The Education of Little Tree, by Asa Carter, (pen named Forrest Carter) is the story of a young boy named Little Tree who goes to live with his Cherokee grandparents after his parents die.

Little Tree's grandparents live and farm in the mountains, and teach Little Tree the values they live, along with the importance of education. (Despite Little Tree not going to a formal institution for education until toward the end of the book, Grandma educates him at home, teaching him to read and do arithemetic.) Both Grandma and Grandpa (along with their friend, Willow John) teach Little Tree the importance of living with nature, and why one must not take more from the world around him than what he gives back.

The ending is sad, but concludes on a hopeful note. Little Tree will be fine, because of what his grandparents taught him.

It is a good book for middle to high school aged readers. I have used it in my classes, and my students have liked it.