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How the Crane got its Blue Eyes

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Book Review by Marcia Abalama

Name of book: How the Crane got its Blue Eyes

Author: As told by Jean Cook, Written by Elsie Jimmie

Illustrator: Elsie Jimmie, Levi Hoover, Renee Crow, Kelly Lincoln

Year Published: 1996 Publisher: Curriculum/Bilingual Department Lower Kuskokwim School ISBN #: 1-55036-505-3

Grade level: I would recommend the grade level for this book to be K-6th-Also I recommend this book for any grade level and even adults would enjoy this book.

Genre: Male/Female

Realistic fiction [X] historical fiction [ ] fantasy [ ]

Cultural Perspective:

Stories: oral [ ] Teaching stories: [ ] Myth [ ] legend [X]

Traditional stories: [] Someone else's stories: [ ] Parable [ ]

Summary: How the Crane got its blue eyes is a Yup'ik legend, a crane decides he wants to eat berries, so he leaves its eyes on a log to keep a look out for people. The eyes keeps telling the crane that people are coming but they aren't. The last time the eyes tell the crane people are coming the crane ignores the eyes and keeps eating berries. When the crane finally finds out the eyes are gone, he starts looking around the tundra for something he can use as eyes. He keeps trying different kinds of berries and finally decides on blue berries, that is how cranes got blue eyes.

Author background: The book was written by a Yup'ik lady - Elsie Jimmie from the village of Kwigillingok; this story was told to her by Jean Cook who is an Elder from the village of Kwigillingok.

Illustrator Background: The illustrators for this book are a group of Yup'ik who are Elsie Jimmie from the village of Kwigillingok; Levi Hoover from the village of Kasigluk; Renee Crow from the village of Napakiak; and Kelly Lincoln from the village of Toksook.

Vocabulary: This book is written in English and has been translated by a Yup'ik author.

Content: This book is a retelling of a traditional Yup'ik oral story and has been translated by a fellow Yup'ik person.

Other things to look for when Reviewing Alaska Native Children's books:

--This is a Yup'ik legend that can be passed down to the next generation, this book also has a lesson to be learned.

Over all Rating of this book:

Rated between:

1-4: Not good at all [] 5: Acceptable [ ] 10: Excellent [X]


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