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Cheryl Savageau, illustrated by Robert Hynes
Publication Date: April 2006
Paperback, $7.95
ISBN-13 978-0-88448-280-2
ISBN-10 0-88448-280-4
9 x 10, 32 pages, color illustrations
CHILDREN'S BOOKS:
AMADI'S SNOWMAN—NewGIVE A GOAT—New
UNDER THE NIGHT SKY—New
CARPET BOY'S GIFT, THE
EVERYBODY'S SOMEBODY'S LUNCH
GIFT FOR GITA, A
GOAT LADY, THE
HEALTHY FOODS FROM HEALTHY SOILS
JUST FOR ELEPHANTS
KEEP YOUR EAR ON THE BALL
LIFE UNDER ICE
LIGHTS FOR GITA
LUCY'S FAMILY TREE
MUSHROOM MAN, THE
MUSKRAT WILL BE SWIMMING
OPENING DAY
OUR FRIENDSHIP RULES
PLAYING WAR
PROJECT PUFFIN
ROSES FOR GITA
SARAH'S BOAT
SAVING BIRDS
SAY SOMETHING
SEA SOUP: PHYTOPLANKTON
SEA SOUP: ZOOPLANKTON
SHELTERWOOD
SHY MAMA'S HALLOWEEN
SPIRT THAT MOVES US, THE (VOL.I)
SPIRT THAT MOVES US, THE (VOL.II)
SPIRT THAT MOVES US, THE (VOL.III)
STONE WALL SECRETS
TALKING WALLS
TALKING WALLS: THE STORIES CONTINUE
THANKS TO THE ANIMALS
TRAVELS WITH TARRA
VERY BEST BED, THE
WELCOMING BABIES
WHEN THE BEES FLY HOME
WHO BELONGS HERE
- Notable Books for Children, Smithsonian Skipping Stones Book Award for Exceptional Multicultural and Nature/Ecology Books
- Wordcraft Circle Writer of the Year
- "...one of my favorite books for young readers, not just for the beautiful illustrations which avoid stereotypes while portraying northeast Native reality, but for its poetic, memorable text. No children's writer I know has done a better job of putting our traditions into the context of modern times while also dealing with the issue of mixed-blood ancestry in a way that is both honest and heart-lifting." —Joseph Bruchac, author of Raccoon's Last Race, Jim Thorpe's Bright Path, and many other books.
Cheryl Savageau grew up a "lake rat" on the shores of a lake in Massachusetts, where she spent a lot of time swimming, canoeing, and walking the shoreline. She is French and Abenaki. She lives in New Hampshire now with her husband Bill and three cats. Cheryl is a poet, quilter, and storyteller, and teaches part-time at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
Robert Hynes's murals at the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., launched his career, and he has illustrated several dozen adult and children's books for the National Geographic Society and other publishers. He lives in Rockville, Maryland.
Teachers Take Note:
Although Jeannie loves her lakeside neighborhood, her feelings are hurt by her schoolmates who live in fancier homes and call her a Lake Rat. When she confides her troubles to her grandfather, he tells her about his own childhood experiences with teasing. As the story unfolds, the grandfather shares a traditional Seneca story that helps Jeannie to find strength in her Native identity and a new appreciation for the different roles that animals play in nature. This is a quiet book that celebrates family and place and the teachings of Native people. Muskrat will be Swimming is based on a real incident in Cheryl Savageau's life.Cheryl Savageau is of Abenaki and French Canadian heritage and grew up in a Massachusetts lakeside community much like the one described in this book. Cheryl is an award-winning poet who lives in New Hampshire with her husband, and three cats. Her two grandsons are frequent visitors. She hopes to inspire Native children to be proud of their culture and heritage and works to promote awareness of the importance of art and diversity.
Muskrat Will Be Swimming can serve as a part of a elementary school curriculum that seeks to build understanding of issues relating to contemporary Native Americans and their traditions.
Muskrat Will Be Swimming will help inspire classroom conversations about:
- Teasing and bullying;
- Storytelling traditions and customs in Native and non-Native families;
- The Seneca creation story and creation stories in general;
- Traditions of the Sky Woman in Native stories;
- Contemporary Native American families and building connections to tribal identity;
- Native identity and mixed-blood ancestry;
- Significance of dreams in Native culture;
- The role of animals as teachers in Abenaki culture;
- Animals of the forest ;
- The Abenaki view towards the natural environment; and
- The value of experiences in the natural world for children's growth.
Combating Biases and Stereotypes: Although we all might wish otherwise, many of our children have been exposed to biased and inaccurate information about Native Americans. Teachers are sometimes unsure what to say to kids who have or express stereotypes about Native Americans. The websites below can help teachers create anti-bias classrooms.
