How Chipmunk Got His Stripes

by Joseph Bruchac, James Bruchac, José Aruego (Illustrator)

Bear brags that he can do anything-even stop the sun from rising. Brown Squirrel doesn't believe him, so the two wait all night to see if the sun will rise. Sure enough, the sky reddens and the sun appears. Brown Squirrel is so happy to be right that he teases Bear. What happens when a little brown squirrel teases a big black bear? Brown Squirrel gets stripes and is called chipmunk from that day forward . . . Joseph and James Bruchac join forces to create this buoyant picture book, based on a Native American folktale.

Illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey.

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

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Joseph Bruchac lives with his wife, Carol, in the Adirondack mountain foothills town of Greenfield Center, New York, in the same house where his maternal grandparents raised him. Much of his writing draws on that land and his Abenaki ancestry. Although his American Indian heritage is only one part of an ethnic background that includes Slovak and English blood, those Native roots are the ones by which he has been most nourished. He, his younger sister Margaret, and his two grown sons, James and Jesse, continue to work extensively in projects involving the preservation of Abenaki culture, language and traditional Native skills, including performing traditional and contemporary Abenaki music with the Dawnland Singers.

He holds a B.A. from Cornell University, an M.A. in Literature and Creative Writing from Syracuse and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the Union Institute of Ohio. His work as a educator includes eight years of directing a college program for Skidmore College inside a maximum security prison. With his wife, Carol, he is the founder and Co-Director of the Greenfield Review Literary Center and The Greenfield Review Press. He has edited a number of highly praised anthologies of contemporary poetry and fiction, including Songs from this Earth on Turtle's Back, Breaking Silence (winner of an American Book Award) and Returning the Gift. His poems, articles and stories have appeared in over 500 publications, from American Poetry Review, Cricket and Aboriginal Voices to National Geographic, Parabola and Smithsonian Magazine. He has authored more than 70 books for adults and children, including The First Strawberries, Keepers of the Earth (co-authored with Michael Caduto), Tell Me a Tale, When the Chenoo Howls (co-authored with his son, James), his autobiography Bowman's Store and such novels as Dawn Land, The Waters Between, Arrow Over the Door and The Heart of a Chief. Forthcoming titles include Squanto's Journey (Harcourt), a picture book, Sacajawea (Harcourt), an historical novel, Crazy Horse's Vision (Lee & Low), a picture book, and Pushing Up The Sky (Dial), a collection of plays for children. His honors include a Rockefeller Humanities fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Writing Fellowship for Poetry, the Cherokee Nation Prose Award, the Knickerbocker Award, the Hope S. Dean Award for Notable Achievement in Children's Literature and both the 1998 Writer of the Year Award and the 1998 Storyteller of the Year Award from the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. In 1999, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas.

As a professional teller of the traditional tales of the Adirondacks and the Native peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Joe Bruchac has performed widely in Europe and throughout the United States from Florida to Hawaii and has been featured at such events as the British Storytelling Festival and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. He has been a storyteller-in-residence for Native American organizations and schools throughout the continent, including the Institute of Alaska Native Arts and the Onondaga Nation School. He discusses Native culture and his books and does storytelling programs at dozens of elementary and secondary schools each year as a visiting author.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like with Joseph and James Bruchac's Turtle's Race With Beaver, the East Coast Native American porquoi type tale of How Chipmunk Got His Stripes shines especially with regard to the authors' storytelling, presenting once again a dramatic tale of excitement, paired with good, valuable morals and cautions against both boasting and teasing (with both Chipmunk and Bear learning valuable and also painful lessons, Bear with regard to his tendency towards arrogance and bragging and Chipmunk with regard to teasing, for if Chipmunk when he was still simply Brown Squirrel had not insisted on teasing Bear about being wrong with regard to the sunrise, Bear would not likely have become so enraged that he pursued and scratched the squirrel's back so lastingly that from hence forward, the latter has had stripes, and is now known as Chipmunk, the striped one, for it was really not so much Brown Squirrel being right and the bear being wrong about the sunrise that turned a grumpy Bear into an enraged and dangerous Bear, but the fact that Brown Squirrel would not leave well enough alone, that he insisted on continuously and rather publicly teasing Bear).

