Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite Valley [Hardcover]

Robert D. San Souci (Author), Daniel San Souci (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Retells the Miwok Indian legend in which a little measuring worm saves two bear cubs stranded at the top of the rock known as El Capitan.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ages 5^-9. In this retelling of a Miwok Indian legend about the huge granite rock formation at Yosemite known as El Capitan, two bear cubs go for a romp and become so tired they fall asleep on a rock. They don't even wake up when the rock begins to grow. When Mother Grizzly goes searching for the cubs, all the animals she encounters try to help her. Red-tailed Hawk finally spots the cubs on top of the mountain, but it isn't until the most insignificant of creatures, the measuring worm, tries to make the climb that the cubs are rescued. The two cubs are endearing fellows, and although it looks odd for the animal characters to be dressed in traditional Miwok garb, a note explains that the Miwok believe their early ancestors had animal forms. There's a careless spelling error in the text (contined for continued), but the excellent background notes on the Miwok and the story of the small, triumphant worm make this a fine purchase for most libraries. Susan Dove Lempke

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 36 pages
• Publisher: Yosemite Association; First edition. edition (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939666871
• ISBN-13: 978-0939666874
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #539,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > United States

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great California Indian tale, December 12, 2000

By 

Scott M. Moe (Lafayette, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite Valley (Hardcover)

As a fourth grade teacher in California, I have the pleasure of teaching California history. This book is a great retelling of an old Miwok Indian legend set in Yosemite Valley. Locals, Robert and Daniel San Souci write and illustrate a fun story that tells of the formation of El Capitan in Yosemite. It also teaches that each individual, regardless of size can make a difference. At the end of the book is information on the Miwok tribe and a helpful list of related readings and web sites. The students love the book and it is a fun way to present a California tribe's legend.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Tukonula was a real person - A Paiute person, not Miwok, May 17, 2008

By 

Yosemite Indians (Yosemite) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite Valley (Hardcover)

Rock Chief in the book was a real Paiute Chief. They were also known as Captains. The orignal Indians of Yosemite were Mono Paiutes and not Miwoks. Miwoks were the gold diggers and scouts for the whites and the military who wanted to clear out the Yosemite Indians who were Mono Paiutes. The Yosemite Mono Paiutes were attacking white gold miners as they got closer and closer to the mountians in their quest for gold. So the whites decided to create a militia to 'clear out' the troublesome Indians and they did. Chief Tenaya was a Paiute born at Mono Lake and not in Yosemite. Tenaya took 200 to 300 Paiutes back into Yosemite Valley and created the PAIUTE Colony of Ahwahnee. There were NO Miwoks living in Yosemite Valley. There were Yokuts living at the southern end of the Yosemite National park, but NEVER in Yosemite Valley itself. That was an area that was Paiute and so was Hetch Hetchy. Miwoks or Walla Walla Indians, as they were earliar called, were brought in to work for the whites. So any referrence to Miwok in the book should be Paiute, since Mono Paiutes were the original Indians. We also have the proof something they don't have...only legends. You can find the truth by typing in Google search. Yes, their was a Tukonula, but he was a PAIUTE and not a Miwok. At that time Miwoks and Paiutes were enemies.

But great artwork.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No big deal, February 10, 2007

By 

MaraMiami "booknut" (miami, florida, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite Valley (Hardcover)

The illustrations are the best part of this book, and one (at least) has been made into a beautiful poster for Yosemite Park. But the supposed Indian legend lacked for me the charm of a mythical tale told well. The child in me was not fascinated by the story. I bought it because someone gave me the poster, which I framed; I like the poster better than the book.