by Tomie dePaola
A Comanche tribe who is suffering due to a drought cries out to the Great Spirits for help. They wait, but no rain falls. A young girl, She-Who-Is-Alone, observes with her precious doll, then listens as the shaman delivers the message he has heard from the Great Spirits. She-Who-Is-Alone knows immediately what she needs to do to save her people. That night, she selflessly sacrifices her most prized possession. The next morning, she beholds beautiful blue flowers all around, and life-giving rain begins to fall.
In this traditional piece of literature, dePaola retells the legend of the origin of the bluebonnet introduced to him by Margaret Looper. The Comanche culture resonates in his selection of words, syntax and illustrations. Some of the themes found in this book are: people can be selfish, we need to take care of the earth, and children are innocent and giving.
I set my wedding date in the month of March over twenty years ago partly because I was a teacher (Spring Break!), but also because the Texas wildflowers would be in bloom for my family to enjoy as they drove to Houston from San Antonio. Because of my love for bluebonnets and other wildflowers, this book holds a special place in my heart. The "Author's Note" at the end of the book provides additional information about the story, the Comanche people, bluebonnets, and the value of young sacrifice that is also meaningful.
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Author, Tomie dePaola's website: http://tomie.com/about_tomie/index.html
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