Book Review – How Chipmunk Got His Stripes
(Image obtained from the Dallas Public Library website: http://www.dallaslibrary2.org/)
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruchac, Joseph. Bruchac, James. 2001. HOW CHIPMUNK GOT HIS STRIPES: A TALE OF BRAGGING AND TEASING. Ill. by Jose Aruego & Ariane Dewey. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803724047
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This tale, retold by Bruchac & Bruchac based on original tales told by various tribes in the Native American culture, introduces the reader to the main characters Bear and Brown Squirrel during “one autumn day long ago.” Bear was quite a confident character in his self-proclaimed ability to “do anything.” He bragged on how he was the “biggest,” “strongest,” and “loudest of all the animals.” Along came Brown Squirrel during his proclamation, with a request to test Bear on his dominance. Brown Squirrel asked Bear to tell the sun to rise no more. Although Bear knew this is something he has never done before, he decided to take Brown Squirrel up on this challenge because he was assured of his power.
As the evening fell into night, and the night grew into morning, Bear was proved wrong as the entire forest of elated animals watched the sun come up. The angered Bear, provoked by the squirrel’s boastfulness of winning the bet, chased and eventually clawed Brown Squirrel on his back. Thus, the new name Chipmunk has emerged for the squirrel, with stripes along his back as a badge to remind him of the price for teasing.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Bruchac and Bruchac do an outstanding job in metaphorically teaching a cautionary lesson in being too boastful, and the consequences of teasing. The repeated lines, “The sun will not come up, hummph!” and “The sun is going to rise, oooh!” shows the anticipation and emotion the characters were experiencing in a wonderfully rhythmic pattern that children would enjoy chiming.
Delightful illustration by Aruego and Dewey also display character emotion, along with appropriate use of color to highlight the change of time and season throughout this tale. For example, the use of brown, yellow, orange, and green in an impressionistic fashion (reminiscent of the work of the great French artist Claude Monet) really captures the visual essence of autumn in a way that is pleasing to the eye.
In all, this tale has both humorous and serious qualities that have the ability to remain in the development of the reader’s character.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Clever use of perspective…A winner.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “the dialogue is effective and invites audience participation...”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A priority purchase for most collections.”
5. CONNECTIONS
· Other folktales could be studied to compare/contrast folktale elements along with the moral.
· The last page of the story gives a hint about the origin of a bear’s hibernation.
Here is a list of other books for children related to hibernation:
Henkes, Kevin. 2008. OLD BEAR. ISBN 9780061552069
Matero, Robert. 2000. ANIMALS ASLEEP. ISBN 0761316523
· Other folklore with bears as characters:
Aylesworth, Jim. 2003. GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS. ISBN 0439395453
San Souci, Robert D. 2000. CALLIE ANN AND MISTAH BEAR. ISBN 0803717687
Souhami, Jessica. 1999. NO DINNER!: THE STORY OF THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PUMPKIN.
ISBN 0761450599
· Website with lesson plan ideas:
· Website with printable Native American Stories:
Other resources used:
This book review was created as an assignment for a course at
Texas Woman’s University.
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