Celestial River (World Storytelling from August House) [Hardcover]

Andrea Stryer (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: World Storytelling from August House

Long ago, before the lights of cities dimmed our view of the heavens, anyone who looked up on a clear night could see the Milky Way. The glowing ribbon of light seemed almost close enough to touch. It reminded ancient peoples of common things around them: a river, a road, milk, or strewn wheat. They gave the luminous stream vivid names, such as Celestial River, Star-Filled Basket, and Path to the Place of Abundance. With these names came remarkable stories of how the Milky Way was formed stories ....

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8?A lackluster collection of well-documented tales about how the Milky Way was formed. The stories come from Japan, Greek mythology, the Navajo, the Australian Aborigines, the Maori, the Kalahari San, and the Toba Indians of Argentina. The selections tell of a tribal leader who makes the stars dance, a fire god who throws a path of stars, bridges that allow gods and mortals to pass, and a lonely girl in a menstrual hut who creates more light for the sky. Each tale is preceded by helpful background information that sets the mood and place. Though the lore is presented clearly, the writing style is dry, with choppy sentences that do not flow. More like factual recountings of folklore, these tales will not work as read-alouds. Though not a browsing collection, this book might be useful for comparison studies of pourquoi tales. Amateurish black-and-white pencil sketches appear throughout.?Angela J. Reynolds, West Slope Community Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: August House (December 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874835291
• ISBN-13: 978-0874835298
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,246,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.