And unfortunately, just like with Turtle's Race With Beaver, I also and once again do not all that much enjoy Jose Aruego's and Diane Dewey's accompanying illustrations, finding them (like with the latter book) much too garish, much too flat and cartoon like for my personal tastes (and furthermore, especially Bear's depicted facial expressions and in particular his generally beady, angry eyes and protruding sharp fang-like front teeth, they do kind of rub me the wrong proverbial way on an aesthetic level, and so much so that I even have to somewhat wonder if Bear's toothsome and snarly countenance which is not only ever-present in How Chipmunk Got His Stripes but is also rather majorly in the reader's face so to speak, might not indeed and in fact even be a bit potentially frightening for younger or very sensitive children). But still, and even with my obvious dislike of the accompanying illustrations of How Chipmunk Got His Stripes notwithstanding, I still do very much recommend this book and am ranking it with four well-deserved stars as for one, the Bruchacs' presented narrative is absolutely spectacular and simply lovely in every way and for two, Joseph Bruchac's author's note in particular is not only informative and much appreciated, but also contains as an added bonus two important literary sources of and for the How Chipmunk Got His Stripes type tale.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading this aloud tomorrow to help kick-off the culture unit for fables, folktales, fairy tales, and myths for Language Arts. Tomorrow's class is devoted to folktales and this is a fine example of a North American Native American folktale. Even though the illustrations are a bit juvenile, I think my class will like the story and it certainly demonstrates all of the elements of a folktale.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bear was the biggest, strongest, loudest animal in the forest - and he knew it! Out for a walk one autumn day, and chanting a boastful little refrain - "I am Bear, I am Bear. I can do anything. Yes, I can!" - he finds himself challenged by a tiny brown squirrel, who asks him if he can stop the sun from rising, the next morning. And so begins a charming pourquoi tale, in which Bear learns that even the mighty have limitations, and Brown Squirrel (soon to be transformed into Chipmunk) learns not to tease others...

As mentioned in the brief foreword, How Chipmunk Got His Stripes is a tale that can be found in the folk traditions of many of the native peoples of the East Coast region, from the Cherokee to the Mohawk. In fact, Joseph Bruchac included one variant of it, entitled Chipmunk and Bear, in his earlier collection, The Boy Who Lived with the Bears: And Other Iroquois Stories . This picture-book retelling, accompanied by the colorful gouache, pastel, and pen-and-ink artwork of José Aruego and Ariane Dewey - who also illustrated the Bruchacs' Raccoon's Last Race: A Traditional Abenaki Story - makes the story accessible to the youngest reader/listeners, who will enjoy its sing-song narrative, and cartoon-like visuals.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

How Chipmunk Got his Stripes is a fable about a bear and a brown squirrel. The bear thinks since he is so big and mighty that he can do anything. While bear is walking through the woods, he chants, “I am Bear, I am Bear. I can do anything. Yes I can!” A little brown squirrel hears bear claim that he can do anything and thus challenges him to not let the sun come up in the morning. Of course, Bear thinks he can do anything and says, “even the sun is scared of me.” That evening Bear tells the sun not to come up in the morning. All of the other animals gather around in the morning to see if the sun will come up and when the sun does indeed come up the little squirrel begins to brag that he was right. Bear becomes enraged and chases after squirrel and traps him with his big paw. Squirrel says he wants to apologize for bragging and bear lifts his paw, but squirrel take off running to his home but not before bear scratches him giving him stripes. All winter squirrel has time to heal but those stripes do not go away, so now squirrel says he is a chipmunk, the kind with stripes. I think this story is very thoughtful, well written and the illustrations are brightly colored and would appeal to five to seven year olds. This would be an excellent book to use in a kindergarten or in a first grade classroom when teaching students about manners and how to treat their friends and others whom they may come in contact with.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read others by him and I'm never crazy about the illustrations. They're not bad but they're not great. The writing isn't great either. I don't like some of the wording choices.

He's all about repetition and it's really annoying and childish.

It's about a bear who thinks he can do anything because he's the biggest and best animal.
"I am Bear. I am the biggest of all the animals. Yes, I am!
I am Bear. I am the strongest of all the animals. Yes, I am!
I am Bear. I am loudest of all the animals. Yes, I am!
I am Bear. I am Bear.
I can do anything. Yes, I can!"

By the end of that I was so annoyed and exhausted.

The Brown Squirrel, which I thought must be a ground squirrel, asked if he could really do anything, twice. I was so irritated!

The Bear told the sun not to come up tomorrow. The two sat watching the east all night to see if it would come up.

"The sun will not come up, hummph!
The sun will not come up, hummp!"

And then it was the Brown Squirrel's turn:
"The sun is going to rise, oooh!
The sun is going to rise, oooh!"

Other animals joined them and alternated between those two lines. "The sun will not come up, hummph!" "The sun is going to rise, oooh!"
Ugh.

As usual, the illustrator shows the "bad guy" looking so uncertain I feel bad for them! Bear sat up on the log with his paws on his knees like a person, watching for the sun rising and I felt bad for him.

The sun came up and all the animals stood together. Every single one of them had yellow eyes. 19 animals all with yellow eyes. Come on! They looked bizarre.

Brown Squirrel said the sun came up 4 times in a row. Thanks for that...Bear was grumpy and Brown Squirrel started teasing him, gloating about being right about the sun. I didn't expect the Brown Squirrel to turn into the bad guy. His grandmother had told him not to tease someone when they're wrong, but Brown Squirrel started saying Bear was foolish, silly, and stupid.

Bear got mad and slapped his paw down on him, saying he would eat Brown Squirrel. Brown Squirrel pretended he couldn't breathe and wanted to apologize before Beat ate him (even though he was able to say this huge paragraph).

Of course he ran away instead of apologizing, and Bear caught up and scratched his claws down Brown Squirrel's body. I didn't read the summary but I had known where it was going. The "claw marks" turned into the stripes on the animal. Except they didn't look anything like claw marks. They were yellow! He did look cute hugging his grandma in their burrow though.

