The White Deer - Hardcover

Grade 5 Up?Twenty-five traditional stories of the Lenape people are gathered together for the first time in a beautifully conceived volume that will enhance any collection of Native American folklore. Creation stories, tales of magic dogs and lost children, adventures of cultural heroes, and silly stories about Crazy Jack?a wise fool who, like Amelia Bedilia, takes everything literally?make for rich and varied reading. The editor has wisely chosen not to retell the stories; instead, he honors the storytellers and their culture by reprinting the original texts. Some are rougher than others, but the overall effect retains the sense of oral tradition. Bierhorst provides cultural context in short, fascinating introductions to each piece. A clear, informative, respectful preface gives a short history of the Lenape and discusses the different ways the selections were recorded. Historic photographs and brief biographies of the storytellers add to the richness of the book, as does its excellent design. Storytellers will find this anthology a valuable resource, teachers will use it in the classroom, and young readers will discover in it a doorway into a different time and way of life.?Carolyn Polese, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.