Traditional Literature

Climo, Shirley. 1999. THE PERSIAN CINDERELLA. ill. Robert Florczak. NY: Harper Collins.
ISBN-10: 0060267631


ANNOTATION
The book was on the master list for the 2001 Texas Bluebonnet Award.

SUMMARY
Shirley Climo’s retelling of Cinderella is magically done in her version of The Persian Cinderella. The story begins with a maiden who is born with a mark on her left cheek. Because of the unusual mark on her cheek she is given the name Settareh which means star in Persian. Soon after the birth her mother dies and Settareh is left in the care of a stepmother, stepsisters, aunts, and cousins. Although in the company of female relations she is lonely, neglected, and often made fun of. Settareh matures into a young exotic beauty, but because of her birthmark is often teased and embarrassed.

Settareh’s father who is always gone on business arrives one day with news of an important celebration. There is to be a No Ruz (New Year Welcoming) in the Royal Palace given by Prince Mehrdad and all the women of the household are invited to attend. Settareh who is used to living off of her stepsisters’ cast-off’s and leftovers becomes excited when her father gives them all a large gold coin. The women are to find cloth at the bazaar to make new clothes to wear to the celebration.

The women immediately head out on their mission to buy cloth for their new attire, except for Settareh. She ends up buying toasted almonds because she has not eaten all day and gives coins to a beggar. She is also left penniless when she buys a cracked blue jug she found amusing and couldn’t resist.

The night of the event Settareh is not able to go the celebration because she has nothing to wear. By accident she discovers the jug to be magical in granting wishes. Settareh ends up at the palace and captures the heart of Prince Mehrdad. Before long she must leave and as she tries to flee looses one of her diamond anklets. The Prince is given the anklet and in desperation has every girl try it on in hopes of finding Settareh. In the end Settareh is found and they are set to get married until her jealous stepsisters, using the magic jug turn her into a turtledove. Eventually, the Prince with his patience and undying love turns her back into a human and they marry. The stepsisters full of jealousy and evil intentions eventually die when they fill up their hearts with hatred.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Good triumphs over evil in this beautifully illustrated retelling of Cinderella. As with other versions the main characters include Cinderella, the prince, a stepmother and stepsisters. The wicked characters taunt, abuse, and neglect Cinderella. In keeping with the original fairy tale the Persian Cinderella and her prince in spite of obstacles live happily ever after.

Shirley Climo’s version of The Persian Cinderella is written and illustrated with actual representations of the 15th century Persian culture. The people look realistic almost photographic in nature. Settareh’s beauty and emotions are captured in Robert Florczak’s carefully researched illustrations that depict an ancient Persian culture with vibrant images of color. Every page with its’ brown-lined background is enhanced with intricately detailed borders found in the ancient culture and which can still be found in present day rug designs. Both author and artist painstakingly researched and illustrated details from the Persian culture and community in compiling this story. Florczak throughout the book perceptively illustrates Settareh’s star birthmark as symbolic of her future. Although shamed to believe the star is a curse in the end the prince says to Settareh, “Your mark is heaven-sent. The stars foretell that we shall marry.”

The language spoken in the story tells of a time of respect, protocol and obedience. Upon arriving “Settareh’s father honored the women’s quarters with a visit.” Later at the bazaar Settareh is confronted by an old beggar lady and in response to her plea gives her coins while explaining, “You are more in need of new clothes than I, grandmother.” Then when the queen goes searching for the owner of the diamond anklet she finds Settareh. With her arms crossed over her chest, Settareh obediently bows to the queen and says, “Please allow me, Exalted One.” Once more when taken to the palace, Settareh upon meeting the prince knelt with her head touching the ground and said, “You honor me.”

BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

Kirkus
April 15, 1999
A luminescent interpretation of an ancient Persian tale . . . Florczak's meticulously researched illustrations faithfully depict the ornate beauty of an ancient land. Minutely detailed borders frame the text while vibrant images stream in saturated colors across the pages.


Publishers Weekly
June 7, 1999
Pomegranate trees, jasmine flowers and other Persian botanicals adorn Florczak's effervescent landscapes framed with intricate borders . . . the exotic setting and cultural details make this one of interest to any collector of Cinderella tales.


