Between 1821 and 1842, Charles Bird King, a famous artist, painted
individual portraits of 143 Indians. In this fictionalized account,
Sauncey, an eight-year-old free black, lives in Mr. King's house with
her mama, Mr. King's cook. Sauncey dreams of becoming a grand lady with
a feather in her bonnet like the ones in the portraits. One day the yard
boy tells Sauncey that he has just been down on Pennsylvania Avenue and
has seen Indians. Her mama says that Mr. King is going to paint their
pictures. Later, when everyone is out, Sauncey answers a knock on the
door--Indians! Early reader-ages 5-8.