The Legend of the Bluebonnet

DePaola, T. (1983). The Legend of the Bluebonnet. New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers Group.

A tribe of Comanche are suffering through a devastating drought. She -Who-Is-Alone is member of this tribe. The shaman tells the tribe the Great Spirits say they have been selfish and taken from the land.They must make a burnt offering of their most prized possessions to pay the land back. No one is willing to part with their possessions. She-Who-Is-Alone burns her doll as an offering to the Great Spirits. It is the only thing she has left from her family who has died in the drought. The next morning the Native Americans wake up to a field of blue flowers. The same color blue as the feathers in the girl's doll. The Great Spirits send rain and the drought is over. The girl is than called One-Who-Dearly-Loved-Her-People.

As legends do, this story gives a fictional account on a natural occurrence. This tale explains why Texas is showered with bluebonnets every spring. In Texas school, it is a must read. Teachers use it as part of their study on legends or as and fun read during a Texas unit. The painting's colors are warm and true to the southwest art. they way characters dress and scenery are true to the Native American culture.