School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6Seven folktales from the Zuñi, Mandan, Cree, Chuckchee, Osage, Mohawk, and Modoc traditions that explore the creation of the world and the origin of humans. Taylor illustrates each of these well-told tales with a bold, somewhat surrealistic, full-page painting that incorporates multiple elements of the story, except for the longest selection, which is accompanied by two full-page illustrations and one brilliant, double-page painting. The tales are brief but clearly written and lend themselves to being read aloud. The text is set in large black type, with good use of white space; that, along with the captivating art, make the book appealing. It would be particularly good for classroom discussions, as the diversity represented helps dispel the myth of a ``generic'' Native American culture.Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
The creation legends in a collection of tales from seven native North American groups each evoke a love for Mother Earth. Taylor's paintings, which convey a prevailing spirit of darkness, have a dreamlike quality. Related in a matter-of-fact manner, the stories are marred by the stiffness of the retellings. No sources are provided. From HORN BOOK 1994, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
