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.