Brown Squirrel looked sad looking back at his body at the stripes. He became Chipmunk, the striped one. This explained how Chipmunks got their stripes and why they wake up the earliest every morning when the sun rises. This said they climb the tree and sang their song though. I didn't know they lived in trees or climbed trees. And of course "The sun came up!" was written 4 times.

All the animals watched Chipmunk. Bear is the last animal to get up and I liked the reasoning that it's because he doesn't like to hear Chipmunk's song because he didn't want to be reminded that he can't do everything. That's a good explanation for why they get up later.

All the repetition of the lines drove me crazy, and I can't stand sounds like "hummph" and "oooh." It's really childish and annoying.

[Leigh Chickering · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story about how the chipmunk got his stripes. The bear was bragging about how good and how wonderful he was and how he could do anything. So the brown squirrel asks him if he could make it so the sun doesn't come up and the bear says that he can. So they wait to see if the sun is going to rise and when it comes up, the squirrel starts to tease the bear because he was wrong. The bear got so angry that he began to chase the squirrel and try to eat him. The squirrel escapes, but just barely. The bear managed to scratch the squirrel all across his back and thats what became his stripes.

I thought this book was an interesting story, but I didn't really like the moral of the story. It ended in a weird way and in my opinion it could have had a better ending and a better lesson. The illustrations were kind of weird.

I think this is a good book to teach kids not to brag or tease others and how it can be very upsetting to others. I think the book could have ended with that as the moral of the story.

[Katie Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would love to use this story as part of a unit about pourquoi tales. I would use this book as interactive read aloud so that we could discuss key parts of the story that make it a pourquoi tale. Brown Squirrel bragged, Bear scratched him, and that’s how he got his stripes. After discussing that, I would assign groups to read another pourquoi story and to come up with a creative way to tell us how the story explained an animal’s traits. I also enjoyed this story because of the theme. The end of the story tied into the theme. The theme (as Brown Squirrel’s grandmother said) is that if you are right, be humble, and do not brag. At the end of the story, it tells us that chipmunks are always the first one up when the sun comes up, and bears are always last. I love how the authors explained how the traits of Bear and Brown Squirrel effects both of that species today.

[Cristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story itself was fine, but the illustrations really detracted from the tale. At one point the animals all come out to watch the sun rise, and a hawk is specifically named, but there is no hawk present.

[Milan Pierre-Jerome · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! This book was great and I loved every second of reading it. The themes of courage, belonging, and curiosity. The author’s message of punishment for teasing and hurt for being teased were also highlighted throughout this book.

The primary genre is traditional literature.

The book taught me many lessons. The first lesson I learned was that even when you are right, you must not brag in other faces. You can make them feel bad, which is not what a good person does. You must keep moving forward and never gloat while teasing others for your correctness. Another lesson that could be taught to children is that no one on this planet can do anything. We are all limited to things and no one is perfect.

This book was a WOW book for me because I loved the context and story behind how the chipmunk got its stripes. It was comical and made me want to keep reading more with a smile.

The author’s writing style and literary devices also stood out to me. I love the way the author was able to implement quotes from the bear and the brown squirrel. The book was able to spring up conversation and I loved being able to read the conversations. The tone of this book was also very comical with the teasing and singing of songs. This brought that kid-friendly element to this piece of children’s literature.

This book was definitely free of any bias. There was no stereotyping or gender inequality. There was just a focus on the bear and the brown squirrel as they went against each other throughout the whole book. This book avoided tokenism and didn’t involve creating a level of importance between each character in the book.

[Ahsen Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever told that one friend "told you so!" after you won an argument? In this book, a brown squirrel challenges a big bear to command the sun not to rise. After the sun rises, the squirrel teases the big bear because the sun did indeed rise. This enrages the bear, which nearly signs the squirrel's death warrant. After the bear scratches the squirrel while it gets away, it gives it stripes, which make it a chipmunk. The major themes in this book are bragging, teasing, and ego. I believe these are the themes because the squirrel let its ego get to its head, which made it tease the bear, thinking it was untouchable. This led to him nearly dying. He also teased/bragged to the bear, which made the bear rather mad. The main genre of this book is folklore. Children reading this book can learn not to have a big ego and not to tease others. This book was a WOW book for me because it teaches a very important lesson while also being a fun read.


Two literary devices used in this book were repetition and foreshadowing. There are many phrases repeated in this story, and the same character often repeats a certain phrase that alludes to their character. Foreshadowing was used when the bear showed angry qualities, and the readers knew that the sun was going to come up, which was going to lead to a conflict. These enhanced the story by making it more interesting and had the reader pay closer attention to the story. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because the author detailed their understanding of the theme by carefully incorporating it into a story about animals arguing with each other. It may seem easy but it is actually an impressive accomplishment.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his author's notes Bruchac introduces the story as an expanded version of the story he heard as child. It is a story that has different versions in Cherokee, Mohawk and Iroquois traditions. I love these origin stories. They stick with you and make you think. There is also a valuable lesson taught in the story. The artwork is brilliant and beautiful. Overall, this is a wonderful picture book.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I try to read pretty much everything by Joseph Bruchac, and this is no exception. I love the kind of storyteller he is. This one offers lessons on bragging and teasing, and while I was not a huge fan of the cartoonish illustrations, the story itself was a lot of fun.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear is a big braggart. Brown Squirrel decides to prove him wrong. He is so happy that he forgets his grandmother's saying: "it is good to be right about something. But when someone else is wrong, it is not a good idea to tease him." Yet no one can do everything.

