Reading Rainbow Home Page
Retold and illustrated by: Tomie dePaola
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Description: THE LEGEND OF THE INDIAN PAINTBRUSH follows the journey of a young Indian boy as he follows his vision quest to find the special gift that he can give his people. For the Pueblo Indian people of New Mexico, Mother Earth plays a crucial role in their art. They use natural materials in their pottery, buckskin painting and dance. A visit to the Taos Pueblo in Taos, New Mexico, provides a beautiful visual backdrop for LeVar and three Pueblo artists.
Activity Suggestion: Discuss with the class that before there were many books, people who lived together in countries, tribes, settlements, nations, etc., usually had their own collection of stories--often called myths, legends, fairy tales, fables, folk tales or folk songs--that were passed on from the older group members to the younger by story telling. These were entertaining but also carried a message. Ask the children what they think some of the messages are in THE LEGEND OF THE INDIAN PAINTBRUSH.
For activity ideas beyond what is listed, contact Canadian Learning CompanyŽ for information about obtaining a teacher's guide. Call 1-800-267-2977.