Websites that Provide Strategies for Handling All Types of Behavior or Comments that Seem Inappropriate, Hurtful, or Biased:
Anti-Defamation League: ADL has been fighting Anti-Semitism, bigotry, and extremism since 1913. In 1999 ADL joined forces with Barnes and Noble to produce educational materials aimed at breaking the cycle of hate through reading. Many of the resources from this partnership are now available for free on their website. These include handouts such as: "101 Ways You Can Beat Prejudice" and "Hate Hurts: How Children Learn and Unlearn Prejudice." http://www.adl.org
What to Tell Your Child About Prejudice and Discrimination
http://www.adl.org/what_to_tell/whattotell_intro.asp
Teaching Tolerance: This magazine's website contains a wealth of information for teachers, parents, teens, and kids. Extensive links make a visit to this web site among the most helpful. http://www.teachtolerance.org
9 Positive Strategies for Learning about Native Americans in Early Childhood Classrooms, based on Louise Derman Sparks's Anti-Bias Education http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-4/native.htm
Eric Digests presents further strategies for learning about Native Americans in elementary classrooms http://www.ericdigests.org/1997-2/antibias.htm
Teaching Resources on Native American Tribes;
American Indian Facts for Kids: A Native American Language Website Specific information 32 different tribes, as well as facts about Native Americans in general.
http://www.native-languages.org/kids.htm
Native Tech: This is an Internet resource for indigenous ethno-technology focusing on the arts of Eastern Woodland Indian Peoples. It provides historical and contemporary background with instructional how-tos and references.
http://www.nativetech.org
Finding Unbiased Books about Native Americans:
Techniques for Evaluating American Indian Websites: Elaine Cubbins provides good, solid suggestions in a checklist format. Additional resources for selecting fair and accurate American Indian books for libraries, schools and home.
http://www.kporterfield.com/aicttw/excerpts/antibiasbooks.html
Additional Books:
Crazy Horse's Vision by Joseph Bruchac (Abnanaki), color illustrations by S. D. Nelson (Lakota), Lee & Low 2000.
Gluskabe and the Four Wishes by Joseph Bruchac, Cobblehill/Dutton, 1988.
The Range Eternal by Erdrich, Louise (Ojibwe), Hyperion Books for Children, 2002.
JingleDancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee), Morrow Junior Books, 2000.
Unsettled Past, Unsettled Future: The Story of Maine Indians by Neil Rolde, Tilbury House, 2004. For adults.
The Wabanakis of Maine and the Maritimes by the American Friends Service Committee. A rich and varied teaching resource.
Activities Recommended for Grades 3–6
The following activities were developed by Judy Sizemore of the Kentucky Council on the Arts, and are used here with her permission.
Activity #1
My Special Place
Objective: An important element of Native American culture (and many other cultures) is the strong attachment to particular places. The objective of these activities is to help students understand the importance of place within cultures by having them consider a special place in their own lives.
Background: Invite students to share some details about a place that is important to them. It might be their home or a special place where they go fishing. It might be a place where they can play games with friends, or it might be a place that they like to go to on their own, like an attic, or a special climbing tree. It should be a place that they see on a repeated basis, not a place that they have seen only once. Ask students to describe how they feel about the place and then ask them to brainstorm descriptive details and words about their special place. Make sure that each child writes down a list of words (including colors) they associate with their favorite place.
The rough illustration: Explain to the students that they are going to create an "illustration" of their favorite place by doing a rough color interpretation of it.
What is needed: To make a rough color impression students need watercolors, oil pastels, or crayons. Markers are not suitable for this type of project.
How to do it: The idea is for the students to experiment with color and create an emotional impression of their scene. It is better if their impression is done quickly, These images should be either abstract or impressionistic. Students should not work to create a realistic replica of their special place.
Writing variation: Explain to the students that they are going to write a poem about their favorite place. Encourage them to use their ́illustration as an inspiration. It might be fun for younger children to write a haiku while older children might enjoy the challenge of writing an ode.
Display : Children will enjoy learning abut each others' special places by creating a gallery of poems and rough illustrations.
Activity #2
Animal Tales
Objective: Animal tales are often used in Native American cultures (and many other cultures) to teach lessons, usually about proper behavior and self esteem. The tales also reveal careful observations of the animals that are the characters. This activity might be integrated into a language arts unit on folktales or a science unit on animals and habitats.
Background: After reading the story out loud, ask if any of the students have ever seen a muskrat. See what can they tell about muskrats, based on the illustrations. What other animals do they resemble and in what ways? Read the Notes on the Story (at the back of the book) that give information about the muskrat.
How do do it: Ask students which characteristics might have enabled him to be the hero of the story about the Sky Woman. Guide them to think about his webbed back feet and his ability to stay underwater for fifteen minutes at a time. Lead students into brainstorming a list of animals names used as insults (pig, snake, dog, skunk, fox, wolf, turkey, shark, etc.). What are the negative characteristics that people associate with these animals'?
Animal Redemption Story Variation:
Objective: To have children think about the stereotypes they hold about animals based on their behaviors.
How to do it: Ask students to get into groups and do research about these animals with "bad reputations." Tell the students that their job is to write a new story with their animal as the hero. When all the stories have been written, compile them.
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