Rounded up because I have gotten questions for books about teasing.

[Mackenzie Wardle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bear always walked around bragging about how big and strong he was. He thought he was better than any of the other animals. A little brown squirrel came up to bear and challenged him. The squirrel asked Bear to not make the sun rise the next day, since he could do everything. All night long Brown Squirrel and Bear sat there saying the sun will rise and the sun will not rise. Some of the other animals joined them in the watch. Then the sun rose; everyone was happy to see it except for Bear. Brown Squirrel kept taunting Bear. Then he thought about what he grandmother told him. She said that it is good to be happy about something but it is not okay to tease someone else that is wrong. The squirrel continued to bother Bear anyways. Bear decided that he had enough and slammed Brown Squirrel to the ground with his mighty paw. Bear announced that he was going to eat the little pest, so Squirrel thought quickly and said he could only make an apology if he could breathe. As soon as Brown Squirrel was free, he took off to his home where his grandmother was waiting. Just as Brown Squirrel jumped to his door, Bear scratched him with his claws and left marks down his back. The rest of the winter Brown Squirrel spent in his home. When spring arrived, Brown Squirrel left his home to see that he had long pale stripes down his back. He was now known as Chipmunk. Every morning he was the first the wake up and sing about the sun arising, while Bear stayed asleep so he could not hear the song.

[Nikki Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to read what might happen if you take things too far with teasing. Bear roars and is sure of himself that the sun won't come up all through the book. Little squirrel states otherwise and in the end even with advice from family little squirrel has to have the last word. Bear with his strong personality plans to harm little squirrel. In the end, little squirrel wakes up looking like a chipmunk with stripes caused by bear.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as inspiration for my folktale, and I liked the how the author had engaged a lesson into this story. It was a good story to get ideas for a folktale, or fable, and I liked how the characters acted. I'd recommend this book for someone who is writing a myth, because the storyboard is a really good idea, and simple, to get ideas from.

[Alexis Munk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book a lot. It teaches children not to tease. It also shows a lesson about bragging and being very boastful. The kids can see that chipmunk was not very nice to bear, even though bear was very boastful, so bear scratched him and that's how the chipmunk got his stripes.

[Harini · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bragging squirrel, an annoyed bear, and an unforgettable chase come together in this story to explain how the chipmunk got his stripes. In this book, an overconfident brown squirrel teases bear after bear claims that he can do anything. Brown squirrel tells him to make the sun not rise, and bear accepts his challenge, claiming he can control the sun. However, not only does the brown squirrel not believe him, but in fact Bear is unable to keep the sun from rising. Brown squirrel continues to tease him, described as the happiest animal in the forest. He mocks the bear so much that the bear loses his temper and starts to chase the squirrel. The brown squirrel almost made it, but the bear clawed at him at the last second, leaving stripes on his back. This is known to be the reasoning for why chipmunks have stripes. The story blends a traditional lesson with humor.

The first major theme in this book is humility. This can be shown by Brown squirrels' lack of it, and the result of that. If brown squirrel hadn’t been so egotistical and has just kept quiet, he wouldn’t have been chased down and clawed at by Bear. Another theme is respect for others, even when you disagree with them. Chipmunk learns that making fun of someone, even when they’re wrong, can have detrimental effects.
The main genre of this book is traditional folklore, because it is a traditional story that explains how one of the characters got its physical traits.
Through reading this book, children could learn the importance of being kind and how teasing or making fun of someone can affect them.

This book was a WOW book for me because the storytelling was interesting and the lesson was memorable. I enjoyed reading this book and seeing the end where chipmunk got his stripes was a surprising addition to me.

The author used multiple literary devices and other forms of writing craft in this
book. First, the author used the writing craft technique of repetition. An example of this writing craft from this book is when the brown squirrel kept saying “You can’t do that”; This increasingly frustrated Bear. This writing craft technique enhances the quality of the book by making the lesson clear and making readers understand how repeating negative statements can annoy people around them. Second, the author used the writing craft technique of dialogue. An example of this writing craft from this book is throughout the book, because the story is primarily told through dialogue between characters. This writing craft technique enhanced the quality of the book by creating interesting characters and keeping the reader engaged.

I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because this book teaches readers to be kind and accepting of everyone, even if they have different opinions. This also shows that mocking people is harmful and there are kinder ways to interact with people who see the world differently.

[Maddie Noone · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy a story that goes against the stereotype of bigger is stronger, then this might be the book for you!

