Crazy Horse’s Vision – Traditional Literature

Bibliography:

Bruchac, Joseph. 2006. CRAZY HORSE’S VISION. Ill. By S.D. Nelson. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc. 1584302828.

Plot Summary:   

Crazy’s Horse’s Vision is a beautiful folktale about a Lakota Indian boy who has a vision about helping his tribe deal with the white settlers who have settled on the Lakota land.  Curly, or Crazy Horse as he will be known as as a young man, was a quiet, thoughtful and brave young man.  An unfortunate incident occurs that ends in the loss of Curly’s tribe leader, Conquering Bear, Curly witnesses the horrible act and wonders how he can help and defend his people.  Curly decides he will sit and pray for a vision about how he can help, he sees his vision but his father does not help interpret that vision for three winters.  Curly’s father interprets the vision stating, “you will be the first to defend your people, though some will try to hold you back.  As long as you keep nothing for yourself, no arrow or bullet can hurt you.  Because of that vision you much have a new name, so I give you my own.  From now on, you will be Tashunka Witco.”  Tashunka Witco in English means Crazy Horse.  

To the Lakota people giving the name of an elder or father to a young man is an honor, it means a young man has performed a brave or important act.  The story of Crazy Horse was first spoken by one of Crazy Horse’s friends He-Dog some 50 years after the death of Crazy Horse.  Crazy Horse's vision turned out to be true, he would not die of an arrow or bullet but he did die by a bayonet wound from a white soldier.  Crazy Horse rode into Fort Robinson to talk peace but instead soldiers tried to throw him on the ground, when he resisted he was stabbed.  No one knows the last words spoken by Crazy Horse but amongst the Lakota his spirit does live on as well as his amazing story.

Critical Analysis:

The illustrations by S.D. Nelson are absolutely beautiful, there was a lot of research that went into making sure the illustrations, the colors and what he describes as the “traditional ledger book style of the Plains Indians, which include the Lakota people” maintained the integrity of the Lakota people and their story.  The story of Crazy Horse is a fascinating read but the illustrations make the story come alive.  The images and colors are so vivid and capture the special meanings that the Lakota people believe.  S.D. Nelson was able to capture hieroglyphic type images in his illustrations that many people are familiar with when studying and learning about the Native American culture.  The story can be a little lengthy for young children but the illustrations can really pull you through the story which may help keep children interested in the story itself. 

Strangely enough the only female character in this book was Crazy Horse's mother at the very beginning, woman are not represented in this tale.  Crazy Horse's mother is portrayed as a caring woman who in the illustration carries her son on her back as a baby which is very traditional of Native Americans.  The lack of female representation in the story probably not surprising since a traditional Native American tale is going to include the male tribal leaders and how they take care of the tribe which is what Crazy Horse's quest was, how to help his people. 

Review Excerpts and Awards:

ALA Notable Children’s Book Award

Parent’s Choice Gold Award

Reading Magic Award by Parents Magazine

“Crazy Horse’s Vision is an outstanding picture book and a welcome addition to personal school and community library collections.” - Midwest Book Review

Connections:

·         There is much to be learned about Crazy Horse and his tribe the Lakota, this story is one that can be further researched and explored.  Have school aged children research him and his culture further and share with the class or group.  http://www.leeandlow.com/p/vision_tg.mhtml

·         For younger children a teacher could hold a discussion about how Native American’s live, hunt, and the meaning of the colors all of which are depicted in Crazy Horse’s Vision.

The Three Little Pigs – Traditional Literature

Bibliography:
Galdone, Paul. 1970. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 978-0-395-28813-9.

Plot Summary: 

In this traditional tale of The Three Little Pigs Paul Galdone maintains the original integrity of the storyline by following a mean wolf attempting to eat three little pigs.  Each of the three little pigs has built a home of straw, sticks and bricks and the mean wolf “huffs and he puffs and at last blows the house in.”  Or at least two of the houses, one of the little pigs is able to continually outsmart the mean wolf until the wolf gets exactly what he deserves!

