I Am Osage: How Clarence Tinker Became The First Native American major general

An inspiring biographical picture book about Clarence Tinker, a member of the Osage Nation who served in the United States Air Force during World War II and became the first Native American major general. The book is written by Kim Rogers (Wichita and Affiliated Tribes) and illustrated by Choctaw muralist Bobby Von Martin; it´s the illustrator´s first book. Clarence Tinker knew that he wanted to do something extraordinary. Something adventurous. Something that made a difference in the world. But, as a young member of the Osage Nation at the turn of the twentieth century, there were a lot of obstacles that he would have to face to achieve his dreams. When he was a child, Clarence was taken from his family and forced to attend a prisonlike boarding school, like many other Native children of his generation. There, he wasn’t able to speak his language or practice his Osage customs. But Clarence kept his dream close to his heart and joined the US Army with the goal of becoming an officer. Though he was treading an unfamiliar path, he worked hard and never forgot his Osage values and traditions that, ultimately, paved his way to success. In this first nonfiction project for the Heartdrum imprint, celebrated author Kim Rogers (Wichita and Affiliated Tribes) is working with debut illustrator Bobby Von Martin (Choctaw) to bring the wholly inspirational story of Clarence Tinker, the first Native American major general, to life.