Bibliography:
Bruchac, Joseph. 2000. SQUANTO'S JOURNEY THE STORY OF THE FIRST THANKSGIVING. Ill. by Greg Shed. New York City, NY: Harcourt, INC. ISBN 978-0-15-201817-7.
Plot Summary:
Squanto's Journey is a beautifully written and illustrated story of Squanto and the first Thanksgiving. Squanto was learning much about the white men who were coming to their land to trade goods. Squanto and John Smith, an English captain, began trusting one another but Squanto unfortunately learned the hard way that not all English captain's can be trusted. Squanto and more than 20 other Native Americans boarded a ship to share food but the captain set sail and kidnapped the Indians including Squanto and took them to Spain. Squanto manages to sail back to his home after much hard work. Even though he discovers many of his people have died, including his family, he continues to work hard to help the Pilgrims survive in their new home.
Critical Analysis:
It's not often that the story of Thanksgiving is told from a Native American Indians perspective. There is much to be learned about the way some Pilgrims treated Indians as well as how the Indians and Pilgrims came together to share a meal and learn from one another, even if it was for just a short period of time. This story is eloquently told and based on the author's note at the end of the story much research went into telling this story as accurately as possible. The language is written and reminiscent of how we believe the Native Americans spoke, "Befriend the English. Make them come to understand and support our people." The author, Joseph Bruchac, also incorporated native words into the story such as, pniese. I am thankful for the glossary at the end of the story defining the words.
What I love about this story is it shows how the Pilgrims and Indians wanted to help educate one another, the Indians wanted to show the Pilgrims how to grow food and hunt on this new land. The Pilgrims wanted to bring new goods to the Indians and show them what they had to offer. The initial intentions of the Pilgrims was to discover a new world, not hurt people. Even though Squanto was deceived and his family was killed it continued to help the Pilgrims and attempt to keep the peace, this is a powerful lesson to learn.
The illustrations in this story are what really make the story come alive. This is such a familiar story it could easily be overlook as just another story of Thanksgiving but the illustrations are just beautiful. After reading the story and admiring the illustrations the first thing I did was read about the illustrator, I wanted to see if there was any information about the research done to help make sure the illustrations were as accurate as possible. Thankfully the illustrator posted information about traveling to Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts where "he studied the landscape, buildings and costumes of the re-created settlement." This is wonderful to know because the Native Americans are depicted in the illustrations with feathers in their braided hair, beading on their clothes and around their necks and wearing animal pelts. If this was not well researched and depicted accurately in the illustrations then this would have been a horrible representation of stereotyping Native American Indians. The Native Americans facial features, dark hair and skin tone are well illustrated too. The illustrator did a wonderful job depicting the Pilgrims also, sometimes they are depicted as angry, grungy white men but the truth is many of the Pilgrims were not looking to hurt anyone they were exploring the world. I like the Pilgrim's facial expressions as they are meeting Squanto, they look pleasant and happy to meet one another.
The food depicted in this first Thanksgiving illustration seems to consist of what we are taught was at the first Thanksgiving; root vegetables, corn, bread and pitchers of water. It is not a glorified idea of what Thanksgiving was or how it can be shown very inaccurately in some books.
Squanto's Journey is a beautifully written and illustrated story of Squanto and the first Thanksgiving. Squanto was learning much about the white men who were coming to their land to trade goods. Squanto and John Smith, an English captain, began trusting one another but Squanto unfortunately learned the hard way that not all English captain's can be trusted. Squanto and more than 20 other Native Americans boarded a ship to share food but the captain set sail and kidnapped the Indians including Squanto and took them to Spain. Squanto manages to sail back to his home after much hard work. Even though he discovers many of his people have died, including his family, he continues to work hard to help the Pilgrims survive in their new home.
Critical Analysis:
It's not often that the story of Thanksgiving is told from a Native American Indians perspective. There is much to be learned about the way some Pilgrims treated Indians as well as how the Indians and Pilgrims came together to share a meal and learn from one another, even if it was for just a short period of time. This story is eloquently told and based on the author's note at the end of the story much research went into telling this story as accurately as possible. The language is written and reminiscent of how we believe the Native Americans spoke, "Befriend the English. Make them come to understand and support our people." The author, Joseph Bruchac, also incorporated native words into the story such as, pniese. I am thankful for the glossary at the end of the story defining the words.
What I love about this story is it shows how the Pilgrims and Indians wanted to help educate one another, the Indians wanted to show the Pilgrims how to grow food and hunt on this new land. The Pilgrims wanted to bring new goods to the Indians and show them what they had to offer. The initial intentions of the Pilgrims was to discover a new world, not hurt people. Even though Squanto was deceived and his family was killed it continued to help the Pilgrims and attempt to keep the peace, this is a powerful lesson to learn.
The illustrations in this story are what really make the story come alive. This is such a familiar story it could easily be overlook as just another story of Thanksgiving but the illustrations are just beautiful. After reading the story and admiring the illustrations the first thing I did was read about the illustrator, I wanted to see if there was any information about the research done to help make sure the illustrations were as accurate as possible. Thankfully the illustrator posted information about traveling to Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts where "he studied the landscape, buildings and costumes of the re-created settlement." This is wonderful to know because the Native Americans are depicted in the illustrations with feathers in their braided hair, beading on their clothes and around their necks and wearing animal pelts. If this was not well researched and depicted accurately in the illustrations then this would have been a horrible representation of stereotyping Native American Indians. The Native Americans facial features, dark hair and skin tone are well illustrated too. The illustrator did a wonderful job depicting the Pilgrims also, sometimes they are depicted as angry, grungy white men but the truth is many of the Pilgrims were not looking to hurt anyone they were exploring the world. I like the Pilgrim's facial expressions as they are meeting Squanto, they look pleasant and happy to meet one another.
The food depicted in this first Thanksgiving illustration seems to consist of what we are taught was at the first Thanksgiving; root vegetables, corn, bread and pitchers of water. It is not a glorified idea of what Thanksgiving was or how it can be shown very inaccurately in some books.
Review Awards and Excerpts:
"Told with respect and dignity." - The Horn Book
Connections:
"Told with respect and dignity." - The Horn Book
"History from the Native American viewpoint." - Booklist
Connections:
- This book is a great representation of forgiveness and helping others, I would have a lesson and discussion on that with children. Squanto was deceived, his family was killed and much of his tribe wiped out from disease brought over by the Pilgrims yet he still helped keep the peace. This is a story of strength and something for children to understand and admire.
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