Corn Flower, Blooming Flowers on the Great Plains

Corn Flower, an eleven-year-old Native American girl is a member of the Kansa tribe living along the Cottonwood River in the 1820s. She is a loyal daughter to her parents White Plume and Kicking Swan. Corn Flower and her best friend Night Sparrow are in charge of each family's herd of goats. Together they sing the “Song of the Kansa,” find excitement in their simple life, and delight in the folk tales spoken by an elderly tribal storyteller. Corn Flower enjoys the thrill of adventure as she learns the art of wildcrafting and storytelling. When heavy rains threaten to flood the village, she helps to secure the safety of her family as well as her herd of goats. In late spring, Corn Flower travels with her family to the nearby trading post near Fort Neosho. It is there that she is reunited with the blonde-haired daughter of Lieutenant Willoughby. Corn Flower spends several days at the campsite of her friend before the lieutenant and Ellie take Corn Flower back to her Kansa home. With the fair-haired visitor, she teaches her how to make a clay pot and to shoot with a bow and arrow. After Ellie departs with her father, the story ends with the arrival of a new baby boy born to Corn Flower’s brother Wanji and his wife Running Dove. With a joyful spirit, Corn Flower returns to her hillside in the warmth of springtime to tend her goats and again sing the “Song of the Kansa” with her special friend Night Sparrow. Includes Reading Guide