Michael J. Preble

This is an Iroquois creation story in which Raweno, the Creator, fashions the last two animals--the rabbit and the owl--out of clay. While Raweno works on Rabbit, Owl repeatedly interrupts, impatient for his own body to be formed. When Raweno finally comes round to making Owl, he punishes the bird for his impatience, giving him features that are the opposite of those requested. Preble's version of the story had potential; however, the lack of speech tags often make it difficult for the reader to know whether it is the owl or the rabbit speaking. I also found the illustrations rather muddy and less than impressive. I was hoping for a good read-aloud to enhance elementary students' understanding and appreciation of Iroquois culture; this book did not provide that.… (altro)