dePaola, T.
(1983). The legend of the
bluebonnet. New York: Putnam.
The Legend of the Bluebonnet is a Native American tale about
a little girl, She-Who-Is-Alone, who sacrifices her doll to the Great Spirit so
that rain would come to her People. Her doll is the last connection she has to
her parents who died during the famine. She sacrifices the doll on a fire and then
she scattered the ashes; where the ashes land, bluebonnets had bloomed in the
morning. When the rain comes, the little orphan girl was recognized for her
selflessness by the People by giving her a new name: One-Who-Dearly-Loved-Her-People.
This story would appeal to learners of all ages; from childhood
to adult. The tale is based on a Comanche legend of how bluebonnets came to be
but tells so much more about what sacrifice truly is. Tomi dePaola creates
beautiful water-color illustrations with rich, but muted colors. The colors in
the night sky as the sun rises and sets compliments the story with its rich
tone. The book is a wonderful companion story for any unit about Texas and
Native American culture.
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