Book Review: How Chipmunk Got His Stripes

 


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bruchac, J., Bruchac, J., Aruego, J., & Dewey, A. (2003). How chipmunk got his stripes: A tale of bragging and teasing. Puffin Books.

ISBN: 978-0142500217

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Bear brags that he can do anything-even stop the sun from rising. Brown Squirrel doesn't believe him, so the two wait all night to see if the sun will rise. Sure enough, the sky reddens and the sun appears. Brown Squirrel is so happy to be right that he teases Bear. What happens when a little brown squirrel teases a big black bear? Brown Squirrel gets stripes and is called chipmunk from that day forward . . . Joseph and James Bruchac join forces to create this buoyant picture book, based on a Native American folktale.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was so cute, and it taught students a valuable lesson about teasing others and how one person can not do it all. I really enjoyed reading the dialogue between Bear and Squirrel, and the use of onomatopoeia fit the storyline perfectly.  I loved the earth tones used for each illustration and how the illustrator depicted nature, it complimented the author’s writing. I especially loved the colors used to illustrate the sunrises, and each character's facial expressions add to the story's impact.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in Booklist: Gr. 1-3 (younger for reading aloud). This retelling of a traditional Native American story teaches lessons about anger and pride. Brown Squirrel challenges the bragging Big Bear to stop the sun from rising. When Big Bear is unsuccessful, Brown Squirrel teases him, so he attempts to eat the squirrel, who tricks him out of it. In a fit of anger, Big Bear claws Brown Squirrel, leaving the now familiar chipmunk stripes down his back. The animals' cartoonlike facial expressions seem slightly inappropriate for the story, but the pages' background colors and the illustrations of the forest are vibrant. An author's note explains oral tradition and the story's history. The tale's simplicity makes this ideal for introducing students to the concept of mythology.

Starred review in Kirkus: Noted storyteller Bruchac (Squanto's Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving, p. 1498, etc.) teams up with his son, James (Native American Games and Stories, not reviewed) to present a pourquoi tale from the East Coast Native American tradition. Bear is undeniably big; he is also a braggart, given to walking through the forest and proclaiming his superiority to all within earshot: "I can do anything! Yes, I can!" When he hears this, little Brown Squirrel challenges Bear to tell the sun not to rise the next day. This Bear does, and when the sun does in fact rise despite his injunction not to, Brown Squirrel unwisely gloats: "Bear is foolish, the sun came up. Bear is silly, the sun came up." Thanks to trickery, Brown Squirrel escapes with his life, but not before Bear claws the stripes into his back that cause him to change his name to Chipmunk. The Bruchacs translate the orality of the tale to written text beautifully, including dialogue that invites audience participation. Aruego and Dewey's (Mouse in Love, p. 886, etc.) signature cartoon-like illustrations extend the humor of the text perfectly. One spread shows the faces of all the animals rejoicing in the yellow light of the newly risen sun--all except Bear, whose glower contrasts ominously with Brown Squirrel's glee. Clever use of perspective emphasizes the difference in size between boastful Bear and his pint-sized trickster opponent. Authors' notes precede the story, explaining the history of the tale and each teller's relationship to it. A winner. (Picture book/folktale. 4-8)

Starred review in Publisher’s Weekly:  In Bruchac and his son's (When the Chenoo Howls) serviceable retelling of a Native American pourquoi tale, Brown Squirrel challenges prideful Bear to keep the sun from rising. When the sun does rise, and Brown Squirrel teases Bear, Bear threatens to eat Brown Squirrel, and his claw marks transform the fellow into Chipmunk. Though the prose occasionally falters (e.g., "Everyone was happy except for one animal. That animal was Bear" or the advice of Brown Squirrel's grandmother, "It is good to be right about something. But when someone else is wrong, it is not a good idea to tease him"), the dialogue is effective and invites audience participation–especially the repeated phrases with sound effects, as when the quarrelsome pair sit side by side all night chanting: "The sun will not come up, hummph!" and "The sun is going to rise, oooh!" Aruego and Dewey (Antarctica Antics) create lush landscapes, but Bear and Brown Squirrel are uncharacteristically bland, often featuring the same facial expressions repeatedly. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)

5. CONNECTIONS

*Have students draw out a summary of the story using the beginning, middle, and end.

*Engage students in a Reader’s Theater and have students act out the book. Be sure to assign parts and as a bonus, have students create masks to represent each character.

*Other picture books by Joseph Bruchac

Bruchac, J., Bruchac, J., Aruego, J., & Dewey, A. (2005). Turtle’s race with Beaver: A traditional Seneca Story. Puffin Books.

ISBN: 978-0142404669

 

Bruchac, J., London, J., & Locker, T. (1997). Thirteen moons on turtle’s back: A native American year of moons. Putnam & Grosset.

ISBN: 978-0698115842


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