Critical Analysis:

Paul Galdone did a fantastic job of retelling this classic tale of The Three Little Pigs, the illustrations he created bring the story together.  The illustrations of the pigs are adorable and it captures the meanness of the wolf perfectly.  The illustrations are colorful but in soft hues, nothing overpowering, just sweet, as a classic tale should be.  This version of The Three Little Pigs is what many would considered a very traditional tale since Galdone does allow the wolf to actually eat two of the pigs, which is a little disturbing for a children’s book, and some may find this a little harsh.  There are elements within the story that do not exist in other versions such as the third little pig picking turnips, picking apples and then going to the fair.  These are all ploys the wolf has come up with to get the third little pig to leave his house so the wolf can eat him; of course this third little pig is always one step ahead of the wolf.  This adds an additional element to the story that is nice; it makes the storyline much more substantial.  The illustrations are just as fun, colorful and engaging as the story!

Review Excerpts and Awards:

"All in all, a very appealing edition of a beloved story." School Library Journal

Connections:

·         Reading this story one time through and showing the pictures and then retelling the story in the form of a felt board story would be enjoyable for a younger crowd.  Because there are three major parts to this story, the building of each house, it would allow the children to further become familiar with the story and the predictability of the blow your house down part.

·         For older children reading the story one time through and then dividing the children into groups so they can each build a portion of the story would be interesting.  Then the whole group could come together and share their portion of the story and make it whole.  This would allow the children to delve deeper into the storyline.  http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/three_little_pigs.html

Swamp Angel - Traditional Literature

Bibliography:

Isaacs, Anne. 1994. SWAMP ANGEL. Ill by Paul O. Zewlinsky. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Books. 0-525-452-45271-0.

Plot Summary: 

Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs is a tale about the greatest woodswoman in Tennessee!  Angelica Longrider, who later in the story is known as Swamp Angel, as a newborn was slightly taller than her mother!  Because of her size she was able to do things that other children were not able to do, such as build a log cabin, show her skills in buckskin bravery and help people in need by rescuing them from Dejection Swamp.  When Angelica emerged from Dejection Swamp to lift wagons and stranded people out of harm’s way, she was wearing a homespun dress that made her look like an Angel and from then on she was referred to as Swamp Angel!

Unfortunately out in the Tennessee wilderness a fast and wily bear named Thundering Tarnation was eating all of the winter’s rations of the settlers in Tennessee!  Swamp Angel signed up for a competition to see who could kill Thundering Tarnation.  As Swamp Angel and Thundering Tarnation fight Swamp Angel grabs a hold of Thundering Tarnation and throws him into the sky so far that "he crashes into a pile of stars, making a lasting impression!” 

Critical Analysis: 

The illustrations by Paul Zelinsky bring so much value to this story which could easily be boring and uninteresting to a child.  The illustrations are incredibly vivid and full of detail, bright colors and a lot of detail.  The illustrations showing how large Swamp Angel and Thundering Tarnation are fantastic.  The illustrations also give children a clear and real idea of what the Tennessee countryside looks like.  Swamp Angel gives a mystical idea of how the Great Smokey Mountains were created and named.  The Swamp Angel storyline reminds some of a female version of Paul Bunyan, which stays in line with carrying on the story of a folktale.  There are not many folktales where there is a heroine so this is a very special story!  

Swamp Angel is a very strong female character that basically does what none of the male hunters were able to do and that was kill Thundering Tarnation. She was viewed as a hero for saving Tennessee from this mean bear. There is also a feminine quality to Swamp Angel since people did view her as an Angel.  When she emerged from the swamp with her white dress and bonnet the illustration really shows how she could be seen as an actual angel.

Review Excerpts and Awards:

Caldecott Honor 1995

Boston Globe-Horn Honor Book Award

ALA Notable Book Award

New York Times Best Illustrated Books of 1994

Time Magazine’s 8 Best Children’s Book Award

Featured on Storytime, PBS

Connections:

·         Swamp Angel would be a fabulous story for school aged children to act out as a small play.  Children could learn about coonskin hat settlers, The Smokey Mountains and the fun of watching a woman fight a giant bear!

·         Another school aged project could be to take a folktale with a man as the main character and have the children write their own version with a female heroine.  It is good for children to see woman as the hero!  http://eduscapes.com/library/s/swamp_angel.htm

Millions of Cats - Picture Book

Bibliography:

Ga'G, Wanda.  1928.  MILLIONS OF CATS.  New York: A Paperstar Book.  ISBN 0-698-11363-2.

Plot Summary:

     Millions of Cats is a fun children’s book about an old lady who decides she would like a cat.  The old ladies husband leaves their house in search of a cat for his wife.  After walking for a long time he comes across “cats here, cats there, cats and kittens everywhere, hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats.”  Each cat the old man sees he decides to take home with him until he decides to take all of the cats!  The old lady is shocked by all of the cats and she and her husband ask the cats to decide who is the prettiest cat and that one cat will be allowed to stay.  The cats scratch and claw at one another and presumably eat one another except for one little kitten which the old lady and her husband take into their home to love and care for.

Critical Analysis:

     This is a simple tale with beautiful, intricate black and white illustrations.  This book unfortunately would not be a good book for a large young story time audience or classroom due to the detail of the illustrations.  There are many details within the illustrations of the millions of cats that is quite impressive to look at but you have to be close-up to really see everything.  Some of the pictures are small which also makes it important to read to a smaller group. 

With the repetition of lines within the story it adds a lovely musical element which would be appealing to children and young readers.  The story is written beautifully with a great vocabulary that would not be too challenging for a child but would add to a child's vocabulary.

This book was written back in 1923 so this might not be a book that a lot of children pick up on their own, books tend to be much flashier now but it is still a great book to share with children.  There is a fantastic message about vanity and how destructive it can be hidden within Millions of Cats.  This is a message that older children will understand and that is what is so great about this book, it's interesting to younger children but it has a great message for older children too.

Review Excerpts and Awards:

     Newbery Honor Award Winner 1929

     A Lewis Carroll Shelf Award Book

     The New York Times - "A perennial favorite."

     Parent's Choice - "A favorite for so many years."

Connections:

• This is a good story to read to an older group of kids to see if they figure out the message within the book about vanity.   As stated all but one of the cats thought they were the prettiest of all the cats which in turn caused them to fight and presumably eat each other, this destructive behavior was brought on by each of their on vanity.  The topic of vanity and how destructive it can be could open up a good talk about how vanity can affect each person individually and how it makes you look to others.

Time to Sleep SHEEP the SHEEP! - Picture Book

Bibliography:

Willems, Mo.  2010.  TIME TO SLEEP SHEEP THE SHEEP!  Balzer + Bray.  ISBN 0061728470

Plot Summary: 

     Time to Sleep SHEEP the SHEEP! is an adorable beginner children’s storybook.  The story is simple with the main character Cat the Cat running to each of his furry friends, Pig the Pig, Giraffe the Giraffe, Shark the Shark, etc., telling them it’s time for bed.  Cat the Cat finds each of his friends doing something that is indicative to going to bed such as brushing teeth, taking a bath or getting a glass of water.  There is a special character at the end of the book that is the exact opposite of all of Cat the Cat's friends!

Critical Analysis: 

     Time to Sleep SHEEP the SHEEP! is a repetitive story in that Cat the Cat lets everyone know it’s time for bed which is great for very young children.  When children are able to hear similar lines within a story over and over they become familiar with the story and in turn are able to connect the words with the pictures.  The pictures in Mo Willems book are brightly colored and all of the animals are doing something that a child would be familiar with and associate with bedtime.  The illustrations are simple, the expressions on all of the animals faces go along with the actions of what the animal is doing which also adds another element to the story.