How Chipmunk Got His Stripes is a traditional Native American folktale that is still told around the East Coast. It’s about the story of a brown squirrel who challenges Bear about his statement on being able to make the sun rise and set. After some conflict, he turned into a chipmunk due to the claws of Bear. Two themes I noticed were the ability to be truthful and to know when to stand up and use your voice. It shows how being truthful works out much better than being a liar. I also noticed how asking questions and being curious were also themes throughout the story, and how the squirrel, who then turned into a chipmunk, stayed curious and questioned Bear.

The genre of How Chipmunk Got His Stripes is traditional literature because it’s a folktale that was originally told orally, being passed down to generations, and then put on a page. Something I think children can learn from this story is to challenge something you’re curious about, even if you are different from them. In this case, Bear was much bigger and seemed tougher, but that didn’t stop the brown squirrel. When children read this, they can see that you don’t have to be bigger, smarter, or older to challenge something. Another lesson I feel teachers can use to educate children is the importance of honesty and how it is the right thing to do.

This was a WOW book for me because it did such a great job taking a simpler topic and turning it into something with a big impact. The ideas and illustrations it used to speak on conflicts, and how it stayed entertaining the whole time. I also enjoyed the lessons it can teach to the younger readers by making it impactful but also simple.


Authors Joseph and James Bruchac provide many writing and literacy crafts that help enhance the story. The first thing I noticed was the conflict resolution or cause-and-effect system that was shown. I liked how it walked through the concept, where it started out with conflict, and over time, it was solved. I thought it was a good way of teaching resolution and how it got solved in steps. Another craft I saw was personification, where they put human traits into the animals. I thought this was smart because to kids, reading about animals can sometimes be more interesting.

This book includes anti-bias perspectives because it represents culturally diverse storytelling, representing Native American culture, and remembering the stories that were told throughout cultural history. This story stems greatly from cultural and historical perspectives and was passed down to represent some of the cultural traditions. It also did an amazing job at representing culture, but also teaching others to respect diverse cultures and traditions.

[Nathanael Yibass · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was a kid I used to think that chipmunks and squirrels were the same animal. I had no idea how to tell their difference until I realized that chipmunks have stripes on their backs. In this book, we get introduced to the bear who believes that he can do anything. However, the squirrel doesn't believe him and wants him to prove it. The squirrel asks the bear to stop the sun from coming up on the next sunrise. The bear accepts and tries but ultimately fails because no one can stop the sun. After failing the squirrel decided to rub it in the bears face that he lost. The bear didn't that lightly and decided to eat the squirrel. The squirrel ran but got injured on his back and got its stripes.

One theme I noticed in the book was that having strength doesn't make you the smartest. In the book, we see bear say he can do anything since he is a bear. However, the chipmunk used its cleverness to outsmart the bear. Sometimes all you need to triumph in something is to think cleverly. Another theme I noticed in this book was the consequences of your own actions. After the chipmunk won their bet it should've just carried on with its day. However, it decided to rub the win in bear's face, telling the bear that it is foolish and stupid. As a result, the bear got mad and wanted to eat the chipmunk, injuring the chipmunk in the process. The chipmunk's actions resulted in it getting injured and receiving its stripes. The primary genre of this book is traditional literature. One thing children can learn from this book is not to boast in people's face. It is good to celebrate achievements in life but rubbing it into people face is not a good idea. Some people might get angry at you or you might hurt someone else's motivation. Another thing children can learn from this book is the consequences of actions. I think it is important for children to know that how they treat others affects what happens next. Just like in the book when the chipmunk was teasing bear. This was a WOW book for me because I learned a good lesson. I got reminded of how I should treat others, be humble and respect them.

One literacy device I noticed was personification. The animals were talking to each other. Need I say more? Another literacy device I noticed was repetition. After reviewing a lot of books I noticed that repetition is a common literacy device used. I think it does a good job at emphasizing what's to come in the story. In this book, repetition is used through the chipmunk and bear repeating their outcomes for the bet. "The sun will not come up, hummph" and "The sun is going to rise. oooh." This book is free of anti bias because it is based off of Native American Culture and storytelling. It allows for others to grow curious for other cultures without being afraid.

[Mia Mendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wondered how chipmunks got their stripes? A lot of the time it's from genes, however, this chipmunk has a special situation. In this book, a bear claims he can do anything and the chipmunk challenges that statement by asking him to keep the sun from rising. They wait all night to see if the sun will rise the next morning. It was a fun read and it had me questioning if the sun would rise or not. However, along the way we learn how this chipmunk gains stripes on his back. The major themes in the book were humbleness and confidence. This is because at the end of the book it reminds the reader that not everyone can do everything. Within the book, the chipmunk is reminded to not brag about being right. It also shows confidence because while the bear and chipmunk were on opposite arguments, they each stuck to their claim and didn't let the other person affect them. The main genre of this book is traditional literature. Children reading this book could learn to only say the truth, and to be kind and humble. This is because if they claim they can do something and not follow through they could end up like the bear, hiding in his cave because he doesn't like to be reminded of the lie he told. Along with humbleness because in the book it states that it's okay to be right but not okay to tease others for being wrong. This book was a WOW book for me because it told a great story and it was extremely engaging. Along with the illustrations, they were great visuals and helped tell the story.

