 A young man named Dancing Raven is the best dancer from all the Nations, but his passion is not recognized by the other men and boys in his village and he is refused the woman he loves. The men consider hunting and fishing to be the best talents. Finally, Grandfather Cedar gives Dancing Raven a flute and a song. Dancing Raven shares his music with the village, his love, and her father. The story of the first flute is shared far and wide. A prologue tells that the story was passed on to Jan Michael Looking Wolf by his uncle Standing Elk. Stunning illustrations add to this beautiful tale. Included is a CD with readings of the story in English, French, and Dakota, as well as music played by Jan Michael Looking Wolf, a renowned and award-winning Native American flute recording artist and performer. Poetry, music, and art make this uplifting tale very special. mjw |
| Title: The First Flute Whowhoahyahzo Tohkohya Author: David Bouchard Illustrator: Don Oelze Publisher: Red Deer Press, Ontario Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English and Dakota Translator: Wayne Goodwill ISBN: 978-0-88995-475-5 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Picture Book.Poetry Book setting: Canada Author’s ethnicity: Metis Author’s residence: Victoria, British Columbia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in New Zealand Illustrator’s residence: U.S. Subjects: Canada, Dakota Indians, Dancers, Flute, Juvenile sound recordings, Intergenerational, Native North Americans |
The First Flute Whowhoahyahzo Tohkohya
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It’s an ordinary day for the bird family. The young ones, Lena and her little brother Bo, play, sing, hunt mosquitoes, and talk about their legs and toes. They have worm pie for dinner. Bo picks out the worms and only eats the pie shell. At night they fall asleep in their nest. Watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations show the funny facial expressions and cute hairstyles of the birds. The details in the family’s home are offbeat and interesting. This gentle story reflects on human behavior through this humorous bird family. mjw
Jojo is learning to dance between two worlds. His grandmother, who learned the tinikling in the Philippines and now lives in America, encourages him to dance to the bamboo beat. She teaches the dance at the cultural center. He finds it difficult at first, but eventually, he “spins and hops to the rhythm of his life,” jumping between the two clapping bamboo poles. Ample use of onomatopoeia with the clapping, clicking, and tapping of the bamboo poles and Tagalog words are integrated into the music of this festive story. At the end of the book, there is more information about the dance, which will inspire Americans of all cultures to appreciate the Filipino national dance. mjw
After her parents’ divorce, ten-year-old Electra (Ellie) moves to a new town with her mother and older brother. She is a spunky and stubborn girl who wants to make friends at her new school. Unfortunately, all of her new classmates are into sports and her mother pushes her to join a sports team. She is clumsy, fails at every sport, and consequently gets bullied. One night she attends a ballet performance with her family and discovers that what she really wants to do is dance. A new boy at school helps her to realize her dream. This positive graphic novel for middle graders is filled with humor and energetic cartoon illustrations that will make young readers smile. mjw
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