Moonstick: The Seasons of the Sioux (Trophy Picture Books)
Kindergarten-Grade 3-This recording of Eve Bunting's picture book (HarperCollins, 1997) tells of a young Dakota boy's coming of age as he learns the traditions of his culture and their link to nature's cycle. As the seasons pass, he watches his father carve notches on the moonstick as a record of nature's changes, each notch representing one of the 13 moons of the Sioux calendar. Each moon means new challenges to be met as well as abundance to be gathered. As the recounting of the moons ends, listeners learn that the young boy has grown into an old man who vows to rekindle in his own grandson a knowledge of the customs of his people and respect for nature. Narrator Peter Francis James reads the text in a manner that enhances the description of the poignant memories. The understated quality of the reading of this poetic text lets the rich prose shine. Sound quality is remarkably clear, and the absence of musical accompaniment lets listeners savor Bunting's words. This well-produced recording will be an attractive accompaniment to the book in school and public libraries.ANancy L. Chu, Western Illinois University, MacombCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theAudio Cassetteedition.