Review Excerpts and Awards:

     A progressively dark and soothing nighttime blue backs up Willems’ cartoon critters in this get-ready-for-bed picture book starring Cat the Cat, with cameos by among others, Pig the Pig, Giraffe the Giraffe, Crab the Crab, etc. Cat tells each of the animals, who are engaged in various nighttime pursuits (reading a book, washing up, brushing teeth, going potty), that it’s time to sleep. A perfectly well-timed joke arrives courtesy of the pop-eyed owl one assumes to be Owl the Owl. He definitely isn’t ready for bed, but his arrival caps off this smiles-all-around, understated tour of pre-bedtime activities. - Booklist

Connections:

• Getting children involved in a conversation about what they are seeing and hearing from a story is a great way to get them to engage.  Because each of the animals in this story is doing something very recognizable to a child, asking them questions about what they see, what is the animal doing and so forth will help them engage and make connections with the story.
• All of the Mo Willems books are similar in bright colors, simple story lines and unique characters, introducing such titles as KNUFFLE BUNNY ISBN 0786818700, DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS ISBN 078681988X and PIGS MAKE ME SNEEZE ISBN 1423114116 to children is a sure way to make life long readers!
• Other books to consider might be BARK GEORGE! by Jules Feiffer ISBN 0062051857 and Caldecott Award Winner CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Betsy Lewin ISBN 1416903488.

Kitten's First Full Moon - Picture Book

Bibliography:

Henkes, Kevin.  2004.  KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON.  Greenwillow Books.  ISBN 0-06-058828-4

Plot Summary:
 
     Kitten’s First Full Moon is a sweet story about Kitten believing a full moon in the sky is actually a bowl of milk.  She tries all sorts of creative ways to reach what she believes is a bowl of milk without ever succeeding since in the end it is a full moon in the sky.  Kitten makes her way back home after many tries to discover she has a large bowl of milk waiting for her on the porch.

Critical Analysis:

     Kevin Henkes is the author and illustrator of Kitten's First Full Moon, it is a book that is appealing to babies and young children.  This book could easily be read and the pictures shown to a young baby since the contrast with the black and white illustrations are perfect for a very young child.  As a child becomes familiar with the story he or she would be able to look at the pictures and tell their version of the story too.  The images in the book are simple yet easily tell the story without actually reading the words.  The illustrations are rather simple yet encompass the body language and facial expressions of Kitten perfectly.  There are lines in the book such as “poor Kitten!” and “still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting” that make the book predictable and because the lines are written throughout the story it adds a nice rhythm.  Such lines will help children predict what is coming next in the story which in turn creates excitement and love for the adorable character. 

Reviews Excerpts and Awards:

     Winner of the 2005 Caldecott Medal

     The New York Times Book Review - "His drawing style is rowdy, exuberant, equal parts late Arnold Lobel and early Maurice Sendak.  His hero's are admirably tenacious, plucky and equal to whatever task, lesson or sorrow Mr. Henkes supplies for them.  His writing has a concise wit that is rare in children's books....There is also an emotional context to Mr. Henkes's picture-book work that is equally rare....His work rings true."

 
Connections:

• There are so many actions that take place in this book it would be fun for young children to act out the movements while the story is being told.  Read the book one time through so the children become familiar with the story and then the second time have the children pretend they see a full moon, pretend they are jump for the moon, climbing a tree, etc.  This will help them connect with the book and the written word. 
• Felt Boards are a great way to help children connect with a story.  Kitten's First Full Moon should be read aloud the first time through, during the second reading incorporating pieces of the story into a felt board story would help the children get a visual for the story and watch it come together on the felt board.
• Other picture books that deal with imagination and curiosity would include LITTLE WHITE RABBIT by Kevin Henkes ISBN 0062006428 and OLD BEAR by Kevin Henkes ISBN 0061552054.