The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie dePaola

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Every Spring, around April and May, the Texas countryside is awash with color as the wild flowers bloom. The Legend of the Bluebonnet, by Tomie DePaola, is the retelling of an old Comanche folktale that explains the origin of Texas's state flower, the bluebonnet.

The story follows a courageous orphaned Comanche girl, as she gives up her more important possession to try to save her people from famine and drought. 

The cultural authenticity of The Legend of the Bluebonnet is heightened by the art style that combines simple lines and earthy watercolors. The American Indians in the book are historically accurate, in their skin color, wardrobe, and village. The prose-type style the book is written in, is reminiscent of orally told Native American folklore. Their belief systems, traditions, and ceremonies are not mocked, and are instead expertly depicted through the more simplistic eyes of a child. The natural setting of the outdoors lends itself to the credibility of this novel, as a wonderful example of an acceptable cultural narrative for children.

dePaola, T. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet. NY: Putnam.

-Ms. J