Camp Redemption: Ghost Dance at Wounded Knee

..."Back in the day, a Paiute prophet had a vision-our land as it should be ... as it once was. A place with no fences. A place filled with wild game and giant buffalo herds. Great Spirit said that if our people worked together we could reunite with our ancestors who'd been murdered during the conquest. And that the wild game and the buffalo would return to the land." -Spotted Bear from Camp Redemption: Ghost Dance at Wounded Knee. Dwayne Jackson is a basketball phenom from Chicago's south side - a superstar on his way to a college scholarship. Many consider him destined for the NBA. But his life is unraveling: his best friend is murdered, his brother joins a gang, and Dwayne himself is somehow tied to a murder he didn't commit, and sentenced to spend the summer at Camp Wounded Knee. There, Dwayne meets Spotted Bear, another angry young man with a deep, simmering resentment over the mistreatment of his people. Will the wrongs never end? Will justice never prevail? Will the strangers forever be invading the land? But Spotted Bear has a plan; and before long, Dwayne and his friends are unwittingly pulled into an ancient Ghost Dance ceremony and launched back to 1848 - when the Native Americans ruled the Plains, and the slave trade ruled the South. While Dwayne and a newfound ally, strong-willed country girl Jackie, hasten across the Mississippi to rescue his ancestors, Spotted Bear and the ancient tribes rally to destroy the oppressors and take back their land. The country is heading quickly toward all-out war, and only Dwayne and Jackie can stop it. But will they get there in time? Or will American history be re-written by Spotted Bear and his bands of renegade warriors? ... "Aside from the weighty questions of race and identity, as well as accepted history itself, Camp Redemption is, once all is said and done, an adventure story, and it is one that never fails to entertain. All in all, for a journey through the current state of the melting pot that is the American people and a look into the past to learn how it developed as it did, Camp Redemption: Ghost Dance at Wounded Knee is very highly recommended. It is a book that should appeal to all ages, particularly teenagers, both as a guide not only on how to handle difficult situations such as those faced by each of the characters in the novel, but also as a fun lesson on the history of the United States." Damien Peters, BA (Hons), MA ..."The author has managed one of the most successful balances of accuracy of detail with compassion that this reader has ever found. ... Figures from history come alive on the pages! [But] the real shining points of the novel are the realistic characters with whom the reader can identify ... a great read for the young and not-so-young alike!" Carole C. DeBruler, BA, MS ..."This book combines the best of all worlds: it is action packed, realistic, and educational. It marks a departure from stories set in the old world that lack any discernible soul. This is a book that takes history seriously, but without the reader feeling like they are being talked at. The story blends its elements perfectly such that you'll find yourself picking up historical tidbits without even noticing. In particular, Monnier is expert when evoking the daily life of the times. It is for this reason that I wholeheartedly recommend this book to young and not-so-young readers alike." Dr. Paul J. Ennis, PhD Camp Redemption, by Erik Monnier, is an honest and realistic (yet magical) account of a teenage boy's struggle to overcome obstacles in his life and discover his true destiny. With a unique weaving of Native American history and the present day, Monnier highlights such themes as overcoming loss, redirecting anger, and the origin of prejudice ... As such, I highly recommend Camp Redemption for its realistic dialogue, round characters that evoke a sense of empathy, and significant themes." Janice Armstrong, MFA www.c

About the Author :
E. Monnier enjoys, in his spare time, running, hiking, and stalking his errant golf balls. He also lives for time spent in the remote backcountry, mountains, and foothills of Northern California while celebrating his fantastic family and their mildly crazy, yet beloved dog named ... Jack! A personal note: As a youngster, I enjoyed exploring Nebraska's Niobrara River Valley. My fond recollections of the region, the time, and the people propelled this story. Also, when I began writing this book, I ventured from sun-drenched California back to the Sandhills, and to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the mass gravesite at Wounded Knee. Of course, this was a somber experience. Chilling really. To close your eyes on that hill, even for a moment, will load your senses with the bitter taste of a most brutal event in our American History. Get there...it's real. All the Best, E. Monnier