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Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite Valley
Here is a delightful retelling of an authentic Southern Sierra Miwok legend concerning the origin of Yosemite Valley's El Capitan rock. Mother Grizzly Bear thinks that her two playful cubs are wrestling and having fun along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley while she is checking her fish traps. When she returns to join her sons, however, she discovers the cubs are nowhere to be found.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1997
7 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Robert D. San Souci
96 books90 followersRobert Daniel San Souci (October 10, 1946 – December 19, 2014) was a multiple award-winning children's book author, who resided in San Francisco, California. He often worked with his brother, Daniel San Souci, a children's book illustrator. He was a consultant to Disney Studios and was instrumental in the production of the film Mulan, for which he wrote the story. He studied folklore in graduate school. He died after suffering a head injury while falling from a high height in San Francisco in December 2014. He was only 68 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 24, 2017
Charming. I'm not usually a fan of 'origin stories' but this reads more like a fable, which I do like. Pictures are lovely (though animal-people wearing leather loincloths and skirts seems a bit odd). Several useful appendices for students.
October 24, 2020
This is a lovely treat for anyone who collects illustrated children's books or just for a good read to young'uns. Using the tale of two bear cubs who don't listen to mama bear, this retelling of the Miwok Indian legend provides beautiful pictures and a tale of caution.
When Mother Grizzly Bear (wearing a beaded necklace) tells her young cubs to find some berries, they end up doing something else, which gets them stuck on top of Tutokanula, known to us as El Capitan in Yosemite. It is then up to various animals (fox, hawk, mountain lion) to get the cubs down. The hero turns out to be unexpected, showing children the worthiness of courage.
Written by Robert D. San Souci and drawn by his brother Daniel, this is an excellent addition to a collector's shelf and provides a remembrance of the Miwok people who lived in the section of California that would become the home of the Gold Rush.
Book Season = Spring (animals unite)
When Mother Grizzly Bear (wearing a beaded necklace) tells her young cubs to find some berries, they end up doing something else, which gets them stuck on top of Tutokanula, known to us as El Capitan in Yosemite. It is then up to various animals (fox, hawk, mountain lion) to get the cubs down. The hero turns out to be unexpected, showing children the worthiness of courage.
Written by Robert D. San Souci and drawn by his brother Daniel, this is an excellent addition to a collector's shelf and provides a remembrance of the Miwok people who lived in the section of California that would become the home of the Gold Rush.
Book Season = Spring (animals unite)
September 15, 2023
I read this on a tram that was stuck in traffic in front of El Capitan. 10/10 would subject visitors to Story Time with Ranger Bridget again.
July 5, 2020
This is a sweet story in which the "least of all creatures" ends up helping the bear mother get her cubs back. It's a history of the formation of Yosemite's El Capitan cliff.
June 25, 2011
Wonderful re-telling of an ancient tale about El Capitan, called Tu-tok-a-nu-la (Measuring Worm Stone) by the Miwok. The watercolors are beautiful. Also noteworthy is how the Miwok words were seamlessly woven throughout the text in a very natural manner. Excellent author's notes and references are in the back.
January 24, 2016
Was the purpose of this legend simply to explain El Capitan? Or are there other messages? I think of this tale as one that celebrates diversity. Each type of animal has a skill or ability that none of the others has. Even the tiny measuring worm has a unique ability that saves the lives of two bear cubs.
April 20, 2009
my favourite of all of the san souci brothers books
March 7, 2016
Totally loved this story!! Love everything about Yosemite so when I saw this one in our library it jumped off the shelf at me. Very cute story about mama bear and her two cubs!!
August 25, 2017
legend from Yosemite, for kids...and Yosemite lovers
September 6, 2017
My son and I both really enjoyed this story. Beautiful illustrations and a lovely rhythm to the prose.
January 4, 2024
I didn't read this version. I read the version in the HMH book. It had gorgeous pictures. Can't find it on here. It was a play in the version I read. IDK if this is the same.
August 13, 2025
Why are some of the animals wearing loin cloths and skirts, though? This story is certainly a bit dated, but it was interesting to have it recommended to me by a co-worker who grew up with this book as a child in California, and I liked the information about the Miwok people in the final pages.
September 14, 2013
The Native American children’s folktale picturebook, Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley is written and illustrated by the San Souci brothers. The author is Robert D. San Souci and the illustrator is Daniel San Souci. This book is intended for the primary age group, but the intermediate and advanced age groups can also learn from book’s message. The book was named one of the best picturebooks of 1997 by the San Francisco Chronicle; however, it didn’t win any awards.
Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley is about unity during a rescue operation and how a hero’s size doesn’t matter. Two bear cubs fall asleep on the top of a rock, which begins to grow. One by one, the animals try to climb the rock. Watching from a distance, Measuring Worm decides to try and begins to climb the rock, while the other larger animals laugh at him. When he reached a high point on the rock, Measuring Worm becomes scared, but remembers his purpose for climbing the rock. The bear cubs are rescued. I rated this book a five.
All of the animals are standing in an erect position like a human. In the beginning of the story, the larger animals laugh at Measuring Worm, but then honor him at the end of the story. The book showcases a negative situation and how to turn it positive. The illustrations are drawn in colors of brown, yellow, green, and gray hues. On the title page, the illustrator draws a Miwok tribal community, featuring rabbits, foxes, bears, skunks, and mountain lions. The tribal community is dressed in Native American clothing and works together gathering food and wood. The black text is easy to read. Underneath the text, there is a small animal picture. The framed illustrations are located on the opposite page of the text, which allows for less distraction.
Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley is an important book to share with children of all ages. Children will learn the message that size doesn’t matter in order to be a hero. If a person doesn’t try, then the person will never succeed in life. Not only does this book offer a message, but Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley provides history of the Yosemite Valley landmark and the legend. Also, Robert D. San Souci provides educational sections in the front of the book on the Miwok tribe present status. This book would be a great asset to a Social Studies class.
Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley is about unity during a rescue operation and how a hero’s size doesn’t matter. Two bear cubs fall asleep on the top of a rock, which begins to grow. One by one, the animals try to climb the rock. Watching from a distance, Measuring Worm decides to try and begins to climb the rock, while the other larger animals laugh at him. When he reached a high point on the rock, Measuring Worm becomes scared, but remembers his purpose for climbing the rock. The bear cubs are rescued. I rated this book a five.
All of the animals are standing in an erect position like a human. In the beginning of the story, the larger animals laugh at Measuring Worm, but then honor him at the end of the story. The book showcases a negative situation and how to turn it positive. The illustrations are drawn in colors of brown, yellow, green, and gray hues. On the title page, the illustrator draws a Miwok tribal community, featuring rabbits, foxes, bears, skunks, and mountain lions. The tribal community is dressed in Native American clothing and works together gathering food and wood. The black text is easy to read. Underneath the text, there is a small animal picture. The framed illustrations are located on the opposite page of the text, which allows for less distraction.
Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley is an important book to share with children of all ages. Children will learn the message that size doesn’t matter in order to be a hero. If a person doesn’t try, then the person will never succeed in life. Not only does this book offer a message, but Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley provides history of the Yosemite Valley landmark and the legend. Also, Robert D. San Souci provides educational sections in the front of the book on the Miwok tribe present status. This book would be a great asset to a Social Studies class.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews