• Home
  • About
  • Meet the Authors
  • Featured Reviews
  • Request a Review
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe

The Curriculum Choice

Making homeschool decisions easy

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • About
    • Meet the Authors
  • Blog
  • How To Homeschool
    • By Review Team
    • Encouragement
    • New to Homeschooling
    • Organization
  • Reviews by Grade
    • Elementary
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Preschool
  • Reviews by Subject
    • Bible
    • Economics
    • Fine Arts
      • Art
      • Music
    • Foreign Language
    • Highschool
    • History & Geography
      • Geography
      • History
    • Home Economics
    • Language Arts
      • Grammar
      • Handwriting
      • Literature
      • Phonics
      • Reading
      • Spelling
      • Vocabulary
      • Writing
    • Logic
    • Math
    • Science & Technology
      • Science
      • Technology
        • Apps

in Elementary· History· Living books

Native American Legends by Terri Cohlene and Charles Reasoner

While perusing the library’s database in search of books about Native Americans, I discovered a wonderful little series of Native American legends written by Terri Cohlene and illustrated by Charles Reasoner.  There are six titles in the series.  Each presents a legend and a different tribe of Native Americans.

Clamshell Boy is a Makah legend telling how a boy, born of a mother’s tear, saves a group of disobedient children from the evil Basket Woman.

Dancing Drum is a Cherokee legend that tells the story of a boy as he tries to save his people from the wrath of the sun.

Ka ha si and the Loon is an Eskimo legend that shares the tale of a sleepy boy who wakes to become his people’s hero.

Little Firefly is an Algonquian legend that relates the Cinderalla-like experiences of a young girl as she seeks to follow her mother’s advice, sent to her in a dream, to find The Invisible One and the happiness that accompanies him.

Turquoise Boy is a Navajo legend about the son of Sun Bearer and Changing Woman and his desire to make life easier for the people of his land.  He takes a quest to the corners of the world, returning with gifts that become horses.

Quillworker is a Cheyenne legend that explains how a young girl and her seven adopted brothers escape the Buffalo Nation and become stars.

I am drawn to these books by both the illustrations and storytelling.  The illustrations are detailed and beautiful, representing the people and their natural surroundings faithfully.  The legends have been rendered in powerful, direct language, creating stories that are detailed and well-told but not too long for young listeners or readers.  As a bonus, each book contains information and images sharing the lifestyles and customs of the tribe highlighted by the legend.

There are several additional titles in the series that are still illustrated by Charles Reasoner, but the author is Gloria Dominc:  Brave Bear and the Ghosts (Sioux), Coyote and the Grasshoppers (Pomo), First Woman and the Strawberry (Cherokee), Red Hawk and the Sky Sisters (Shawnee), Song of the Hermit Thrush (Iroquois), and Sunflower’s Promise (Zuni).  My library does not currently have any of these, so I am at the mercy of inter-library loan.  My guess is that they are well worth the wait, though!

I must warn you that these books are a little difficult to find.  My library carries four of the six by Terri Cohlene, and I have requested the other two on inter-library loan.  Amazon seems to have a few, too, so they must be out there somewhere.  Keep your eyes open!

Susan S. is a mama of three who loves the thrill of finding a good book.  Her third-grader, first-grader, and preschooler learn in a sort-of classical, Charlotte Mason-y, a bit of traditional kind of way.  The family appreciates the blessing of home education in all of the ways that it happens.

Susan S. (26 Posts)

Susan currently home educates a third grader, a first grader, and a nearly Kindergartner. Her background is public school-traditional, but she and her husband are drawn to the classical emphasis on order and the logical accumulation of knowledge. They have added in Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on living books, nature study, and artist and composer study, since it offers such a beautiful complement to the sometimes heavy feel of classical. They even do a little lapbooking and notebooking at their house. Finally, they have covered all of this knowledge-acquiring with prayer, asking the Great Teacher to lead and instruct their family in His Way.


Filed Under: Elementary, History, Living books Tagged With: Elementary, History, Living books, written by Susan S.

Previous Post: « Teaching Textbooks
Next Post: Hands And Hearts Curriculum »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ami says

    November 23, 2011 at 8:25 am

    Thanks for this review! We are going to finish up our American Indian study after Christmas; I’m going to hunt down these books! 🙂 Ami

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

We are a veteran group of home educators with a mission – to spread the word about our favorite curricula and help YOU make informed decisions for your homeschool. Meet the review authors and browse the homeschooling tips they share!

Subscribe For Free Choosing Homeschool Curriculum Guide

Success! Please check your email and confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Sponsors and Affiliates

Homeschoolinghomeschool

Our Sister Websites

 


Follow Curriculum Choice's board Homeschool Reviews by The Curriculum Choice on Pinterest.

Recent Comments

  • Duncan on How to Start Homeschooling
  • Shirley Ann on A.C.E Curriculum Review Revisited
  • Steve Hakes on A.C.E Curriculum Review Revisited
  • 10 March Nature Activities Perfect for Spring Celebrations - Homeschool Nature Study on Christian Liberty Nature Readers
  • Heidi Ciravola on Farm Food and Nature Anatomy: Books for Exploring our Natural World
  • Advertising
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Philosophies
  • Request a Review

Copyright © 2023 · The Curriculum Choice, a Southern Hodgepodge, L.L.C. site.