The Legend of the Bluebonnet

 

 

 

DePaola, T. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet. New York, New York:G. P. Putnam's Sons.

 

 

A young girl named She-Who-Is-Alone must mourn the loss of her family due to famine and drought. The Comanche pray to the Great Spirits and receive an answer. They must offer a sacrifice to the gods. She-Who-Is-Alone took the only possession and offered it as the sacrifice. Thanks to her love for others and the strength it took to offer that sacrifice, the gods rewarded them with rain and a field full of bluebonnets.

Visual Elements: Shape

This book uses a lot of shapes. We can see triangles as the tipis. The tipis also have circles painted on them, they look like targets. Circles can also be seen as the top of the totem pole. The sun is a circle too. We can find ovals in the shape of the faces of the Native Americans and their eyes. But most importantly the shape of the bluebonnet is oval. Rectangles are found on the shawls of the Native Americans and as the sticks that hold the tipi together.

 

 Evaluative Criteria: Cultural Markers

This book beautifully shows the culture of the Native Americans. You can see the skin tone in the wonderful illustrations. The tipis and their clothing. You can differentiate from the norm. It’s fantastic that we get to see another culture and learn of their traditions. Just because it’s not a norm to us doesn’t mean it’s wrong. We must learn to embrace other cultures. I would definitely and have already shared this fabulous book with my students. They were excited to learn about other cultures.