dePaola, T. (1996). The legend of the bluebonnet: an old tale of Texas. New York, NY: Penguin Putnam books for Young Readers.
The storybook that every
wild flower lover, every admirer of history, every native or modern Texan must
read. That is The Legend of the Bluebonnet. This
folktale is the retold Comanche legend of how bluebonnets came to Texas.
It begins with She-Who-Is-Alone, a little girl who’s lost much, is destitute,
and looking for a place to belong within her people. Author dePaola includes
reverent artwork and carefully preserves the respectful, somber feeling through
the use of lines in her drawings. From the strong profiles, to the
details in the hair and dresses, dePaola lets the art depict how serious things
are for She-Who-Is-Alone. In addition, the setting of the book is a
character of its own. She-Who-Is-Alone must take what she values most and
decide whether she will sacrifice this one thing to belong to a tribe who holds
no members of her family. She’s the only one. Her decision alone is
the only thing that stands between more deaths or much needed rain for her
people. Will she succeed in her quest? Will her sacrifice stand the test
of time?
Parents, don’t be let
this Texan jewel pass you by. Every child must know why
the beautiful bluebonnets abound. You can speak about how
the weather can make people’s lives change. What can people to do remember
those they love? What is it to be selfless? These are all excellent
qualities that children understand and can model.
Teachers, this is an
excellent opportunity for cross-curricular activities. Connect ideas between social studies and
reading, history and character. The possibilities are endless.
Enjoy this beautiful tale
of how a small child can affect their community.
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