When I think about the whole "green" movement, I think about one person: Al Gore. Even though many people have been trying to spread the many messages that go along with "going green" for many years, it was Al Gore who made this mission a universal one. He lit the fire, and to me, he is a legend.
There are many definitions of the word legend. A legend could be a person, like Al Gore, who has made an indelible mark on history, and has inspired so many people. When I think about the word legend, though, I mostly think about a story that was passed down from earlier times. I find it fascinating to think about stories that have lived on, even though they never were written down in any book.
A legendary story is kind of like a very long game of "telephone." One person, or group of people, shares a story, and then it gets passed on to many different people. As it's being passed on, people interpret it in many ways. Changing one word can bring on a completely different meaning. At the end of the game, you could end up with a totally different version of the story!
Even though many legends may not be completely true, we can learn a lot from them. So, in honor of Al Gore and Earth Day next week, I'd like to suggest that we all take a moment to reflect upon the level of respect that Native Americans have always had for the planet we all call home.
I'd like to suggest three children's books, which can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Like I always say, picture books are not only for preschoolers anymore! I will be brief in my descriptions, since I've already written a lot.
For preschool and primary grade readers, I'd recommend The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, by Tomie dePaola. It's a perfect book for spring, and it complements another one of his books, The Art Lesson, very nicely. It's a story of the amazing potential that we all carry inside us, and is appropriate for people of every age.
For grades three through six, I'd recommend The Legend of the Bluebonnet, which was also written by Tomie DePaola. This book also relates to spring, but due to a more mature theme, I would not recommend it for children under the age of 8. By the way, a bluebonnet is a type of wild lupine, so this beautiful picture book would complement Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney (a book I mentioned in a previous post), very nicely.
Tomie dePaola writes and illustrates many beautiful picture books. At the end of these two books, he has included an author's note to explain more about the legends. If you're not familiar with his many picture books, I'd suggest that you take a trip to the library as soon as possible! Of course, I will recommend more of his books in the future.
My final book recommendation for today is for children in grades 4 through 8. Between Earth and Sky: Legends of Native American Sacred Places, by Joseph Bruchac. The title of this book says it all, but in it I learned that Native American cultures recognize 7 directions, instead of just the typical 4 (north, south, east and west). The seventh direction is the one inside each of us, that helps us to distinguish between right and wrong, and to choose to live in a "good way." I like that direction the best of all.
At the end of this book, there is a map which shows where many of the original Native North American tribes called home. Most of them still exist today.
I highly recommend all of these picture books for children, parents, and grandparents. We can all learn something from Native American history. Sometimes, in order to move ahead, you first need to look back.
What legends have inspired you?
