Dragonfly's Tale

By Kristina Rodanas

Book Overview

After a poor harvest, two children regain the Corn Maidens' blessings for their people with the aid of a cornstalk toy, the dragonfly. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395570034
• ISBN13: 9780395570036
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.5" x 0.5" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

A well-told child's version of a Zuni myth

This story is based on an ancient Zuni myth that was first translated in 1884 by Frank Hamilton Cushing. As with many complex tales, this needed to be simplified in a context, and with pictures that children could understand and appreciate. Kristina Rodanas made an excellent adjustment to the story, adding some of her slants on the tale, and beautiful color drawings. The drawings were accurate in the depiction of the pre-Zuni environment. This is geared towards children Ages 5-8. A people known as the Ashiwi were blessed with a bounty of food. They decided to show off to their neighbors and devised a food fight to show that they had more than enough to waste. The corn maidens responsible for this surplus were snubbed during a visit. They decided the people were not worthy of such gifts and removed them. Only two children, a brother and a sister, devised a way to make amends with the corn maidens. When the child reaches 10 and up, it is time to open the Tony Hillerman version, which is a bit more complex and has much clearer morals, more of a bible story. The title "The Boy Who Made Dragon Fly"

Delightful!

A wonderful tale of how the wastefullness of a village became their downfall and why it is important to respect nature and her bounty. Very beautifully illustrated.....a favorite at our house