First Woman and the Strawberry (Native American Lore & Legends (Rourke)) [Library Binding]

Gloria Dominic (Author), Charles Reasoner (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Native American Lore & Legends (Rourke)

Tells the story of an argument between First Man and First Woman and how the first strawberry was created.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Each tape features a story from a Native American tribe, a brief account of the tribe's culture and history, and a glossary of terms. The two distinctly different delivery styles of the narrators reflect the wide range of moods conveyed in this collection of legends. Mara DeMey's soft voice fits the gentleness of the stories which describe the character's love for the earth, while the highly animated performance that Peter Thomas delivers is appropriate for the briskly paced adventure tales. The background animal sounds in each story give listeners the sensation of being close to nature. The paperback books feature boldly colored illustrations. Elementary school teachers and students will find this collection informative and entertaining.
Mark P. Tierney, William B. Wade Elementary School, Waldorf, MD
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Scientific American

Long ago First Man and First Woman of the Cherokees lived happily in the green forest, among colorful birds and fish-filled ponds. One spring day they disagreed about which path to take, and First Woman grew very angry. She went her own way. "What do I care?" First Man asked himself. Soon he saw it was a silly fight; he ran after her but could not catch up. The Great Spirit intervened and first put out grapes, then wild cherries, then huckleberry bushes to tempt First Woman to slow down. She ignored them all. So he created a new berry, red, irresistibly delicious and growing close to the ground. It worked! After First Woman had stopped to eat her fill, she soon ran to seek First Man. "Are you still angry?" Great Spirit asked her. "No, the sweetness of these berries has reminded me of the sweetness of our love." When she found her husband, they shared the wonderful berry, anger forgotten. Since that time strawberries have always been there to remind them and their children of their mutual love. The book offers a dozen more illustrated pages of actual Cherokee history, including the Cherokee syllabary published by Sequoyah in 1821. The courage of the Cherokee against enduring mistreatment, their present unity and high hopes suggest that maybe--against much evidence--it really was that wise people who first found strawberries! --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Rourke Publishing (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865934312
• ISBN-13: 978-0865934313
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,245,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Legend, Beautiful Illustrations + Tribal Info Too, March 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: First Woman and the Strawberry: A Cherokee Legend (Native American Legends) (Paperback)

The first part of the book is a heart-warming legend with vibrant illustrations; the second half could stand alone as a short history of the Cherokee tribe, important people & events, etc complete with photos, a map, etc. We bought it for the legend & the tribal info was a fantastic surprise; it even includes a Cherokee syllabary chart. What a great way to present literature, art, history, & anthropology!

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely story about resolving disagreements., November 25, 2011

By 

Marie Lewis (Southern born World Citizen) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Woman and the Strawberry: A Cherokee Legend (Native American Legends) (Paperback)

It is very nice to read the story to my children. It shows that marriage isn't perfect, but love is.