Remaking The Earth: A Creation Story from the Great Plains of North America [Paperback]

Paul Goble (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996

In this Algonquin "Earth Diver" creation myth, woven from the ideas of several traditional tales, the water birds and animals left behind when the old world was flooded dive for mud so that the Creator can make dry land again.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4?Goble expands upon the Algonquin "Earth Diver" myth to tell a story of the cycle of Creation, in the "spirit of old stories." Long ago, the earth cracked open and water flooded everything, leaving only aquatic creatures alive. These animals beg Earth Maker to bring back the land. He asks for one animal to dive down and bring him some mud. Many fail, but Coot succeeds. Earth Maker places the mud on Grandmother Turtle's back to make a world covered with creations from his imagination?from birds to buffaloes to people. He teaches people to hunt, cook with fire, and to make clothes. Finally, he tells Bull Buffalo to push against the mountains; when Bull Buffalo dies, "the mountains will break apart and the waters will flood in once again, and then Earth Maker will make another world." Elements are drawn from the myths of many tribes of the Great Plains, including the Blackfoot and Arapaho. Watercolor illustrations are well executed, often enriching the text such as when flocks of birds fly out from the edges of Earth Maker's robe. The story is supplemented by asterisked information, which, although interesting, is not attributed to particular tribes and detracts from the flow of the text. Goble's The Great Race (Bradbury, 1985) provides a more elaborate explanation of one element of this Creation myth, man's triumph over buffaloes. Remaking the Earth is suitable for telling or independent reading, and has broad appeal.?Susan M. Moore, Louisville Free Public Library, KY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-6, younger for reading aloud. In this picture book for older readers, Goble tells of the remaking of Earth following the floods. Earth Maker doesn't always get things right, but it's understood that the Creator is learning along with other living things. The narrative, which ends with a warning that even this new world won't last forever, is based on elements taken from several Native American tribal groups. Goble has included an extensive reference list and a detailed introductory note, and he supplies additional notes by using asterisks. His double-page spreads are saturated with the richness of nature and the splendor of everyday animals, including an irresistible Grandmother Turtle. He has also made room for the exotic--a giant water monster and a mighty Thunderbird. This is a good choice for students interested in comparing the handling of creation stories from diverse cultural and ethnic groups. Karen Morgan

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Orchard Books (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 053109524X
• ISBN-13: 978-0531095249
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,032,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Paul Goble is an award winning author and illustrator of children's books. He has won both the Caldecott Medal and The Library of Congress' Children's Book of the Year Award. To date, Mr. Goble has illustrated over 30 books. He has given his entire collection of original illustrations to the South Dakota Art Museum in Brookings, South Dakota.

Goble, a native of England, studied at the Central School of Art in London. He has lived in the United States since 1977 and became a citizen in 1984. Goble's life-long fascination with Native Americans of the plains began during his childhood when he became intrigued with their spirituality and culture. His illustrations accurately depict Native American clothing, customs and surroundings in brilliant color and detail. Goble researches ancient stories and retells them for his young audiences in a manner sympathetic to Native American ways. Goble lives with his wife in Rapid City, SD.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ongonig creation story of the Indian peoples of the Great Plains, August 29, 2005

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Remaking The Earth: A Creation Story from the Great Plains of North America (Paperback)

The key point of Paul Goble's "Remaking the Earth: A Creation Story from the Great Plains of North America," is that for the Indian peoples creation is something that is going on all the time. The story begins a long time ago where there was another world like our own, but then the mountains crumbled and water covered up everything. The only living things left were the fishes in the water and the ducks and other animals that lived there at well. Then all beseeched the Earth Maker, the Creator/Great Spirit/God, to give them back land where they could rest and have a place to lay their eggs. Where this story becomes unique from other creation stories that I have heard is that the Earth Maker needs help in creating a new world. For example, he needs mud to make land and needs an animal to bring some. This the coot does because the mallard duck went looking without success (in fact, they are still searching). One by one the other animals become part of the act of creation, and we find out why North America is called "Turtle Island."

As the story continues the Earth Maker creates the mountains and the plains, has the mighty Thunderbirds fighting the giant monsters in the rivers, and opens up his robe so that the Earth is repopulated with birds and animals of every type (and we find out why the Buffalo are so plentiful). All that is left is for Earth Maker to make two-legged beings and give them all he has made. The first man and the first woman, along with their descendants, have to deal with the Buffalo, and then are given the gift of Horses. The story ends with Earth Maker's words that only the Earth remains forever, and that Bull Buffalo getting old. He only has one left left and almost no hair, and when he dies "the mountains will break apart and the waters will flood in once again...and then the Earth Maker will make another world."

This is the largest book I have seen to date written and illustrated by Paul Goble, and with the painting of Grandmother Turtle he certainly tries to come up with something bigger. Of course this makes it even better for reading aloud to younger children. The story itself comes from various creation stories, using the Algonquin creation myth of the "Earth Diver" to provide the basic narrative structure. One of the interesting things Goble speaks about is how he had to filter out the influence of Christian missionaries who had made the ancient creation stories more compatible with the Book of Genesis (Those would be interesting to see, and if you work your way through the references that Goble provides you can probably find them).

In his author's note at the start of the book Goble points out that the Earth Maker is not illustrated as a person because there is no precedent for that sort of personification in Native American art. This underscores that while the creation story Goble tells can stand on its own, you always want to check out the background information that he provides. Once young students are exposed to the story they can compare and contrast this creation story with others they have heard and to discuss what the difference the differences make. This is a great way of introducing young students to how cultural differences are infused into the stories told and passed down by a society. I do this all the time with Genesis and the creation myths of the ancient Greeks and Romans, so I know it can be done with any combination of similar stories. It is never too early to introduce young students to the joys of analog criticism.

5.0 out of 5 stars Remaking the Earth, November 24, 2011

By 

Irina - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Remaking the Earth: A Creation from the Great Plains of North America (Library Binding)

I was quite surprised when this book arrived. The book is like brand new and arrived in a timely manner.

2.0 out of 5 stars Good Story, Not So Good Presentation - a review of "Remaking the Earth", December 6, 2006

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Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Remaking The Earth: A Creation Story from the Great Plains of North America (Paperback)

I so wanted to like this book. We have been reading about different cultures and beliefs lately and this tale of creation seemed like it would fit in very well. Unfortunately it didn't make for a very good read-aloud (my children are 4 and 6); and consequently wasn't very popular.

I tried reading it for my own enjoyment, being interesting in such matters, but can't really give it a thumbs up for adult reading either. Verbiage just sort of lays there and is not as inspired as the artwork nor the tale.

Two Stars. [D+]. Interesting artwork. Bad Read-aloud. Interesting story - if it were only told in more pleasing form. There is much here that parallels the Judeo-Christian stories of creation and flood.