Knots on a Counting Rope - Hardcover

Archambault, John; Rand, Ted; Martin Jr., Bill

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805005714 ISBN 13: 9780805005714

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 1987

Synopsis

In this poignant story, the counting rope is a metaphor for the passage of time and for a boy’s emerging confidence in facing his blindness.

About this title

About the Author

Bill Martin, Jr. (1916-2004) was an elementary-school principal, teacher, writer, and poet. His more than 300 books, among them the bestselling classics Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?; Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?; and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, are a testament to his ability to speak directly to children. Martin held a doctoral degree in early childhood education. Born in Kansas, he worked as an elementary-school principal in Chicago before moving to New York City, where he worked in publishing developing innovative reading programs for schools. After several years, he devoted himself full-time to writing his children’s books. He lived in New York until 1993, when he moved to Texas. He lived in the east Texas woods, near the town of Commerce, until he passed away in 2004.

 

John Archambault is a poet, journalist, and storyteller who has collaborated with Bill Martin Jr. and Ted Rand on several books, including Barn Dance! and The Ghost-Eye Tree.

 

Ted Rand (1915-2005) was a prolific artist whose illustrations appeared in several magazines and newspapers, as well as in numerous books for children. He collaborated with both Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault on many books, including Here Are My Hands.

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 4 Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses begs his grandfather to tell him again the story of the night he was born. In a question-and-answer litany, the boy and his grandfather share the telling of the events on that special nightthe wild storm; the frantic ride for the grandmother/midwife; the birth of the frail, sickly boy; and the blessings of the blue horses. Through a staccato dialogue, readers learn how the boy, who was born blind, teaches his horse to run the trails. They enter a race, and although the boy does not win, his grandfather tells him that he has ``raced darkness and won.'' The boy and his grandfather each have such a distinctive voice and cadence that there is no need of imposing qualifiers such as ``he said.'' The story unfolds naturally, exhibiting the love between the boy and his grandfather. The illustrations, executed in strong watercolors, capture the beauty and strength of the southwest. Through form and color, Rand creates enduring mountains, fluffy clouds floating in a brilliant blue sky, and the gritty textures of the earth. The people exhibit character, individuality, and pride. And the loving bond eloquently expressed in the text is also reflected in the profiles of the two seated figures surrounded by the glow of the campfire. Parents and grandparents should share this book, and then their own stories, with children. Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gathered near a campfire under a canopy of stars, a Navaho Indian boy hears the tale of his birth from his grandfather. Born on a windy night, the child was weak and frail. In the early morning, Grandfather brought him out to meet the morning. Two blue horses galloped by, stopped and looked at him; the baby raised his arms to them. Grandfather said, "This boy child will not die. The great blue horses have given him the strength to live." Named Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses, the child later needs that well of strength to deal with the fact that he is blind. Rand's atmospheric, vivid paintings evoke the tale's sensibility as they move it along. The beauty and vastness of the Western sky and the intimacy of two loving figures by a campfire are portrayed with equal fluidity. A rich tale of intergenerational love and respect, this is bittersweet and unsentimental. It is a moving collaborative effort that reverberates long after the book is closed. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 1987
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0805005714
• ISBN 13: 9780805005714
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32