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Tundra Mouse

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Publisher: Orchard Books, 1997ISBN # 0-531-30047-1
Written by Megan McDonald who has a BA in English and a Masters in Library Science from the University of Pittsburg. She currently lives in Sebastopol, California.
Illustrated by S.D. Schindler, who lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Orchard Books, 1997

Grade Level: Primary K-3

Theme: Picture Story Book

Status: Not Recommended

Review

This story attempts to portray how story-knife stories unique to the Yup'ik people of Alaska were told. Lena the young storyteller begins with figures in the mud showing two young Yup'ik girls walking and watching out for mouse holes. The story attempts to share the process of gathering edible roots from mice caches and intertwining it with the Western based Christmas holidays. It doesn't do justice to either cultural group as the caches are raided only during certain seasons of the year and special rituals follow the taking of these edible roots. Many of the illustrations depict cultural inaccuracies. For example the knife used by the Grandmother is a man's knife and the kamekssiik or mukluks are Inupiaq style. There are lots of misspelled Yup'ik words throughout the book. It appears that the author solicited the help of Elena Charles of Bethel in using story knife symbols that unfortunately were not in line with the illustrated story.

Season n/a

Suggested Teaching Topics Use at High School and College Level: Sample of Incorrect Information



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