Parents, Prejudice & Racism, Multicultural, Native North & South Americans 

Chris Nicola dreads the first day of sixth grade at Rangerville Junior High. He and his friends live on the Penacook Indian Reservation, and he's sure that will set them apart from the town kids in his new school. The reservation is such a place of extremes, from the beautiful island that is Chris's special place to the shacks and trailers that stand for so many lost hopes.

To Chris's surprise, he isn't an outsider in sixth grade at all. He is even chosen to lead a group project on using Indian names for sports teams, an issue that directly affects his school. But at home, things are not going nearly so well. The reservation is divided over whether or not to build a casino - on Chris's island! Can one kid really make a difference?

"The Heart of a Chief" warmly portrays a likable young boy's first steps toward becoming a leader - one who refuses to accept second-best for the people and places that matter to him most.