The Boy Who Lived with the Bears

BOOK REVIEW: The Boy Who Lived with the Bears

CITATION:

Bruchac, Joseph and Murv Jacob. The Boy Who Lived with the Bears: And Other Iroquois Stories.  New York: HarperCollins, 1995.

ISBN: 006021287

SUMMARY:

The Boy Who Lived with the Bears: And Other Iroquois Stories includes an introduction and six traditional stories that have been passed down by Iroquois Native Americans. These stories feature animals with human qualities that learn lessons such as responsibility, treating others with respect, being a good friend, not being boastful, and not being selfish.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

The Boy Who Lived with the Bears: And Other Iroquois Stories presents a collection of stories that have been told by Iroquois for hundreds of years. The introduction of this book tells information about the Iroquois, who call themselves Haudenosaunee, meaning “People of the Longhouse.” It explains how they used to live before Europeans came. The author, Joseph Bruchac, shares the stories because the Iroquois people approve of them and they have many valuable lessons for all children.

In the story titled “The Boy Who Lived with the Bears,” a boy is left to die by an unloving Uncle. He had been taught to obey his elders, so he did as he was told. Thankfully, that boy survived because he sang an old song his mother had taught him, and the animals of the forest responded by being his friend. The boy chooses the bears to raise him, and he is happy. The bears teach him to listen for the hunter, and one day he is met face-to-face by his uncle who is hunting. How will the uncle, boy, and bear respond?  With a satisfying ending, this story and others in this book teach a lesson about being good to others.

There are many cultural markers found in this book that reflect Native American culture. Traditional dress and activities, such as moccasins, hunting, and dancing are incorporated throughout. Each story concludes with a similar phrase, “Ho? Hey,” which is described as part of a song that an Iroquois mother had taught her son when he needed a friend. In “How the Birds got their Feathers,” there is a reference to the “Creator.” There are many places where Bruchac has incorporated traditional Iroquois songs. For instance, in “The Rabbit’s Snow Dance,” the story describes a rabbit who remembered a song that his grandmother had taught him.

The paintings, by Murv Jacob, incorporate playful human qualities to animals, which directly supports what happens in the stories. His paintings almost always show a moon or sun with a face and the sky with dancing dots. There are designs that border each page, which are meant to look like the forest.

This book, intended for children ages 6-10, offers a glimpse into traditional tales by Iroquois Native Americans. Children may not directly relate to the animals or people in the stories, but the fast-moving plots and obvious lessons being conveyed will engage any child. These stories invite reflection and conversations about doing what is right and being humble. It would make a great addition to any library!

REVIEWS AND AWARDS:

School Library Journal:

“Each one [of the stories] are carefully crafted with precise language and striking images. The title story tells adults to love their children; "How Birds Got Their Feathers" warns readers to be satisfied with what they have; "Chipmunk and Bear" cautions against making fun of others. Jacob's stunning, brilliantly colored paintings, one for each selection, capture the moods clearly and gracefully. A beautiful book in words and pictures that deserves a spot in every folktale collection.”

Booklist:

“An orphan abused by his guardian uncle finds refuge as a member of a bear family in the title story of this collection of six Iroquois teaching tales, which spring from Bruchac's close association with Iroquois elders and are sourced in tales he heard while growing up. An introduction that doesn't overwhelm puts the tales into historical and cultural context. Bruchac's style is clean and spare. His direct, immediate language makes the book accessible to a wide range of children, including reluctant and new readers, and the humor and inherent drama make the tales ideal for reading and telling aloud. The seven full-page color paintings by Murv Jacob are brightly framed with floral and other patterns that enhance the vibrant compositions, and, whether animal or human, the characters are nicely individualized and energetically executed. A gray flowered border surrounds each page of text, the type is large, the design is spacious, and the detailing is attractive. This is a fine example of good book-making, which combines quality of content with quality of craft.”

CONNECTIONS:

This book focuses on how the Iroquois used to live, not necessarily how they live today. It would be interesting to have children create a two-sided sheet where they could record how this group of people lived hundreds of years ago, as described in this book. And then the other half of the page they could record information about how Iroquois live today, after they had used appropriate resources found at http://www.bigorrin.org/iroquois_kids.htm.  

