Sunday, 24 July 2005 - 8:53 PM MDT
Name:
Emily Hokom
Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest
Gerald McDermott
The world was dark and Raven was searching for light. He noticed a glow off in the distance and turned into a boy. "His family" was giving him gifts and he wanted the glowing ball. It was given to him and he turned back into a raven and stole the ball from his family. The raven flew high into the sky and tossed it up and that is how everyone has light also known as the sun.
Little herder in autumn
by Ann Nolan Clark
This book is a series of poems about Navajo life as seen through the eyes of a child. It is written in both Navajo and English. The story is authentic because the book takes place in New Mexico and is published in Santa Fe.
Native American Stories
Told by Joseph Bruchac
This book has stories from around the country about Native American Culture and Life. The stories are myths and legends of man verses man and man verses nature. They are organized in the sections followed: Creation, Fire, Earth, Wind and Weather, Water, Sky, Seasons, Plants and Animals, Life Death Spirit, and Unity of Earth. At the end of the book there is a pronunciation guide as well as Tribal Nation Descriptions. This is a great book to compare and contrast different stories from various tribes around the country.
GRANDFATHER STORIES OF THE NAVAJOS
Written by Sydney M. Callaway, Gary Witherspoon, and Others
This book is a collection of stories written down from oral stories to be passed along to everyone especially the younger Navajo generations. The stories in this collection deal with Navajo history and culture and are divided into three categories: mythological narratives, historical accounts, and Navajo life.
HOW THE STARS FELL INTO THE SKY A NAVAJO LEGEND
Written by Jerrie Oughton
This is the story of how the stars were placed in the sky when the earth was created. The stars were to be placed in the sky to tell of all the laws in the land. As the stars were carefully being placed by the first woman Coyote came around to help. Before long he grew impatient and threw all of the stars into the sky, disregarding the plan to have the stars tell of the laws.
Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest
Gerald McDermott
Coyote wants to be just like crow and sing and dance and even fly. The Crows give him feathers and takes to flight as Coyote struggles in midair, they take back their feathers one by one and he plummets to earth. His tail catches fire, and he tumbles into the dirt. Will he every fly again?
Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale
Gerald McDermott
This story is a Pueblo Indian Tale that deals with spiritual matters involving culture and traditions. The story is also a metaphor for the planting cycle, as well as the cycle of life and death.
How Turtle's Back Was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale
Gayle Ross
This book, is based on an original Cherokee tale. Best friends Possum and Turtle tangle with a greedy wolf. Turtle begins to brag that he defeated the wolf all on his own. The wolf pack hears of his boasting and captures turtle. Turtle thinks that he outwits the wolves by begging them to do anything except throw him into the river. Little does he know something is about to change. Great book!
Grandmother Spider Brings the Sun: A Cherokee Story
Written by Geri Keams
This is a story about how the grandmother spider successfully bring the sun to all of the animals. The sun burns the fur right off, and that is why Possum has a hairless tail. Then Buzzard tries, carrying the sun in his thick crown of feathers, which burns off. Finally, Grandmother Spider goes, successfully bringing the sun back in a clay pot, and that is why we see the sun in the center of her web.
This is a good book except for the fact that the author claimed it is Cherokee. Cherokee stories do not have coyote as a character. The author should perhaps stick to Navajo stories from her own heritage, or relate stories from other cultures more accurately.
How Rabbit Tricked Otter: And Other Cherokee Trickster Stories
Told by Gayle Ross through way of Chief Wilma Mankiller
These stories are action stories of the trickster hero the Rabbit. In one of the tales Rabbit cheats Otter out of his beautiful fur coat, but then loses the wonderful tail that was a gift from the Creator. Each story relates to next and yet they could stand on their own. This book teaches traditional manners and morals along with culture and sprituality. These Cherokee tales seem to be authentic since the author is from the Cherokee tribe.
Why the North Star Stands Still and other Indian Legends
Written by William R. Palmer
These stories are taken from generations of storytelling passed down through the generations of the Pahute Indians. The Pahute Indians now live in Utah and the in this book are their version of how and why things occur in nature. ie: Why the sun rises cautiously, why the coyote looks up when he howls, how the beaver lost the hair on his tail, and how the flowers got their colors. At the end of the book there is a glossary of Pahute words and names used.
Dancing Drum A Cherokee Legend
Written and Adapted by Terri Cholene
As the people look to the sun they snarl and make faces all the while the people smile when the moon appears. The people wanted the sun to stop burning them and their land. Dancing Drum make the sun disappear and the the Dancing Drum tries to make Grandmother Sun smile on THE PEOPLE again. In the back of the book there is a section that tells about the Cherokee people and their history. Enjoyable book.
