Bibliography
Goble, Paul. Star Boy. 1983. New York. Bradbury Press. ISBN 0-02-722660-3
Plot Summary
Star Boy, the child of an earthen woman and the Morning Star, was banished from the sky world and scarred by the Sun as punishment for his mother’s disobedience. When Star Boy grew older, he fell in love with the chief’s daughter who persuaded him to make a journey to Sky World to reconcile with the Sun. The Sun removed his scar and returned Star Boy to the earthly world with the knowledge of the sacred Sun Dance.
Critical Analysis
This book tells the story of how Star Boy came to share with his tribe the sacred Sun Dance. The purpose of this story is to explain. The story begins with two sisters sleeping outside. Their conversation is noticeably stilted with short, simple sentences, “I love Morning Star…He is so handsome. Morning Star is my husband.” However, the narration of the story uses more complex sentence structure, “The Sun was pleased and the Moon gave the girl a dress decorated with shells which glistened like stars.” The brevity of the language may be in part because of the nature of folktales, but the portrayal of Native Americans could have been done better, even though Paul Goble is well-known to be a trusted author of Native American literature. Overall, this book accomplishes what it sets out to do – retell a folktale.
Review Excerpts
From Publishers Weekly
PW said, "Illustrated by elegant, brilliantly colored pictures in the Caldecott Medalist's recognizable style, the pictures . . . recreate ancient days among the Blackfeet Indians." Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/Star-Boy-Paul-Goble/dp/0689714998/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-3148834-6054203?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190856305&sr=1-1
Connections
Goble, Paul. Dream Wolf. 1997. Aladdin. ISBN 0689815069
Goble, Paul. Buffalo Woman. 1987. Aladdin. ISBN 0689711093
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