Four Ancestors: Stories, Songs, and Poems from Native North America - Hardcover

Bruchac, Joseph; Burrus, S. S.; Jacob, Murv; Strait, Dorothy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0816738432 ISBN 13: 9780816738434

Publisher: Bridgewater Books, 1996

Synopsis

Fire, Earth, Water, and Air are the powerful and mystical ancestors of the earth, as told in an illustrated collection of tales from more than thirty Native American cultures that capture the power and mystery of the natural world.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?In the traditions of the many native peoples of North America, earth, air, fire, and water are viewed as living beings. According to Bruchac, we can think of these elements as our four ancestors. The tales and poems in this book are grouped around the elements they reflect; for example, the "Water" section includes "The Cloud-Swallower Giant" from the Zuni, "Raven and the Tides" from the Tshimshian people of the Pacific Northwest, and a Papago rain song from the Southwest desert dwellers. Bruchac is an accomplished and energetic storyteller, and his versions of these stories are easily told or read aloud. The songs and poems interspersed throughout add a change of pace with their richly lyrical language. Background notes on each selection are included. Four artists of Cherokee, Ojibway, and San Carlos/Yavapai Apache heritage perfectly complement the text with evocative, full-page paintings and accent pieces. An especially effective design feature is the vertical border on each page that defines the element for that section. This handsome volume will enhance any folklore collection and enliven programs and lessons on Native American lore and ecology.?Connie C. Rockman, formerly at Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly

Representing more than 20 tribes, these stories, songs and poems of this collecton are in good hands. As usual, Bruchac tells the tales with opacity, allowing each story's inherent beauty and meaning to shine through. And since the illustrators are either tribal members or Native American descendants, their closeness to the subject nets a medley of styles that reflect both tradition and modern, personal perspectives. The selections are grouped around the themes of Fire, Earth, Water and Air-the "ancestors" of all creation. In the Fire section, for example, the selections relate to fire or to things that reflect "the light of fire," such as sun, moon, stars and fireflies. The sheer breadth of this collection and Bruchac's consistently gifted storytelling merit attention and respect. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Bridgewater Books
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0816738432
• ISBN 13: 9780816738434
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96
• Illustrator: Burrus S. S.