IKTOMI AND THE BERRIES

In Goble's second book about the comically clever/stupid Lakota trickster, Iktomi almost drowns trying to pick the reflections of buffalo berries at the bottom of the river. Again, suggested interpolations—where listeners are traditionally encouraged to interrupt—are printed in lighter italics. Additional comments from Iktomi caption the illustrations, here dominated by Iktomi himself, overburdened with equipment for his hunt, and the wonderfully striated, blue-green river. As usual, Goble includes careful notes; he also, cleverly, uses this story to answer Native American critics by having Iktomi say at the outset, "I don't like it—That white guy. . .is telling stories about me again. . ." Ironically, Iktomi (spider) is a disreputable liar; Goble says that the Lakota also use their word for the spider trickster to mean white man: he's untrustworthy, but a source of useful inventions. Beautiful bookmaking; an entertaining, authentic story.