A clever hunter, a great storm, and four mischievous, hungry boys remake the face of the earth by creating the sea and the Lesser Antilles islands, in a vivid retelling of an ancient Tai+a7no myth.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Taken from the first ethnological study done in the New World, this pourquoi story makes a strong contribution to the growing number of books preserving ancient tales of early cultures. When Yayael, a great hunter among Puerto Rico's Taino natives, disappears during a hurricane, his parents place his powerful bow and arrow in a gourd hanging from the ceiling. One day the gourd fills with fish enough for all the hungry villagers; but when some curious boys are asked to protect this magical food source, catastrophe occurs. They inadvertently break the gourd, and "in an instant everything in the hut was afloat." Torrents "flowed and rose to cover the land" and eventually "all kinds of sea creatures came out of the gourd to fill the water with life"--the villagers will never hunger again. Crespo's debut book successfully combines a spare, to-the-point retelling with stylized, brightly colored oil paintings that playfully echo forms and faces from early masks and sculpture without being too abstract for a child's comprehension. A concluding pronunciation guide and notes on the Taino culture will be helpful for teachers and parents. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5-- This simple retelling of a Taino myth explains how the sea was formed when salt-water and ocean creatures poured from the burial gourd of the best hunter in the village, creating the island of Puerto Rico. Crespo's primitive oil paintings reflect the harmonious colors of nature: the blues of sky and ocean, the oranges and browns of earth, the reds and yellows of sunrise and sunset, the greens of vegetation. The people's brightly hued clothing and color-coordinated accessories may add to the book's visual appeal, but not its accuracy. This unusual Puerto Rican Indian legend provides an interesting read-aloud as well as a cultural lesson. Source notes and a pronunciation guide are appended. --Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Colorful Taino Legend,
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This review is from: How the Sea Began: A Taino Myth (Hardcover)
George Crspo's book have always been a good source for my storytelling projects--- the illustrations are delightful, true to subject matter yet easy enough for young readers to grasp what is happening. I believe all teachers or parents interested in the history of Puerto Rico and of the Tainos who were here, in the Antilles, way before Columbus arrived---should have a copy of this delightful legend on "How the Sea Began".
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