The Legend of the Lady Slipper [Hardcover]

Margi Preus (Adapter), Lise Lunge-Larsen (Adapter), Andrea Arroyo (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

The lady slipper grows in the northern woods to mark the courage and strength of a small girl who lived there long ago - a girl who saved her people from a terrible disease by listening carefully to the whispering snow, the rumbling ice, and the dancing northern lights. Illustrated with paintings as graceful and delicate as the lady slipper itself, this unforgettable retelling shows how a child's lost slippers became one of nature's most lovely spring flowers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In their appealing first book, the authors offer a smooth retelling of an Ojibwe tale, weaving a number of melodic foreign words into their narrative. At the center of the legend, which explains the origin of the ma-ki-sin waa-big-waan, or lady slipper flower, is a courageous girl who braves a fierce snowstorm to cure her ailing family and fellow villagers. Wearing deerskin moccasins, she walks all day until she reaches the wigwams of the people who have healing herbs. Worried that the illness at home may be worsening, she insists on setting back immediately and loses her moccasins in the deep snow; still she trudges on, leaving bloody footprints on the white ground. Her valiant efforts save the village and, when the snow melts, she and her beloved brother find lovely, moccasin-shaped blooms in place of her bloody tracks. In Arroyo's (In Rosa's Mexico) stylized watercolors, similar to Stefano Vitale's artwork, the warm hues of the heroine's native dress and moccasins, as well as of the elegant lady slippers, pop from a cool palette dominated by nature's blues and greens. An unusual simplicity and fluidity mark both text and art in this ideal choice for a springtime read-aloud. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-In this pourquoi tale, a girl undertakes a dangerous winter journey and risks her own life to bring healing herbs to her sick family and village. In crossing the snow, her moccasins are lost but she continues on, leaving bloody footprints in her wake. She returns to her village in a weak and sickened condition. When she has recovered in the spring, she discovers pink flowers that look like little moccasins in place of her bloody footsteps. The simple, declarative text includes some Ojibwe terms that are defined within the narrative. Sources are cited in an authors' note. Unfortunately, the cartoonlike watercolors are lacking in cultural distinctiveness. The characters are wanting in articulation and expression. The palette is bright, with the main character dressed in orange, red, and purple, and landscapes often include a vivid green not found in nature. Though folktales are not to be taken literally, readers familiar with the Ojibwe will notice that the heroine does not wear snowshoes in her winter quest. This gives the impression more of a fragment than a fully developed story, but the image of the bloody footprints turning into flowers is sure to captivate children. Pair this with Tomie dePaola's Legend of the Bluebonnet (Putnam, 1983).
Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library, Greenwich, CT
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (March 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395905125
• ISBN-13: 978-0395905128
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,766,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ma-ki-sin-waa-big-waan, the Moccasin Flower, November 27, 2001

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Legend of the Lady Slipper (Hardcover)

This is such a pretty book that tells the tale of the Ojibwe legend of the laddy slipper or moccasin flower. The illustrations are simple and colorful and greatly add to the folk atmosphere of the book. A little girl must go on a heroic journey through a freezing wintry night to find healing herbs when her whole village is stricken with terrible disease. She is encouraged along her route by the spirits of the stormy environment who speak to her in the Ojibwe tongue. This is an exciting and satisfying story and makes an excellent conversation starter to teach little ones about communing with the elements of Nature.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, October 30, 2005

By 

Jane O. Teske (Superior, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Legend of the Lady Slipper (Hardcover)

I read this book as part of an assingment for a class (Children Resources for Children and Young Adults). I loved it. I am also currently taken Ojibwe and enjoyed how the authors incorportated Ojibwe words. The illustrations are simple, yes, but add charm to the well told (or rather retelling) of the origin of the lady slipper.
I recommend this to any teacher. Please, incorporate it in your class (high school teachers, too!). On a latter note, after reviewing it for class, I realized that this book was written by my teacher. Margi is the nicest person and an excellent teacher. And her book reflects her spirit.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Choice!, October 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Legend of the Lady Slipper (Hardcover)

This book is excellent for all ages. It contains beautiful illustrations to compliment the story of a little girl's courage. A good one for use in a classroom.