The Story of the Milky Way: A Cherokee Tale. This item is unavailable.The Story of the Milky Way: A Cherokee Tale

In a traditional Cherokee creation story, an elderly couple discovers that a giant spirit dog has stolen some of their cornmeal, and the entire community works together to drive the dog into the night sky.

PreSchool-Grade 3?Bruchac and Ross retell a Cherokee tale with simplicity and respect. Back when there were few stars in the sky, people depended on corn for their food. An elderly couple finds that someone?or something?is stealing their cornmeal, and their grandson discovers that the thief is a large spirit dog. The villagers catch the dog in the act, and he runs away. As he leaps into the sky, the cornmeal in his mouth spills out, each grain becoming a star in the Milky Way. The story is told in a clear, straightforward style, with careful attention to the cadence of the language. It is accessible on many levels; it will hold the attention of young listeners, yet remain interesting to older readers. Both Bruchac and Ross provide source notes. The acrylic illustrations depict stylized figures and resemble fabric art. Stroud sets the story in the early 1800s, a time when clothing was made of cloth rather than buckskin, and the colors and textures heighten the applique effect, especially the sprigged calicoes worn by the women. The text and illustrations work well together, and the layout makes the book an especially good choice for story time.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
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