Booklist
July 1, 1999
Florczak's illustrations are stunningly exotic and beautiful, with each fold of clothing, each reflection on a surface, and each leaf on a tree lovingly portrayed. The people look as lifelike as photographs, each face unique. A fine addition for any folktale collection.


School Library Journal
July 1999
Florczak's sumptuous illustrations have jewel-like tones that glow against the brownline-paper background, and traditional designs decorate the text. The illustrations are realistic and appealing. . . . a suitable complement to Climo's other Cinderella stories.


CONNECTIONS
Many students need to better understand characters' personalities in literature.
This activity will give students a better understanding of a character and character traits.

Begin by reading two other Cinderella versions to students. Next discuss Settarehs’ character. Brainstorm and list her traits. This can also be repeated for other characters. (Activity can be individually, with partners, or in a group.) Discuss if Settareh were to write a letter to another character in the same book or another book what would that letter be about? Write a sample letter using student input on chart paper, overhead, etc. Assign other letters to be written supposedly by other characters in the book. Then share them and discuss different character traits that are found.

ENRICHMENT
Make a bulletin board of the letters, leave off the namesand have students guess who the characters are corresponding with traits found in the story. Make a web of a character's traits.








DePaola, Tomie. 1983. THE LEGEND OF THE BLUEBONNET. ill. Tomie DePaola. New York: Putnam Books.


ANNOTATIONS

A "Reading Rainbow" Review Title
An American Bookseller Pick of the List Book
A Booklist Children's Editors' Choice
A NCSS Notable Children's Trade Book


SUMMARY
Legend of the Bluebonnet as retold by Tomie de Paola is a Native American story about the state flower of Texas and a small Comanche girl who saves her People. The small girl appropriately named She-Who-Is-Alone is one of a few children left after a famine claims her family. The Comanche People because of the carelessness and acts of selfishness are faced with a drought. The tribal dancers in order to please the Great Spirits dance for three days, and for the days the people pray. When the Great Spirits don’t answer their pleas, the shaman goes to a hill to listen to what the Great Spirits say. Upon returning the shaman tells the people that in order to restore life to the Earth, they must make a burnt offering of their most valued possession.

When all of the people retreat to their tipis to think about what they must do She-Who-Is-Alone already knows. As the council fires die out the small girl leaves her tipi with a fire stick in hand. Running to the hill where the Great Spirits speak she gathers twigs for the sacrificial fire. She-Who-Is-Alone throws her beloved doll into the fire in order to save her people. She scatters the ashes to the North, South, East, and West. Soon after the small girl falls asleep and when she wakes the girl discovers beautiful blue flowers where once ashes lay. Soon her People join her on the hill looking in amazement at the miracle before them. They know they have been forgiven and begin singing and dancing in gratitude to the Great Spirits. The rain begins to fall and with a new beginning the small Comanche girl becomes known as One-Who-Dearly-Loved-Her-People.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
DePaola does a beautiful job of retelling the tale of The Legend of the Bluebonnet with authenticity. With his illustrations and language he captures an accurate portrayal of the dress, customs, and the culture of the Comanche people. DePaola skillfully incorporates important issues within the culture such as drought, famine, community, the spiritual and nature. One example of the spiritual and nature is when the shaman returns from the hill and tells his people that the Great Spirits believe, “The People have become selfish. For years, they have taken from the Earth without giving anything back.” There are many examples in the book of the People living with nature. Another example is the sacrificial appeasing in order to bring rain or end a famine.

The full-color illustrations blend the scenery from one page to another as a continuum of the story. DePaola in the author’s note explains that the legend of the bluebonnet is not only a tale about the origin of the flower, but “more a tale of the courage and sacrifice of a young child.” Each spring when the bluebonnets bloom throughout the Texas hills, highways, and endless sights serve as a reminder of a legend and the gratitude of the Great Spirits. This book is sure to be enjoyed by all, but is especially intended for six to eight year olds.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Tomie dePaola provides a charming retelling of the Native American legend about the origin of Texas' state flower, the bluebonnet. In this tale, the Comanche People experience drought and famine as a result of their selfish acts against the Earth. In order to restore life to the Earth, they must make a burnt offering of their most valued possession. One night after everyone is in bed; a young girl named "She-Who-Is-Alone" burns her most precious possession, a warrior doll, and scatters the ashes to the North, South, East, and West. When she awakens from her nightly sleep, the young Indian girl finds herself surrounded by beautiful blue flowers and a lush green Earth. As the People celebrate, the rains return and they praise the sacrifice of the young girl, whose name becomes "One-Who-Dearly-Loved-Her-People."

