Cut from the Same Cloth: American Women of Myth, Legend, and Tall Tale (Paperback)

~ Robert D. San Souci (Author), Brian Pinkney (Illustrator), Jane Yolen (Introduction) "The Chippewa are part of the Ojibwa people who settled in the region of the Great Lakes and upper Mississippi..." (more)
Key Phrases: fierce woman, willow basket, Sister Fox, Brother Coyote, Mistah Fox (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Stories culled from the melting pot of American culture (Hawaiian, Eskimo and Native American, among others) unite a league of female folk heroes as courageous, irascible and noble as any of their more famous male counterparts," said PW. "Scratchboard illustrations accentuate the tales' preposterous humor." Ages 8-12. (Feb.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-8-- In many ways, this volume continues the work of Ethel Johnston Phelps's Tatterhood and Other Tales (Feminist Pr, 1978) as it offers authentic folk and fairy tales about heroines. Here, however, San Souci confines himself to North America and organizes his selections by region, moving from east to west. The women come from the Native American, African American, Mexican American, and Canadian traditions. Although they differ in many ways from their male counterparts, there are still tricksters, sweet talkers, and brave and strong protagonists like those found in hero stories. There has been some retelling, some modifications of dialects, some reshaping of open endings, but the plots have not been tampered with. Each story is illustrated with an engraving of some sort, with black background and white lines that give the pictures an antique quality like a woodcut or copper engraving. Notes on the stories and an extensive list of further reading are appended. An impressive and gratifying collection that's a cut above other such compilations. --Ruth K. MacDonald, Quinnipiac College, Hamden, CT
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 140 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0698118111
• ISBN-13: 978-0698118119
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #283,889 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Acid Test, June 15, 2002

By	Judith E. Cohen (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I'm a teacher in the Oakland Schools in California and these tales are wonderful to read aloud. Particularly to black children because it picks up the nuances of the spoken word as they hear it. The criticism by a reviewer that the tales aren't true to their source is irrelevant. So what? These tales are for fairly young children, grades 3 through 5. Naturally, they've been cleaned up a little. I can't see by doing this that the author has robbed them of their energy or humor.

The children love them. That's all that counts.

Judith Cohen

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I just loved this book, April 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cut from the Same Cloth (Hardcover)

This book was so good! I just loved it. My little sister just loved it too. The discriptions in the book were really good! I also just loved all of the characters! I recommend this book to people young and old.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Is this the best we can do?, May 20, 2007

By	Linda Lindauer - See all my reviews

I was pleased to find this anthology of mythological American women, but disappointed in the telling of their tales. My granddaughters lost interest and I could see the curtain fall on their curiosity. Not a good choice.