Native American Storybooks

[Sharikee]

Native American stories are as varied as the trees on the Earth and yet have many common themes, whether told by the Inuit of Alaska or the Seminole of Florida. Traditional Native stories are based on honoring all life, especially the plants and animals we depend on, as well as our human ancestors.
Most stories talk about the living beings within a specific tribe’s homeland—the raven of the Pacific Northwest, the coyote from the desert, the buffalo of the Plains, the beaver of the Eastern woodlands. Stories explain why and how certain local plants and animals came to be, such as Narragansett storyteller Tchin’s lesson of why rabbits have such long ears. Other stories explain ceremony and ritual, such as Hoskie Benally’s story “The Five Sacred Medicines”.

[Sharikee]

Long ago, there was a terrible drought in the land and many people suffered. A young girl named She-Who-Is-Alone sacrifices her most prized possession, a doll, to the Great Spirits. This doll is her only connection to the family she has lost. The Great Spirits accept her gift, end the drought, and as a sign of forgiveness, they cover the ground every spring with beautiful blue bonnets.

[Sharikee]

A little boy plants an apple seed, and as soon as it sprouts the boy can see the apple tree it is meant to be. But the little apple tree isn’t so sure. Young and impatient, the tree begins to doubt its calling, especially after apples fail to appear that first October. How can the little boy encourage the tree to give the seasons and years the time to work their magic?

[Sharikee]

"You will reach the far-off land if you keep hope alive within you." The words of Magic Frog give courage to the young mouse on his long and perilous journey to reach the wonderful land of legend. He faces many obstacles on his quest and sacrifices much to help others in need. But the mouse's compassion and faith in himself prove to be a source of great power...and bring him rewards even beyond his dreams.

[Sharikee]

When Young Wolf and his older sister wander from their village and face the danger of a prairie fire, Elk Tooth Woman, their deceased grandmother who is now one of the Star People, appears to guide them.

[Sharikee]

The Native American tradition of the give-away takes a new form in this engaging dialogue between the Whooping Crane, the Snow Goose, Old Beaver, Grandmother Turtle, the Wind, the Ancient One, and the Creator as well as others. Children of all ages will learn that giving is more than just gifting; it is denying oneself so that another may have a better way.

[Sharikee]

Open the pages of this collection and enter a world where moccasins dance under a mysterious spell...where a little boy sets a snare for the burning sun...and where an old Toad Woman dares to steal a baby. Filled with unforgettable adventures readers of every age will cherish, The Enchanted Moccasins and Other Native American Legends includes such stories as:
• Gray Eagle and His Five Brothers
• Leelinau, the Lost Daughter
• The Origin of the Robin
• The Winter Spirit and His Visitor
• He of the Little Shell
• White Feather and the Six Giants
...and many others. Historically rich and exciting, this treasury opens new vistas onto ancient Indian lore.

[Sharikee]

Nearly all that remains of some Indian tribes of Texas and the Southern Plains are their stories. Here twenty-six tales are brought together from fourteen tribes and at least five different cultures. They are stories of humor, guidance, and adventure that have been passed down through the generations.

From the Tejas story that explains how the universe began, to the Lipan Apache tale in which a small lizard smartly outwits a hungry coyote, these stories are sure to delight young readers.

[Sharikee]

It started with a mother's love... Fleeing from a forest fire, a mother bear urges her two cubs into the watery shelter of a vast body of water. Though it will be difficult, she knows if they can swim across to the opposite shore, they will be safe. With calls of encouragement and steadfast love, Mother Bear guides her cubs across the great lake, Lake Michigan. And the story of what happens once Mother Bear reaches the far shore becomes the legend behind the natural wonder known as Sleeping Bear Dune.

[Sharikee]

In a village by the shores of Lake Ontario lived an invisible being. All the young women wanted to marry him because he was rich, powerful, and supposedly very handsome. But to marry the invisible being the women had to prove to his sister that they had seen him. And none had been able to get past the sister's stern, all-knowing gaze.

Then came the Rough-Face girl, scarred from working by the fire. Could she succeed where her beautiful, cruel sisters had failed?

[Sharikee]

While Kimmy's parents look for a house close to Daddy's job, Kimmy stays with her Chippewa grandmother. The bad dreams she has had still bother her. But with her grandmother's help, she learns about dreamcatchers.

[Sharikee]

Pickup trucks and eagles, yellow school buses and painted horses, Mother Earth and Sister Meadowlark all join together to greet the dawn. They marvel at the colours and sounds, smells and memories that dawn creates. Animals and humans alike turn their faces upwards and gaze as the sun makes its daily journey from horizon to horizon. Dawn is a time to celebrate with a smiling heart, to start a new day in the right way, excited for what might come. Birds sing and dance, children rush to learn, dewdrops glisten from leaves, and gradually the sun warms us. Each time the sun starts a new circle, we can start again as well. All these things are part of the Lakota way, a means of living in balance. S. D. Nelson offers young readers wonder and happiness as a better way of appreciating their culture and surroundings. He draws inspiration from traditional stories to create Greet the Dawn . His artwork fuses elements of modern with traditional. Above all, he urges each of us to seize the opportunity that dawn offers each day.

[Sharikee]

Shota is a young Lakota girl who lives in a contemporary American city. When the block that her family and friends live on is threatened by development, they use long-standing Lakota traditions to find a solution that saves their homes. In working together, they create a beautiful quilt that resolves more than just their problem. This story weaves together traditional folktale values with modern concerns for the urban environment and green issues. In addition to the beautiful folk-style native art illustrations, the complete text of the story is presented in Lakota as well as English.