Gluskabe And The Four Wishes [Hardcover]

Bruchac (Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back) combines several sources in telling this traditional Native American "teaching story." After making an arduous journey to visit Gluskabe, the Great Spirit's helper, four men are each granted a wish. Gluskabe gives each man a pouch, saying that it contains his heart's desire, but warns them not to open the pouches until they return home. The poor man who wishes for many possessions opens his sack while canoeing home, and so many things pour out of it that he drowns under their weight.The vain man who wishes to be taller is turned into a gigantic pine tree, and the fearful man who wants to live forever becomes a boulder. But the fourth man, a hunter who wishes only to be able to feed his people, waits to open his pouch, and receives "great understanding" of the animals. Plainly told yet suspenseful, the story breathes an easy authenticity. First-time illustrator Shrader's atmospheric if slightly muddy paintings convey some of the drama, but the exaggerated expressions of her characters undercut the conviction of Bruchac's narrative voice. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Grade 3-6?Bruchac is a master storyteller, and his talent is amply displayed in this retelling of an Abenaki tale. Four men travel to the island where the legendary Gluskabe has concealed himself, each hoping to have a wish granted. One hopes for fine possessions while another, already tall, wants to be even taller. The third man wants to live forever, and the fourth wants to be a better hunter so that he can provide for his people. Gluskabe promises to grant their wishes and gives each a pouch, cautioning them not to look inside until they are home. Three succumb to temptation, and their wishes are granted in unexpected ways?the first man's canoe sinks beneath the weight of the things that pour out of his pouch; the second man is transformed into a tall tree; and the third changes into a boulder. The hunter does as he is asked, and the animals reveal their secrets to him. The text is lean and elegant, without an extraneous word, and the gentle, easy cadence lends itself to reading aloud; even the source note sings. The full-and double-page, muted, misty watercolors complement the text perfectly. Shrader gives each of the nameless men individuality, hinting in their features at the outcome. A worthy addition to any collection.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4-8. With graceful insight, Bruchac retells this legend of his ancestors, the Abnaki peoples of New England. Gluskabe, a magical culture hero, bestows wishes upon those who visit his remote island. Four men make the journey: the first wishes for possessions; the second yearns to be taller; the third seeks immortality; and the last desires only to become a good enough hunter to feed his people. Gluskabe gives them their wishes in pouches that they are forbidden to open until they are home. Greedily, the first man opens his pouch in the canoe, which sinks under the weight of his new possessions; the second and third men meet appropriate fates, too; however, the last man, who waits, gains a great understanding and connection with animals, and from that day on, he is revered as "the best hunter among the people." Shrader paints with a quiet, earthy palette and offers settings that, fittingly, incorporate rather than showcase the human players. With no loss of entertainment value, the story is highly moral, eschewing selfishness and materialism in favor of selflessness and harmony with the natural world. An informative author's note discusses the derivation of the tale. Julie Walton

A retelling of a Native American folktale, enhanced by colorful pastel illustrations, chronicles the adventures of four Abenaki men who journey to Gluskabe, helper of the Great Spirit, to have their wishes granted.