Opossum And The Great Firemaker

Little Opossum learns the value of playing 'possum when she tries to steal fire from the Great Firemaker, Iguana.

Relates the traditional Cora Indian tale in which Opossum outwits the larger and more powerful Iguana and returns the stolen fire to the people of the earth.

An aid for librarians and teachers interested in exposing students in kindergarten through high school with an understanding and appreciation of the people, history, and art and political, social, and economic problems of Central and South American countries, and Latino-heritage people in the United States.

A comprehensive guide to multicultural literature for children, this valuable resource features more than 1,600 titles—including fiction, folktales, poetry, and song books—that focus on diverse cultural groups. The selected titles, pubished between the 1970s and 1990s are suitable for use with preschoolers through sixth graders and are likely to be found on the shelves of school and public libraries. Topics are timely, with an emphasis on books that reflect the needs and interests of today's children. Each detailed entry includes bibliographic information. Use level is also included, as are cultural designation, subjects, and a summary. The invaluable Subject Access section incorporates use level culture information.

How do you select the best recent works of fiction, oral tradition, and poetry about African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, and Native-American Indian experiences and traditions from the profusion of titles being published today? This annotated bibliography of titles for children and young adults published from 1985 through the end of 1993--with 60% published since 1990--provides a one-stop selection tool. Appraisals of 559 titles, as well as information about an additional 188 recent books and 90 earlier ones of importance, are provided. Each entry features a plot summary incorporating themes, critical comments with a judgment of the book's value as an example of its genre, suggestions of other books by that writer, and related books of importance. The authors, who are recognized authorities in children's literature, and an advistory board of librarians and teachers, each of whom specializes in the literature of a particular ethnic group, have provided insightful critical appraisals and expertise and guidance in the selection of titles. Helpful subject, grade-level, author, title, and illustrator indexes are organized for ease of use. Titles in the grade-level and subject indexes are also identified by ethnic group.

Anything is possible in the world of Latin American folklore, where Aunt Misery can trap Death in a pear tree; Amazonian dolphins lure young girls to their underwater city; and the Feathered Snake brings the first musicians to Earth. One in a series of folklore reference guides ("...an invaluable resource..."--School Library Journal), this book features summaries and sources of 470 tales told in Mexico, Central America and South America, a region underrepresented in collections of world folklore. The volume sends users to the best stories retold in English from the Inca, Maya, and Aztec civilizations, Spanish and Portuguese missionaries and colonists, African slave cultures, indentured servants from India, and more than 75 indigenous tribes from 21 countries. The tales are grouped into themed sections with a detailed subject index.

It is hard to imagine life without fire. Heat, light, food—where would we be without these essentials? Although we do not rely on fire as much today as in times past, nor have as much direct contact with it, fire was often crucial to survival when the stories in this collection were first told. People often told stories about it: what their lives were like without fire, how they first acquired it and how it changed their lives. This collection of nine traditional tales, retold by Jon C. Stott, draws from eight different countries. Learn how Maui stole fire twice (New Zealand), how Coyote and his friends captured fire (United States), how Opossum brought fire back to the people (Mexico) and how Vasilisa used the Baba Yaga’s fire (Russia). The main characters of these stories differ in many aspects. Some are well-known heroes, and some are insignificant members of their groups. Some made their quests for fire alone, and some worked with others. Some were brave and unselfish, and some sought personal glory. But all knew that fire was essential for their people.

Presents twelve literature-based units for studying geography, providing general information about the location,topography, climate, flora and fauna, and unique features of each region, and including a selection of children's books that may be used to further understanding of the focus area.