Bruchac, Joseph. 2004. Raccoon’s Last Race: A Traditional Abenaki Story. Dial Books for Young Readers: New York.
In this retelling of an Abenaki legend, Azban the Raccoon is the fastest of all animals, but he is also conceited. After alienating all of his friends due to his bad sportsmanship, Azban challenges a large boulder (Big Rock) to race. As Big Rock gains speed rolling down a hill, it overtakes the taunting Azban and smashes him flat! Only the ants offer to help the misshapen Azban on the condition that he would be their friend. Would he keep his promise? No! He disregarded them before they were even finished stretching him out, so the raccoon must live with its lumbering gait to this day. The lively, colorful illustrations, done in pen-and-ink, gouache, and pastel, add animation and humor to this story. This traditional tale which encourages friendship and loyalty, and warns against conceitedness and pride is a welcome addition to any collection. Mandy Hooker (Written as an assignment for TWU SLIS)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment