All the world is in darkness at the beginning of this traditional tale from the Indian cultures of the Pacific Northwest. Raven feels sorry for the people living in the gloomy cold, so he flies to the house of the Sky Chief in search of light and warmth. To get inside, Raven pulls a shape-shifting trick that allows him to be born to the god's daughter. As a spoiled and comic infant, Raven demands and gets the shiny ball that the gods have hidden away.
Review by Carolyn Polese, Gateway Community School, Arcata, CA
Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest, written and illustrated by Gerald McDermott. New York: Scholastic, 1993.
This book represents a different culture that believes in the "Raven" which provides light to the world from a mere ball. Not all students in a classroom are going to have the same religious and cultural views as the teacher, so this book is a good choice to read in a classroom. This also proves that tricks are possible, and teachers must be aware of their students abilities.
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