How refreshing to come across a picture-book biography other than the pat same-ol’, same-ol’ that fills our shelves.  Zitkala-Sa (born Gertrude Simmons), a Native American Sioux born in 1876 in South Dakota, was taken from her tribe, at age 8, to be educated at a Quaker Indian Boarding School in Indiana.  Despite the loneliness, foreign customs, and homesickness, she blossomed from the love of music, writing, and public speaking.  She learned to recognize and speak against injustices and eventually became a well respected fighter for Native American civil rights in Washington DC in the 1920’s.  The acrylic illustrations are embellished with sheet music, maps and photographs, emphasizing primary source aspects of this adapted, heartfelt retelling.  “She was the first Native American writer to receive national acclaim; the first Native American violinist to perform before a U.S. president; and the first Native American to write an opera and have it staged.”  Comprehensive back matter includes suggested readings, websites, and more detail.