How the Turtle’s Back was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale

BOOK REVIEW: How the Turtle’s Back was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale



CITATION: 

Ross, Gayle and Murv Jacob. How the Turtle’s Back was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1995.

ISBN: 0803717296

SUMMARY:

The turtle and possum were best friends. When a wolf plotted to steal the persimmon fruit that the possum was lowering down to turtle, the possum thrust the fruit and the wolf choked and died. Afterwards, the turtle took the credit and bragged to the other animals by flaunting his wolf-ear spoons, which proved he was responsible for the kill, even though he wasn’t. The wolves became angry with turtle and discussed ways to punish him. Luckily, the turtle tricks them into throwing him into the river, where he knows he will survive. Unfortunately, his shell cracks upon impact, but it leaves an interesting pattern we see today.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

How the Turtle’s Back was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale is retold by Gayle Ross, a Cherokee storyteller. It tells the story of how Turtle is punished by wolves for bragging about killing one of them. The main characters in this story—Turtle, Possum, and the wolves are one-dimensional characters. We do not see the reaction of Possum after Turtle claims credit for the kill. We see that Turtle becomes greedy with receiving fame for killing a wolf (even though Possum does it), and he ends up almost getting killed in return. The theme of this story is to be honest and don’t become greedy. It is written in a similar format of the way it would be told. It gives details and explanations of why things are happening, and the plot meanders with interesting tidbits to color the story. Ross’s style of storytelling is direct, with a straight-forward dialect between the animals. For example, the turtle exclaims, “You were a very greedy wolf! You got what you deserved,” when the wolf chokes on the stolen fruit.

There are numerous cultural markers found in the text of this book. Ross explains the tradition of a hunter to “capture a piece of an animal’s spirit.” Another tradition explained is how food was always offered to visitor. Turtle was greedy to be named a mighty hunter, something that was valued highly from the Cherokee people. Turtle sings “Gu daye wu," a Cherokee song. There is a page-long description of the Cherokee Nation at the end of the book, which explains that they refer to themselves at Ani Yum Wiya, meaning “The Real People.”  

The illustrations are done by Merv Jacob, who is Kentucky Cherokee and European. The artwork shows bright colors and rich patterns. The artwork, done with acrylics on watercolor paper, reflects traditional representations and adds to the story without distracting from it. The animals are depicted with human qualities and with traditional Southwestern Native American patterns. The sky and landscape reveal the sun personified and dancing dots in the sky. There are only two pages that include images of people, since the story is mainly about animals. The people are shown as strong, and are dressed in various items with the same color scheme and similar patterns of swirls and dots. They appear to be peaceful, even though some are depicted holding sticks with rocks attached to the ends. There are many animals, camp fires, and foliage shown in the pictures. They are beautifully drawn, pulling the reader’s eyes from one focus to the next.

Children will be engaged in this story and can relate to being greedy, a common feeling. However, they will also be engaged to learn the truth of the Cherokee Nation, which is explained at the end of the book.

REVIEWS AND AWARDS:

Publisher’s Weekly:

“Jacob's tapestry-like acrylics, dense with pattern and detail, bring memorable theater to this story-they suggest a world in which everything, even the breezes in the sky, has tangible presence and import. The prose reflects Ross's expertise as a professional storyteller as well as her intimacy with Cherokee culture (a note on the jacket explains that she is a direct descendant of the chief who led the Cherokee Nation on the Trail of Tears).”

School Library Journal:

“When Turtle's friend Possum kills a greedy wolf, Turtle not only takes all the credit for the deed, but boasts and flaunts his trophies. The wolves take revenge on him, but they are stupid and quarrelsome, and Turtle tricks them into throwing him into the river instead of a fire. Although he escapes death, he hits a rock and his shell is cracked into pieces. He cleverly sews himself back together, but since then all turtle shells show the joins. Jacob's naive paintings depict animals in Cherokee dress. Stylized sun and moon faces look out of a pointillist sky, and there is an autumnal hue to the landscape. Details like Turtle's wolf-ear spoons and the male body ornaments and fringed belts add authenticity.”

CONNECTIONS:

Students could use the book when studying Native American folklore. Other books to read along with How the Turtle’s Back was Cracked could be How Rabbit Tricked Otter by Gayle Ross, or Deborah Duvall’s Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting or How Rabbit Lost His Tale, both traditional Cherokee legends.