Native Tales: Not Just for November

We experience a flurry of readers seeking informational books and folklore during November, Native American Heritage Month. Here are a few of my favorite readalouds written by Native authors.

Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith: The narrative revolves around the cultural keystones of a powwow and a jingle dance. The repetitive rhythm of the text lends reassurance to Jenna collecting tin jingles for her dress from friends and relatives, while the excitement and generosity encouraging the Muscogee Creek girl to dance reinforces the strength of tradition and ceremony.

The Good Luck Cat by Joy Harjo: It's a refreshing change of pace to experience a picture book that features Native characters where cultural identity isn't necessarily a defining factor. Harjo's sweet story centers around the cat Woogie, who has good luck because she narrowly escapes dangerous situations, including falling out of a tree and the attack of a big dog. Woogie has used up most of her nine lives, so when she disappears for awhile her family worries about her. This simple story warmly depicts the bond between a pet and a child.

The Great Ball Game by Joseph Bruchac: Bruchac's adaptation of this Muscogee Creek folktale is clear yet entertaining. As the animals challenge the birds to a ball game, Bat doesn't seem to fit in anywhere until he is accepted by the animals. This story explains why the bat is an animal and why birds fly south for the winter.