Dakota Dream Author:James Bennett Although foster child Floyd Rayfield, a lonely 15-year-old, knows little about his origins, he is certain of his destiny after he dreams he is a Dakota warrior. Determined to "become" a Native American, he changes his name to Charly Black Crow, stops wearing shoes and begins practicing ancient rituals—all of which leads to troubl... more »e with the "system" run by school authorities, house parents and psychologists. Following a series of unsuccessful foster placements and a brief stay in a mental hospital, Floyd runs away to a Sioux reservation. There, during a vision-seeking quest, the troubled teen comes to terms wth his past, present and future.
Woven into this delicate story are themes echoing those of Bennett's first novel, I Can Hear the Mourning Dove , especially the sharp criticism of institutions and large bureaucracies that "get so they serve their own needs rather than the people they're supposed to help." A diverse yet precisely drawn cast includes Floyd's deadbeat roommate, his overly optimistic social worker and Mrs. Grice, an inflexible house-supervisor who makes Cinderella's evil stepmother look good. Bennett's astute novel demonstrates enormous sensitivity.