The author used multiple literary devices and other forms of writing craft in this book. First, the author used the writing craft technique of repetition. An example of this writing craft from this book is when the author had the bear and chipmunk repeat their claims over and over. This writing craft technique enhanced the quality of the book by allowing the reader to see how dedicated they were to their belief. I think it even allowed us to see the character's competitive side. Second, the author used the writing craft technique of onomatopoeia. An example of this writing craft from this book is when the author had a big “WHOMP” when the bear struck the chipmunk. This writing craft technique enhanced the quality of the book by allowing the reader to imagine what it would be like in the situation and how sudden that strike might have been. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it doesn't include stereotypes or exclusive language. It focuses more on the plot of the story and the interaction between the bear and chipmunk.

[Emily Nation · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming native American tale about how the chipmunk got its stripes is concealing a timeless lesson about kindness and humility. In this story, a bear and a brown squirrel argue about how powerful the bear really is, as he claims to have commanded the sun not to rise the following day. As a crowd forms, eager to see who is right, the sun eventually does rise, and the bear looks foolish. The brown squirrel, however, begins to gloat about his victory and teases the bear. A chase ensues and right before the squirrel can make his final escape, the bear scratches him all the way from head to tail, giving him white stripes where his hair didn't grow back. This explains where the chipmunks we know today got their stripes from. The major themes in the book were the dangers of pridefulness and boasting, as well as humility, as we see negative consequences for the squirrel’s teasing. Another theme is respect for nature as the bear’s failure highlights that no one being can control the forces of nature and the earth. The main genre of this book is traditional/folktale. People reading this book could learn that it is never a good idea to be a boastful winner, because teasing and embarrassing others to bring your own worth up never brings positive outcomes. This book was a WOW book for me because the lesson within the tale is important and also I think that pourquoi tales like this are an incredible way to foster inquisitive and imaginative children who are curious about the world.

he author used multiple literary devices and other forms of writing craft in this
book. First, the contrast between the two animals chosen to represent the main characters enhance the story by highlighting their difference in size, shape, colour, power and attitude. Another technique is a clear cause and effect structure in the story telling, it is obvious which actions lead to outcomes/ consequences and how those consequences progress the story. This helps to keep the pacing of the story moving while also reinforcing the moral lesson that it is telling within. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it encourages readers to approach others with grace, practice humility and put kindness first. These values will contribute to a more tolerant and peaceful world. This book also gives representation to traditional Native American tales that can offer some perspective into how other cultures and belief systems categorize/ explain the world or teach lessons in their communities over generations.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was very similar to Turtle's Race with Beaver by Bruchac; it had the same style illustrations.

The author's note was interesting, how this tale is told on the East Coast. The Cherokee's tell it, as well as the Abenaki, Mohawk, and Iroquois. The earliest story was found in Seneca Myths and Folk Tales, published in 1923.

Brown Squirrel says he can’t talk or breathe, all the while delivering a whole paragraph of words. Of course he’s tricking Bear in order for him to lift his paw up so he can escape. But Bear didn’t realize that.

I hadn't been thinking of how chipmunk would get his stripes, so I was surprised to find out that it was bear's claw marks that did it.
When spring came, and he came out of his burrow, he saw the stripes were still on his back. He was no longer Brown Squirrel, and was now Chipmunk, the striped one. I felt bad that he lost his identity like that.

Chipmunk has been the first animal to get up every morning since then. As the sun rises, he goes to the top of the tree and sings his song that the sun came up. All the animals gathered around to listen to his song. The illustration was cute with him at the top of the tree, with the music notes above him.
I wondered if chipmunks really are the first to get up in the morning. And that they go to the top of a tree to sing. And if Bear is the last to get up.

Idk what I expected the last lesson to be, but not that Bear didn’t like to hear Chipmunk’s song because it reminds him and everyone that no one, not even Bear, can do everything.
I thought it would be more about bragging, and not rubbing it into people’s faces when you’re right.

The illustrations aren’t my style, but Brown Squirrel looked cute after he ran to his burrow with his grandma.
I tried looking for the animals as they were named; it mentioned a hawk but there wasn’t one there. Only a bald eagle.

I didn't like the repetition in here, although it's designed for kids, who I think like that kind of writing.

I was surprised that this had a squirrel that turned into a chipmunk. You can’t just become another species like that. They’re different sizes and they look different. You’d be just a brown squirrel with white stripes on it. But this is a fanciful tale of how chipmunks got their stripes, so the intended audience of this probably wouldn't look that far into it.

