The legend of the Milky Way tells of an elderly couple who lived long ago. One day they discovered that a giant spirit dog had stolen some of their cornmeal--and drove the dog from the village into the night sky. The band of stars that formed in its wake is the Milky Way. Exquisite paintings illuminate a lyrical text by two renowned Native American storytellers.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
With lyric simplicity this retelling of a Cherokee folktale posits an explanation for the origin of the Milky Way, at the same time stressing the merits of communal labor. When a great spirit dog begins to rob cornmeal belonging to an old couple, the wise Beloved Woman devises a plan for the whole village to frighten the dog away for good. Running away across the sky, the dog leaves a trail of dropped cornmeal, each grain of which becomes a star. Only in the final passage does the reader learn that the Cherokee name for the Milky Way means "the place where the dog ran." Stroud's (Doesn't Fall Off His Horse) distinctive, stylized acrylics harmoniously oppose starkly delineated characters with intricately patterned backgrounds; while she renders finely detailed, flower-strewn fabrics amidst flower-strewn fields, she defines faces only by a mauve circle suggestive of a cheekbone. Framing the folktale as a story recounted by a father to his children, Bruchac (The First Strawberry) and Ross (How Turtle's Back Was Cracked) subtly underscore the role of tradition in shaping narrative. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3?Bruchac and Ross retell a Cherokee tale with simplicity and respect. Back when there were few stars in the sky, people depended on corn for their food. An elderly couple finds that someone?or something?is stealing their cornmeal, and their grandson discovers that the thief is a large spirit dog. The villagers catch the dog in the act, and he runs away. As he leaps into the sky, the cornmeal in his mouth spills out, each grain becoming a star in the Milky Way. The story is told in a clear, straightforward style, with careful attention to the cadence of the language. It is accessible on many levels; it will hold the attention of young listeners, yet remain interesting to older readers. Both Bruchac and Ross provide source notes. The acrylic illustrations depict stylized figures and resemble fabric art. Stroud sets the story in the early 1800s, a time when clothing was made of cloth rather than buckskin, and the colors and textures heighten the applique effect, especially the sprigged calicoes worn by the women. The text and illustrations work well together, and the layout makes the book an especially good choice for story time.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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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.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great Milky Way legend,
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This review is from: The Story of the Milky Way: A Cherokee Tale (Hardcover)
I have always been a sucker for old legends and myths, and as I am also an astronomy nut I could not help but fall for this one. It manages to explain the celestial wonder in a very down-to-earth way that is connected with the community. The real gem, however, of this book is the illustrations.
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