or short hairstyles. Traditional dances as well as games are depicted through the illustrations along with religious practices. Many of the pictures show the young and old of a nation side by side. Some show the learning of a craft or a community activity such as hunting or harvesting.

Framed with birch bark borders, the paintings show conformity. Each illustration shows the relationship between Native American nations and nature. The Iroquois are depicted planting a tree of peace while the Blackfoot follow herds of buffalo to hunt. The reliance on nature is evident in the book. From canoes from cedar trees to Pueblo homes made of earth, the illustrations show the respect each nation has for its natural surroundings. The text alone could not successfully explain to the reader the various nations shown in the book. Almost every painting has an element of nature in it such as an animal, the sun, the moon, or fire. I appreciate the various seasons represented. This shows the reader how nations live at different times of the year. We also see modes of transportation from canoes, by foot, or by horseback. The Navajo herders depicted in hats, jeans, and boots help show the reader that nations do exist and are among the people we live with in the United States. This one picture shows how Navajos may live today, but still has accurate settings and elements of nature.

I would have liked to see more modern depictions of various nations in the book. The author could have added more text to the alphabet book explaining the pictures with more accuracy. There was only one sentence for each page. Every other page rhymed with the ending word of the sentence. Instead of rhyming, the author should have spent more time explaining. The publisher says the book is for readers in grades 1-3. Most children could have comprehended a picture book with more than one sentence to a page. The author’s notes provided at the end of the book explains more in detail the nations depicted. A good introduction to Native American Nations for students of all ages.