BACK IN THE BEFORETIME: Tales of the California Indians

by Jane Louise--Adapt. Curry ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1987

A fine collection of creation myths and pourquoi tales from a variety of tribes. The stories are entertaining, with the wit and humor one expects from a great storyteller. The first story tells ""How Old Man Above Created the World"" before retreating to the big white tepee, Mt. Shasta. The rest of the tales are about animals: why mole has squinty eyes, why yellow jackets have stripes, etc. Trickster Coyote is central to most of the tales. It is he who decides to create man, only to have his creation usurp him, as the ""beforetime"" ends and man's world begins. It is a shame that the tribal origins of each tale are not given. An afterword explains that some of the tales are composite versions, but only the rough geographic grouping by state is explained. James Watts' black-and-white drawings match the literary style by striking a nice balance between Amerindian detail and modern humor. Storytellers, social-studies teachers and librarians should all find this book very useful, as well as highly enjoyable.

Pub Date: April 1, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 144

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry/Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1987

Categories: CHILDREN'S