CONNECTIONS
After the reading of the story discuss why the young girl’s name was changed at the end of the story to One-Who-Dearly-Loved-Her-People. Talk about how Indians used these names to describe a quality of a person. What qualities did this Indian girl have? Have the children share times when they had to give up a prized possession to another (i.e., favorite clothing, a room, furniture, etc). Encourage them to make a name for themselves to describe a characteristic of themselves or something that they do well. For example, He-Who-Likes-to-Paint for someone who enjoys painting. Have the children draw a picture of themselves doing this idea. These names and pictures can be shared in a book called "Guess-Who-I-Am."

ENRICHMENT
This website has been selected as a valuable Internet resource for Discovery Channel School's Discover Magazine theme for fall 1997. The website contains folktales taken from various other Native American tribes.

StoneE Producktions
http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/loreindx.html







McKissack, Patricia C. 2006. PORCH LIES TALES OF SLICKSTERS, TRICKSTERS, AND OTHER WILEY CHARACTERS. Ill. André Carrilho. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books
ISBN 037593619X




SUMMARY
Patricia C. McKissack begins this collection of ten short stories with an author’s note telling the background of the book. Patricia’s grandparent’s house in Nashville, Tennessee sported a porch complete with swing. After dinner her grandparents spent the remainder of the evening on the porch. Invited guests and others often stopped by to visit. The “porch lies” were stories told about slicksters-tricksters. Pete Bruce, a slickster-trickster and a man her grandfather knew, was a character used to teach values, to encourage critical thinking or to entertain. Some of the fictional slicksters-tricksters are Mingo Cass, Link Murphy and Miss Martha June. Each short story is dedicated to a family member. The stories are based on African American families living in the southern United States. The title page vividly portrays the setting for Porch Lies.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Porch Lies contains the author’s note which sets the stage for the ten short stories. This is the first children’s book illustrated by André Carrilho who is known for his artistic cartoonist and caricature talent. Each story in Porch Lies contains one full-page, black and white caricature illustration. The characters are African Americans living in the southern United States. Each story contains a message about life. The uniqueness is that the stories are about people not spiders or turtles. The characters are colorful and entertaining. Mingo Cass only carries a hundred-dollar bill. No one can make change for him so he gets hair cuts, lunches, etc. for free for the moment. Link Murphy uses his employer’s vehicle to run a jitney service. He later becomes a business partner with his employer and saves her life. These stories are short and easy to read individually or aloud. McKissack’s book is a well written read for children fifth grade and higher.

BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up–These 10 literate stories make for great leisure listening and knowing chuckles. Pete Bruce flatters a baker out of a coconut cream pie and a quart of milk; Mingo may or may not have anything smaller than a 100-dollar bill to pay his bills; Frank and Jesse James, or the Howard boys, help an old woman against the KKK-ish Knights of the White Gardenia; and Cake Norris wakes up dead one day–again. Carrilhos eerie black-and-white illustrations, dramatically off-balance, lit by moonlight, and elongated like nightmares, are well-matched with the stories….


Booklist
Starred Review* Gr. 3-5. McKissack based the stories on those she heard as a child while sitting on her grandparents' porch; now she is passing them on to her grandchildren. Without using dialect, her intimate folk idiom celebrates the storytelling among friends, neighbors, and family as much as the stories themselves. "Some folk believe the story; some don't. You decide for yourself." Is the weaselly gravedigger going to steal a corpse's jewelry, or does he know the woman is really still alive? Can bespectacled Aunt Gran outwit the notorious outlaw Jesse James…

CONNECTIONS
Provide a collection of books based on stories from several ethnic groups. Have students talk to their parents about family stories and report back to class. Have a parent, grandparent, or story teller visit class to tell stories. Feature Porch Lies during black history month.