This rich compendium combines Lenape (Delaware) history, an introduction to several storytellers, and storytelling beliefs with a diverse collection of tales. The tales presented here are twentieth-century renderings from many locations, demonstrating the durability of the storytelling traditions.
Genre
Catalog sorted by genre
The Same Sun Was In The Sky
A boy and his grandfather go hiking in the Arizona desert, where they observe the many rock carvings and imagine the lives of the Hohokam people who lived there in ancient times.
Spider Spins A Story: Fourteen Legends From Native America
Presents tales from various native peoples, including the Kiowa, Zuni, Cherokee, Hopi, Lakota, and Muskogee, all featuring a spider character.
A Snake Falls To Earth
Fifteen-year-olds Nina and Oli come from different words–she is a Lipan Apache living in Texas and he is a cottonmouth from the Reflecting World–but their lives intersect when Oli journeys to Earth to find a cure for his ailing friend and they end up helping each other save their families.
Desert Song
When day is done, the sun streaks the desert sky with flame. Soon the stars come out, and with them, a host of creatures. Bats spill from a hillside cave; insects seek out the sweet fruit of the saguaro; and a lone coyote sings his haunting song to the moon.In this lyrical evocation of the desert night, celebrated author Tony Johnston and Caldecott medalist Ed Young offer young readers an unforgettable look at the many plants and animals that thrive in this surprisingly lush and fragile wilderness.
Old Father Story Teller
Includes retellings of six Tewa Indian legends and a brief biographical section about the author, who is a noted American Indian artist.
Mojave
Evokes the land and animals of the Mohave Desert in poetic text and illustrations.
Before You Came This Way
The Runaway Tortilla
In this Southwestern version of the Gingerbread Man, a tortilla runs away from the woman who is about to cook him.
Dream Feather
Guided by the wisdom within the Grandfathers’ words, a young boy follows the Dream Feather from the quiet of night to the awakening that radiates from the other side of the Sun.