Beardream

by Will Hobbs, Jill Kastner (Illustrator)

Spring has come to the muntains, and the bears have emerged from their winter's sleep -- all but the Great Bear, who sleeps on in his den.
In the Ute village, a boy called Short Tail worries that the Geat Bear will starve if he doesn't waken. So Short Tail heads off into the mountains to rouse the Great Bear. But on the way to the Great Bear's den, Short Tail too falls asleep, and slips into a magical dream in which the Great Bear teaches him a wornderful secret to share with his people.
Will Hobbs's lyrical text and Jill Kastner's rich, evoctive oil paintings bring the story of a Native American tradition ot vivid life.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Native American, Fiction, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1997

About the author

WILL HOBBS is the author of seventeen novels for upper elementary, middle school and young adult readers, as well as two picture book stories. Seven of his novels, Bearstone, Downriver, The Big Wander, Beardance, Far North, The Maze, and Jason's Gold, were named Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association. ALA also named Far North and Downriver to their list of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of the Twentieth Centrury. Ghost Canoe received the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1998 for Best Young Adult Mystery.

In outdoor stories that appeal to both boys and girls, Hobbs has readers discovering wild places, sharing adventures with people from varied backgrounds, and exploring how to make important choices in their own lives. A graduate of Stanford University and former reading and language arts teacher, Will has been a full-time writer since 1990. He lives with his wife, Jean, in Durango, Colorado.

Will's books have won many other awards, including the California Young Reader Medal, the Western Writers of America Spur Award, the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award, the Colorado Book Award, and nominations to state award lists in over thirty states.

Reviews

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nah. If I want a story about the Ute bear dance, I'll try to get it from a Ute person. And everything I read that was from a Ute didn't match up with this version that seems to be Hobbs's own embellishment. The art is pretty, and from the critiques I've read of Hobbs's novels with Ute characters, this is nowhere near as terrible, but I still don't recommend it.

[Natasha Roslosnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my 2nd graders and loved it.

It’s a beautiful indigenous story about celebrating the transition from winter to spring. This lead to a conversation about symbolism and cultural traditions.

Would highly recommend.

[MaryJane · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful illustrations

[John Hively · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting story and, coupled with the illustrations, provide a vivid scenario.

[Norkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to read a Native American children's book, don't come across them often. We loved finding more than meets the eye in the beautiful illustrations.

[Sally]

On list because Jill Kastner is the illustrator.
JK illustrated "In November" by C. Rylant

[Richard Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. We love southwestern Colorado, and this legend is great.

[Karly Winters · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book to read, and I mean this in a good way. There aren't many books that I find that are Native American based so to read one about their culture is always a nice break. This book is about a boy who one day notices that they most feared bear has yet to come down so he decides to go up and find it. But after a day of no success, he lays down and has a dream about bears. He calls out to the bear, and after the great bear finally wakes up, realizes that something big is about to happen and hopes to not be late for it. It is in the wild that the boy and bear watch as the bears celebrate the end of winter. At the end of his dream, the bear tells the boy to go back to his people and teach them the dance of the bear. He does so, and while the people celebrates the end of winter, he glances back and notices a bear, the great bear, before vanishing. I definitely recommend this book to read to children because it is something they won't get to read often, and they will thoroughly enjoy the richly colored pictures.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the sentiments stated in the author's note at the end of the book:
"Stories that speak of connections between people and bears have long been a part of the traditions of native peoples. Soon after I came to live in southwestern Colorado, in 1973, I attended the Ute Bear Dance and was moved by the simplicity and power of this ancient rite of spring. As with most oral traditions, there exist variations in the story of the origin of the Bear Dance. 'Beardream' is based upon a version of the story common among the Utes of Colorado and Utah. ..."

The last sentence of the note reflects my belief, also:
"... future generations of the human family will have greater and greater need for the inspiration of native wisdom, which see humankind not apart from nature, but as part of nature."

The art: It's better from a distance than at a reader's focal length.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short Tail looks for the Great Bear and wakes him up since it is now spring. To repay his kindness, the bear shows him the secret dance. In turn, Short Tail teaches his people the dance. A goal of this book is to show that we are all part of nature.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beardream
Hobbs, Will
This book is a good story for inspiration if finding the secret. And finding joy in nature.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Ute Indian retelling of the Bear Dream. Nice pictures, worth picking up and reading. A little advanced so I would say for kids 8-12