[Matthew Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is why you should always listen to your elders, because they have experience that you don't! In this book, Bear was overly confident that he could do anything. So, when Chipmunk challenged him to see if he could stop the sun from rising and failed, Chipmunk boasted and boasted until Bear had enough; Bear attacked Chipmunk, but he was able to escape with his life! This is a situation I have been in many times, just not the life-or-death example as in the book. The major themes in this book are humbleness and nature with all of this being able to be prevented if Chipmunk learned to be humble and the effects of nature on animal life. The main genre in this book is folklore. Children reading this book could learn the importance of being humble and why chipmunks have their stripes (in a silly way). Chipmunk was wrong to brag and boast in front of Bear for not being able to make the sun rise, especially when his grandmother told him not to. And because of this, he now has stripes on his back from trying to escape from Bear, but Bear did get his back with his big claws. This was a WOW book for me, because this is the first Native American folktale I ever read, and I never really thought about chipmunks and their stripes until this moment! I really appreciated the story that has been told for hundreds of years, but after the lessons, it's starting to resonate with me now.

Two of the writing craft techniques the author used in this book were personification and foreshadowing. These writing craft techniques enhanced the quality of the writing in this book because having the animals being able to talk and sit like people can help children adjust to the story better and make it more engaging for children because the animals are more interesting. And with the foreshadowing of Chipmunk remembering what grandma chipmunk said about not teasing, this helped the story by the reader almost guessing what was going to happen next when you make Bear angry. I would consdier this to be an anti-bias book because it uses animals instead of people to make the experience more universal and it touches on a story from the Native Americans without mentioning the Native Americans in it, to prevent any bias.

[Christine Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: How Chipmunk Got His Stripes

Author: Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac

Goodreads Star Rating: 5

Categories/Genres: Traditional/Fable/Pourquoi

Copyright date: 2001

Estimate of age level of interest: K-3

Estimate of reading level: 2.9


Brief description:
When Bear and Brown Squirrel get into an argument over how much control Bear has over anything, the story becomes a moral tale about consequences surrounding bragging and teasing.

Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book.
The tale of How Chipmunk Got His Stripes is a Native American Pourquoi Tale meant to answer the question of “why.” The basic characteristic of this tale is as an oral folk tale that has been handed down over the years. According to Joseph Bruchac, the earliest known rendition of the tale came from the Iroquois. Over the course of the 20th century, many tribes have used the tale including the Abenaki. In this rendition, both Joseph and Jesse Bruchac have expanded the tale and produced more detail. The next characteristic designates it as a Pourquoi tale as it explains how animals gained their physical traits or characteristics. In this case, Brown Squirrel gains stripes to become Chipmunk and gets up early in the morning, where Bear is embarrassed by his bragging and doesn’t get up until after the sun rises.

In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience?
How Chipmunk Got His Stripes is a wonderful tale that uses animals to help young children understand the concepts of bragging and teasing. It is a quick story that focuses on only a few characters and the consequences of their actions. This makes the story accessible and opens the door to a wonderful discussion.

Awards if any.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 03/01/01
Kirkus Star Review 12/15/00
School Library Journal Star Review 2/01/01



Citations for published reviews:
Booklist (February 1, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 11))
Horn Book Guide (Fall, 2001)
Kirkus Reviews starred (December 15, 2000)
Publishers Weekly (January 15, 2001)
School Library Journal (February 2001)

[Melena Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second folk tale literature book I read this week is titled How Chipmunk Got His Stripes by Joseph Bruchac. This book is about a bear who thinks he can do everything. However, one day a little brown squirrel asks the bear if he will make sure the sun does not come up the next morning and the bear agrees to this task. All night the little brown squirrel looked at the sky in the East eager to see if the sun would come up. The sun indeed came up and the little brown squirrel started to tease the bear which was not a kind thing to do. The bear became extremely angry and said he was going to eat the little brown squirrel. The little brown squirrel started to run away when he was scratched on the back by the bear leaving white stripes on his back and tail. That is how Chipmunk got his name. From then on he was always up before the sunrise and made sure to sing to all other animals when the sun came up. I gave this book four stars because I liked how the little brown squirrel teasing the bear was a relatable action for children to relate to and the result was the chipmunk getting his stripes and understanding that he shouldn't tease his friend.

I would use this book in a Kindergarten, first-grade, or second-grade classroom because of the story’s vocabulary and the central message of the story. An activity I would do in a second-grade classroom with this book is having the students make a character flap book. I would have three traits listed about the bear and ask the students to write down words, thoughts, and actions they listened to in the text. For example, the bear acts stubborn, and the students would have to write down a word, thought, or action the bear displayed to be stubborn. I would also verbally go over the character traits' meanings before having the students complete the flap book to ensure comprehension of the story, activity, and vocabulary, meanings of words that describe the bear.

[Samuel Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

How do chipmunks get their stripes? In this book it teaches the reader a good lesson about teasing others. Even though you can be right it is not good to tease someone else. Another lesson that is taught to the reader is that no one can do everything no matter how hard you try. You can have a good relationship with others that are different than you if you choose to be kind. The major themes in the book were hope and revenge. There was hope because the bear believed he could do anything and was even brave enough to tell the squirrel the sun would not come up tomorrow, because he said it would not. There was revenge in the story because the squirrel teased the bear when the sun came up which hurt his feelings, even though he was wrong. So, the bear trapped the squirrel under his paw and was going to eat the squirrel. The main genre of this book is Traditional Literature. Through reading this book I learned that some things are out of your means and are not possible for you to have any say in them. I also learned that it is better to be humble even when you are right than teasing another person, because that can cause them to hurt you or do something that would hurt you. This book was a WOW book for me because it taught me a good lesson on being kind, but how to act if I am right in any situation. Some of the literary devices the author used were alliteration. The author wrote that “the sun will not come up and the sun will rise” multiple times on various parts of the story. Another literary device the author used in writing this book was descriptive imagery, when you could see how deep the scratches were on the squirrel. Even with the detailed illustration of when all the animals were together you can see the time that was taken in the image to relay the written message. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it had no language that attacked the characters.

