Woodleigh Marx Hubbard

This book tells part of the story of the Navaho creation myth. This book focuses around the First Man and First Woman to walk the Earth. The story consists of different animals going out to fetch fresh water for these First Humans who are dealing with a dry, patchy land. Otter and Beaver fail at their task, causing them to remain living in swampy lake areas without fresh water. The frog and the turtle then seek out this fresh water. Turtle builds a stone shell to carry the water flask, and Frog gathers muddy water instead of fresh water. Therefore, they are both forced to live off of bugs that live in muddy and unclear water. Finally the snail brings back a drop of fresh water, which is turned into streams and rivers. The snail is than granted the privilege of keeping the water flask on their back and alway leaving a moist trail to remind people of the gift of water. This story tells the myth of creation that many of us have heard from different forms and perceptions of similar myths. What I like about the Navaho Creation Myth is that it portrays a tremendous amount of respect for the balance of nature and the environment we live in. I love that it stresses how important water is to life! The illustrations were also really beautiful and filled with symbolism that reflected the actions of some of the characters. For example, after the river is created, the water currents resemble the shell of the snail.… (más)

In Park Beat, London uses rhyming words in the book to describe each of the seasons. For each season, activities are described that can be done and how the weather and the animals are during this time. At the end of each season Mama is always callin'. At the end of the description, when the name of the season is given it is a different color from the other words to make sure that the main purpose of the book is conveyed. This is a wonderful book to teach children about the seasons. I really did love this book, the words flowed so well. While reading the book I almost found myself wanting to sing the words and this could be a helpful strategy to use for children to remember the seasons and their characteristics.… (más)