Welcome to our page of "book notes" for Night Bird. If you would like a printable page for these notes, please visit our American History PDF page.

Below you will find a review, vocabulary, comprehension questions, discussion questions, comments and more to help you get the most out of this Night Bird. Please see the topic notes for further activities that go with this book such as map work, science, art and more.

Our Review:

Night Bird: A Story of the Seminole Indians  (by Kathleen V. Kudlinski) (54 pages)
This story is a fictional account of a clan hiding out in the Florida Everglades (and is specifically about a girl named Night Bird). You can get an idea of the Seminole’s lives and some of their beliefs in this easy to read and understand story. At the end of the book there are a couple of pages on historical and current information about the Seminoles. What my son got from this book is a picture of what life was like for the Seminoles during the Seminole wars (staring in 1835). It made history seem more “real” to read about what Night Bird and her clan was going through. This book has helped cement the Seminoles more firmly my son’s mind (as well as the vocabulary from History Pockets like chickee, Green Corn Ceremony, etc.). It’s not the “best” literature out there, but it’s worth a read.

(*Note: links for vocabulary go to Google images. We find that it really helps to SEE things that might be unfamiliar, in order to help make them stick. Surf at your own risk!)

I explain vocabulary words "on the fly". If your child is reading the book as a reader, you may want to introduce the words before each chapter, or before beginning the book.

TOPIC 1 NOTES

Vocabulary (for the entire book):

Hummock
Everglades
otter
clan
swamp
turban
chickee
gleamed
chant
horrid
herbs

Chapter 3 of Night Bird:
You may want to discuss the “black drink” and how some cultures use substances derived from plants, etc. for religious ceremonies and believed they were “magic”. Why would people think these substances were magic?  You may want to use this opportunity to talk about what your family thinks about drug use and some of the effects of drugs.

Timeline suggestion:
When you enter the Seminole Wars into the timeline, talk about this being the time when Night Bird’s family was hiding in the Everglades (paste in a copy of the book cover). Remind your child that Osceola fought in the Seminole Wars and that s/he will probably hear about him more about in American history when s/he is older.

Some questions to ask/talk about after reading the book:

1. Was it fair for the settler’s to take the Seminole’s land? Where would the settlers live if they couldn’t live where the Indians lived? What if they were trying to get away from bad things that were in the land they came from?

2. Would you be willing to move to a far away place to get away from a war, or would you want to stay and fight? Why?

3. Why do you think Night Bird did not go with her family to Oklahoma?

(You may have to explain this because it may not be obvious to your child. My take on it (in case you didn’t read the book and your child did) is because she felt that her people who were staying in Florida needed her (as the future head of the Otter Clan). She knew her sister Amitee was one to learn and remember and could take over the clan that moved to Oklahoma. Someone was needed to help the Otter’s remember their ways (there are plenty of examples of Little Mouse forgetting or simply not knowing things due to her brief time as a slave). She is sacrificing what she wants for what she believes to be the greater good.

You may want to ask your child if there were any times that s/he gave up something for someone else’s good.

You could point to Jesus’ sacrifice for us all. :-)