Beaver Steals Fire
A Salish Coyote Story
Bison Books · Print & ebook · January 1, 2008
American Indian Youth Literature Award Picture Book Winner "[A] beautifully illustrated retelling of a story of the Montana Salish People. . . .
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- Who it’s for
- Salish storytelling gives this animal tale cultural weight alongside its resourceful adventure.
- Themes
- Respect for fire, Salish storytelling tradition
- Pacing
- Fast
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American Indian Youth Literature Award Picture Book Winner "[A] beautifully illustrated retelling of a story of the Montana Salish People. . . . Beaver Steals Fire makes both a fine children's tale and an interesting way to introduce students to the complexities of the relationship of Indian Peoples to the land."—Journal of the West A long time ago, fire belonged only to the animals in the land above, not to those on the earth below.
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Curlew, keeper of the sky world, guarded fire and kept it from the earth. Coyote, however, devised a clever plan to steal fire, aided by Grizzly Bear, Wren, Snake, Frog, Eagle, and Beaver. These brave and resourceful animal beings raided the land above and risked all to steal fire from Curlew. Beaver Steals Fire is an ancient and powerful tale springing from the hearts and experiences of the Salish people of Montana. Steeped in the rich and culturally vital storytelling tradition of the tribe, this tale teaches both respect for fire and awareness of its significance, themes particularly relevant today. This unforgettable version of the story is told by Salish elder Johnny Arlee and beautifully illustrated by tribal artist Sam Sandoval.
Story and Significance
Salish storytelling gives this animal tale cultural weight alongside its resourceful adventure.
Come here for
- A Salish elder’s telling
- Animal beings’ daring and resourcefulness
Expect
- A tale attentive to fire’s significance
- Illustrations by tribal artist Sam Sandoval
Where it sits
| US: Native American Stories | 48% |
|---|---|
| Myths & Fables | 30% |
| Country & Ethnic Folktales | 25% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Myths & Folklore
- Kids' Fiction
- Wolves & Coyotes
- US: Native American Stories
Show all 7 publisher categories
- Fairy Tales & Folklore
- Native Canadian Stories
- Indigenous Teachings
- Authors
- Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
- Publisher
- Bison Books
- Published
- January 1, 2008
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Respect for fire · Salish storytelling tradition
- Reading lane
- Myths & Folklore