A Coyote Columbus Story - Hardcover

King, Thomas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 088899155X ISBN 13: 9780888991553

Publisher: Groundwood Books, 2002

Synopsis

Reinterprets the Christopher Columbus conquest story as a trickster tale, where Coyote the trickster is challenged by a funny looking red-haired man who has no interest in the animals of Coyote's land but, rather, the human beings that he can take back with him to sell in Spain.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-5-Coyote is in her female guise, and King reminds readers immediately that she is responsible for everything in the world-rainbows, rivers, toenail polish, and TV commercials. Her favorite thing of all is playing ball-all positions at once. But she finds it rather boring without a companion. However, the beavers have dams to build, and moose and turtles are also otherwise occupied. The humans will play, but they get rather hostile when Coyote wins every game. (After all she makes up the rules, and changes them as she pleases.) Then, three ships, Christopher Columbus, and a crew of clowns arrive. Will they play ball? No, they say, they've got to find things they can sell. No gold? No computer games? Convinced they're in India, they decide to grab some of the Native people and take them back to sell in Spain. Columbus sails away with his captives, the remaining humans catch the bus to Penticton, and when Coyote tries to fix things, what does she get? Another bunch of funny-looking clowns, led by Jacques Cartier. Monkman's illustrations are perfect. Brilliant colors are daubed onto screwball figures, and anachronisms abound. What seems a funny romp turns out to have a very sharp edge. This irreverent treatment of Columbus and his fellows may be disquieting to some, but it is long overdue.
Ruth Semrau, Upshur County Public Library, Gilmer, TX
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Groundwood Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 088899155X
• ISBN 13: 9780888991553
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Monkman William Kent