[Tanvir · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this is a wonderful storybook that brings a piece of Native American folklore to life. It tells the tale of why chipmunks have stripes, through an engaging story about a tiny chipmunk and a big bear. The genre is Traditional Literature.

Personally, I think this book shows important lessons about pride and humility in a way that’s easy to understand and fun to read. I think it’s great how the book shows that being too boastful can lead to unexpected results, and sometimes, being humble is the best way to be. Reading about Chipmunk’s cleverness and Bear’s surprise made me smile and think about the times I’ve learned similar lessons myself. One thing that really stood out to me was how the book makes these lessons clear without being complicated. It’s a story that feels close to a campfire tale, where you can imagine listening to it under the stars.

I believe that Joseph Bruchac’s storytelling is straightforward and engaging. He uses words that are easy for kids to understand, and the bright, beautiful illustrations help tell the story too. The book respects its cultural origins and presents the tale without leaning towards any biases. It’s honest about the characters’ flaws and strengths, which helps make the lesson about humility feel real and meaningful. This book was a WOW for me because it mixes a fun story with a meaningful message. I loved learning about why chipmunks have stripes in such a creative way. The story is a reminder of how nature and folklore can teach us about life’s big truths.

I can see how this book could be a gateway to learning about culture, nature, and the importance of stories in our lives. Joseph Bruchac has created a captivating tale that can be enjoyed by everyone, young and old. It’s definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good story with a heartwarming lesson. Thank you for reading my review.

[Tim Buchko · Rating 4 out of 5]

This children's literature is an example of a good folklore story. The story starts with the bear thinking that he can do anything, there is a lesson in that because someone can't do anything they want like making it so that the sun won't rise the next day. But I enjoyed the creative writing of this folklore and it gave a meaning to why chipmunks got their stripes. 2 examples of themes in this book are humility and consequences of actions. Humility is shown when the bear is wrong about the sun coming up the next day and the chipmunk starts to tease the bear, then the bear feels humiliated by the chipmunk. Consequences for the actions are when the bear snaps at the chipmunk and when the bear is humiliated by him. Although I do not think a children's book should have someone who is aggressive in the story, it serves as a good lesson to the reader. The WOW aspect to me was that it taught a couple of lessons to the reader and I think that is important to leave a good lesson to a child reading this book.
Understanding the author's use of literary devices in the literature is important and adds to the story. Alliteration and Conflict are some of the literary devices that are used in this book. Alliteration is used to get the point across that the bear thinks he can do anything because he is a bear. Conflict is used between the bear and the chipmunk because once the sun rose the next day the chipmunk teased the bear and the bear snapped at him. The WOW aspect to me was that it taught a couple of lessons to the reader and I think that is important to leave a good lesson to a child reading this book. This story does not promote any harmful stereotypes or talk down towards anyone or any cuter during this story. I do belive this is a fun story that give the reason why chipmunks have stripes.

[Lauren Blanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This creative folklore written by Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac, pictures by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey, gives an explanation as to how chipmunks got their stripes. “How Chipmunk Got His Stripes” is fun story that narrates an interaction between a bear, and a little brown squirrel. Brown Squirrel teased Bear, and that’s when Bear had enough, and gave Brown Squirrel his stripes that turned him into a chipmunk. This book would be great for grades 3-5. The illustrations are clear and concise, but there is a lot of dialog that goes on between Bear and Brown Squirrel that could get confusing for students lower grades.

This WOW book is so much fun to read! You get to follow along a dynamic relationship between a bear, and a brown squirrel; it keeps you wondering how Chipmunk got his stripes. I really enjoyed reading this, and this would be a spectacular read aloud book for children. Through this book, students are able to learn about the history behind folklores. Students are also able to learn about fictional animals that take on human characteristics, personification. This book is engaging for children, and just overall a creative read.

I would use this book to do a read aloud in my classroom. Before reading, we would discuss what a folklore is. We would then do a quick walk through, and from glancing at the illustrations, I would have students make predictions about how they think Chipmunk got his stripes. We would read aloud, stopping throughout the book to make sense of the story, and vocabulary words. After reading the book, we would talk about what happened to Brown Squirrel since he teased Bear, and students would be able to share their ideas about the book. Another way I would use this book is after our class read aloud, I would have students write their own folklores. Students can use ideas from “How Chipmunk Got His Stripes” in order to make their own creative story.

“How Chipmunk Got His Stripes” is a fun, e-text that helps students understand the meanings behind folklores, and their importance. I would recommend this book, as children would stay interested and excited while reading!