Beaver Steals Fire: A Salish Coyote Story [Hardcover]

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2005

A long time ago, fire belonged only to the animals in the land above, not to those on the earth below. Curlew, keeper of the sky world, guarded fire and kept it from the earth. Coyote, however, devised a clever plan to steal fire, aided by Grizzly Bear, Wren, Snake, Frog, Eagle, and Beaver. These brave and resourceful animal beings raided the land above and risked all to steal fire from Curlew.

 

Beaver Steals Fire is an ancient and powerful tale springing from the hearts and experiences of the Salish people of Montana. Steeped in the rich and culturally vital storytelling tradition of the tribe, this tale teaches both respect for fire and awareness of its significance, themes particularly relevant today. This unforgettable version of the story is told by Salish elder Johnny Arlee and beautifully illustrated by tribal artist Sam Sandoval.

(20061219)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. "A long, long time ago, the only animals who had fire lived in the land above, up in the sky. The animals on earth had no fire." It is very cold, and to keep warm, the Earth animals form a fire-raiding party and appoint Coyote as leader. The animals follow Coyote's instructions, and steal fire from the sky world, bringing it to Earth and passing it from camp to camp. Handsomely illustrated by Salish tribal artist Sandoval, this accessible story credited to confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes, incorporates Salish words and is part of a larger fire-education project that focuses on native use of fire as well as principles of fire ecology. A note asks readers to respect the tradition that this story be told or discussed only during winter, when snow is on the ground. A brief guide to written Salish and the International Phonetic Alphabet is appended. Karen Hutt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Readers of all ages will find much to delight over in this tale. . . . The watercolor illustrations that accompany the tale are rich with earthy patinas and skillfully add intelligence and dramatic action to the animal characters."—The Bloomsbury Review

(Marcia Bloupe The Bloomsbury Review 20061026)

"A gift for the whole family, beautifully produced, and very affordable."—Billings Gazette

(Sharie Clawson Billings Gazette )

"[A] beautifully illustrated retelling of a story of the Montana Salish People. . . . Beaver Steals Fire makes both a fine children''s tale and an interesting way to introduce students to the complexities of the relationship of Indian Peoples to the land."—Journal of the West

(Stephen Aquila Journal of the West )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803243235
• ISBN-13: 978-0803243231
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,443,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully presented legend, highly recommended, February 13, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beaver Steals Fire: A Salish Coyote Story (Hardcover)

Beaver Steals Fire: A Salish Coyote Story is a picturebook rendition of a story directly from the cultural tradition of the Salish people of Montana. Retold by Salish elder Johnny Arlee, and wonderfully illustrated in full color by tribal artist Sam Sandoval, Beaver Steals Fire recounts how the animals worked together to obtain fire and help prepare the world for inhabitation by human beings. Beaver Steals Fire is presented with the full support of The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Division of Fire; a note to the reader at the beginning asks those who use Beaver Steals Fire in the classroom or others who read it aloud to orally tell or discuss the story only in winter, when snow is on the ground, as this is a strongly ingrained part of tribal seasonal tradition. A beautifully presented legend, highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Part of the Fire History Project, December 1, 2006

By 

Cathy "Multicultural Book Reviewer" (Lincoln, NE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beaver Steals Fire: A Salish Coyote Story (Hardcover)

This picture book legend from the Salish people of Montana tells how the animals worked together to use fire to prepare the earth for the first humans. This book is part of a Fire History Project that includes a video, DVD, lesson plans and web site. The story is retold by Salish elder Johnny Arlee and illustrated by tribal artist Sam Sandoval. Information on the Salish alphabet is included. Extensive Note to Teachers and Parents contains excellent information on the importance of fire to Native peoples.