Customer Reviews

Heetunka's Harvest: A Tale of the Plains Indians

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really enjoyed this book! It is a great tool to teach children about sharing. Children will find it easy to understand and the illustrations are great. Teachers will find it useful to teach students about the Plains Indians and some of their customs. A detailed explanation about the mice and the original tale is included, as well as a glossary.

I don't mind that the woman knows she's "a good wife" because she has gathered lots of food for her family, but it upsets me that her husband is mean to her after she makes a mistake in not respecting the bean mouse. I quote from the book:

"You foolish woman," cried her husband, "Hunka has punished us all for your greediness. You stole from the Bean Mouse, and now look at what's happened! You don't deserve your husband, who provides you with so much. You don't even deserve your poor, helpless children."

In my family, we try to see our mistakes as opportunities to learn, and I cannot read this page aloud to my children. We would never attack each other's worth, even for a large mistake that effects all of us. It's too bad, but because of this page I returned the library book and chose not to buy an otherwise excellent story of the importance of respecting all life. If we cannot expect husbands to speak with respect to their wives, then how can we expect people to treat mice with respect?