The Circle of Thanks [Hardcover]

Bruchac (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 1996 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Fourteen poems with themes of thanksgiving and appreciation of nature, based in part on traditional Native American songs and prayers.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 1^-5. Readers hungry for more material with roots in traditional Native American songs and prayers may want to give thanks for this book. Bruchac has created 13 brief, original poems, "based in part on traditional Native American songs and prayers," that can function as chants, prayers, or songs (although no musical notation is included). Native American groups, ranging from the Mohawk of the eastern woodlands and the Kwakiutl of the Northwest Coast to the Osage of the Great Plains are represented. Jacob's illustrations are reminiscent of those he created for Gayle Ross' How Rabbit Tricked Otter (1994). Here, the text is placed in small boxed insets on double-page spreads, with the pictures revealing much of cultural significance. More about each group's culture is provided in appended notes, and sources are acknowledged. Karen Morgan

From Kirkus Reviews

Bruchac (Children of the Longhouse, p. 685, etc.) gathers 14 traditional Native American poems of appreciation and respect for nature's gifts. It is a wide sampling, drawn from Cherokee (thanks for medicine plants), Kwakiutl (a prayer for cedar roots), Pawnee (a nod to the stars that guide), and Navajo (an exultation of thunder) traditions. From the Mohawk comes the warm ``Thanks to Mother Earth,'' who is ``there to catch us/if we should fall''; from the Papago, the wonderful ``Song for the Corn,'' which asks, ``Am I corn of two colors,/am I crazy corn,/singing in the wind?'' This excellent collection inspires celebration and thanksgiving for all meaningful things in life. Jacob's stylized illustrations are an eyeful, smartly situating each of the native people in their respective landscapes. (Picture book/poetry. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Troll Communications (October 17, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816740127
• ISBN-13: 978-0816740123
• Product Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,996,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joseph Bruchac is a highly acclaimed Abenaki children's book author, poet, novelist and storyteller, as well as a scholar of Native American culture. Coauthor with Michael Caduto of the bestselling Keepers of the Earth series, Bruchac's poems, articles and stories have appeared in over 500 publications, from Akwesasne Notes and American Poetry Review to National Geographic and Parabola. He has authored more than 50 books for adults and children. For more information about Joseph, please visit his website www.josephbruchac.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Circle of Thanks, December 1, 2009

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Virginia L. Stout - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Circle of Thanks (Hardcover)

This is a great book. I suggested everyone to read this book. For the last few years, I learn alot more on Native American stories, culture, spirituality and religion.