LAKOTA AND DAKOTA ANIMAL WISDOM STORIES is a compilation of twelve traditional, northern plains Native American stories retold by Dakota storyteller, Pamela Greenhill Kaizen and are accompanied by twelve full-color illustrations by South Dakota artist and educator Mark W. McGinnis. Leonard R. Bruguier, a descendant of the Yankton chiefs, War Eagle and Struck by the Ree, presents the introduction. The stories use animal characters to deal with the themes of compassion, greed, generosity, protection, survival, hard work, laziness, bravery, foolishness, trickery, and others. They range from simple humor as in THE FROG AND THE TURTLE BROTHERS, where two close friends decide to jump in the lake rather than catch colds by getting wet in the rain, to the rich and complex story of THE CRANE, which weaves a tale of compassion and caring for one's neighbors. The animal characters give insightful guidance on human morals and ethics and give a glimpse into the wonderful wit and wisdom of the Lakota and Dakota people. Mark McGinnis' paintings interpret a critical instant from each story, translating the oral moment to a visual expression of color, texture and shapes. This book is well suited to be read to younger children, to be read by older children, or for adults who enjoy new perspectives into Native American culture. Available for $11.98 plus $3.00 S/H from Tipi Press, St. Joseph's Indian School, Chamberlain, SD 57326; 605-734-3300.

Around the beginning of the common era, Indian Buddhists began to collect fables, or jataka tales, illuminating various human virtues and foibles—from kindness, cooperation, loyalty and self-discipline on the one hand to greed, pride, foolishness, and treachery on the other. Instead of populating these stories with people, they cast the animals of their immediate environment in the leading roles—which may have given the tales a universal appeal that helped them travel around the world, surfacing in the Middle East as Aesop's fables and in various other guises throughout East and Southeast Asia, Africa, Russia, and Europe. Author and painter Mark McGinnis has collected over forty of these hallowed popular tales and retold them in vividly poetic yet accessible language, their original Buddhist messages firmly intact. Each story is accompanied with a beautifully rendered full-color painting, making this an equally attractive book for children and adults, whether Buddhist or not, who love fine stories about their fellow wise (and foolish) creatures.

This beautifully illustrated book explores the legends, rituals, and magic surrounding 70 of our most beloved animals.

Native American Mythology began long before the European settlers arrived on North American soil. Contrary to popular beliefs, there is more to Native American Folklore than stories of buffalo hunts, teepee living and animal stories. Hundreds of tribes throughout North American created a huge mythological system that has rivaled that of the Greeks. The Sioux Indians are no exception, they have offered many enjoyable and educational legends of their people, and beliefs. Included in this anthology are a group of collected works from the Sioux, a confederacy of several tribes that speak three different dialects, the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota. The Sioux, a proud people with a rich heritage, have recorded a huge amount of their history through storytelling. They were the masters of the North American plains and prairies. In these stories you will relive their history and the lives of one of North America’s First People. The stories in this book have been handed down from generation to generation. And in such tradition, they are now handed down to you to share with the next generation. Included in this collection are the stories: The Story of the Lost Wife, The Simpleton's Wisdom, How the Fawn Got its Spots, The Man Who Was Afraid of Nothing, Two Ghostly Lovers, How the Rabbit Lost His Tail, A Bashful Courtship, The Bound Children, The Legend of Standing Rock, The Boy and the Turtles, Unktomi and the Arrowheads, The Pet Donkey, The Faithful Lovers, The Story of the Peace Pipe, The Rabbit and the Grouse Girls, The Raccoon and the Crawfish, The Legend of the White Horse Plain, Myth of the White Buffalo Woman, The Stone Boy, The Legend of the Dream Catcher, The Resuscitation of the only Daughter, The Origin of the Prairie Rose, A Little Brave and the Medicine Woman, How the Crow came to be Black, Wakinyan Tanka, The Great Thunderbird, Uncegila's Seventh Spot, The Gift of Corn, The Warlike Seven, Iktomi and many others.

The Winona dilemma / Lois Beardslee -- No word for goodbye / Mary TallMountain -- About the contributors.

Chosen by a renowned folklorist who was raised among the Sioux, these 27 entertaining and instructive tales include creation myths, animal fables, and other adventures that will charm young readers.