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.