The novel, The Education of Little Tree, is a beautifully written story "which portrays the lifestyle of a Native American family "seen through the eyes of a young boy in the Appalachian Mountains, who was orphaned at the age of five. .
Following the death of his parents, the eight-year old Indian boy, Little Tree, a half-breed Cherokee orphan, went to live with his Cherokee grandmother and white grandfather (a proud whiskey maker) in a remote cabin home in the Tennessee backwoods. Here, his grandparents will teach him "The Way- of the Cherokee people. They will teach the young boy what real love is, as they love him with all their hearts. Although they are simple people, they will guide the little boy on the right path. .
In only one year of his life, Little Tree learns about prejudice, violence and death. But the loving relationships he builds with his grandparents, his friend Willow John, and Mother Earth kept him smiling. His friend, Willow John, an eighty-year old man, will help him return home by persuading the right person. .
Little Tree will also learn the importance of self-discovery and the respect for the environment. "Take only what you need. When ye take the deer, do not take the best. Take the smaller and the slower and then the deer will grow stronger and always give you meat. Pa-koh, the panther, knows and so must ye- (9). .
There, in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, he is given a rich and lasting education into the history and culture of his Cherokee ancestors. "If ye don't know your past, then ye will not have a future. If ye don't know where your people have been, then ye won't know where your people are going- (40). He also learns about his grandparent's history. .
He is a very fortunate boy to live with and learn from his wonderful grandparents. They are the ones who will connect the little boy with his ancestors and his family's history. His grandparents will offer him the best gift possible: a normal childhood, in a normal family.