Paul Goble (1933–2017)

This handsome book of Plains Indian Trickster Stories gives a great first impression with its colorful cover and title page filled with Goble's distinctive illustrations of Iktomi, the trickster, in full costume. The forward and author's note provide an interesting background for the book, and the stories themselves are amusing. The text is printed in three colors: black for the narrative itself, blue for questions and comments inserted into the story to invite audience participation, and a show more smaller brown print for Iktomi's thoughts, which are meant to be read while looking at the pictures. The author notes that the small print may disrupt the flow of the stories. The same can be said for the blue print, which may be distracting and unnecessary to the experienced reader who can think of his own questions and comments. The author's decision to clothe Iktomi in tube socks and t-shirts under his traditional garb is somewhat disconcerting as well, but neither of these quibbles is too much of a flaw in an enjoyable book. show less

I received a free copy of this e-book from the publisher.

I have nostalgic associations with Paul Goble's work from my childhood; I was horse obsessed and loved his stories and illustrations. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses was a particular favorite of mine.

In this collection of short stories for middle-graders, he again captures the mood of sitting by a fire and listening to a master storyteller at work. This book is not long. Indeed, some of the stories are about a page in length. However, show more there is an immense depth to these tales. As Goble notes, unlike in Aesop's fables, many Plains tribes' stories for children did not state the moral outright. They were intended to make the child think and come up with their own interpretation.

Of course, his illustrations are always a joy. I couldn't help but smile at his horse artwork in particular. I especially liked the inclusion of original native art that he used for inspiration. The foreword notes how Goble respects Native Americans and isn't simply appropriating their stories, but actively striving for accuracy to the oral tradition.

I can appreciate that as an adult, but my inner child enjoyed these creation stories and illustrations as an enlightening sort of escapism. My only regret is that the book was so short. show less

To me personally, this story was about a girl who was forced to explore out of her comfort zone and discovered a new life that she loved. She loved her family, but wanted to be with those she loved more. Eventually, she joined the ones she loved, but always carried her human family in her heart. This story can definitely be relatable to almost anyone who has spent time apart from their parents/family members and have discovered more pieces of who they are and who they want to be. I am show more definitely able to connect to the text because I felt that Paul Goble, the author, basically wrote my story in a different context. I was nervous of attending a university before my freshmen year, but once I settled in and discovered a new family, I didn’t want to go home every weekend and just wanted to go back to campus when I was home. I didn’t miss my parents because I didn’t love them; I didn’t miss them because they didn’t give me the chance to miss them. The main character’s parents reminded me of my mom and dad when her parents “gave her a beautiful dress and the best horse in the village to ride.” This part reminded me of how my parents bought literally everything I needed to let me live comfortably on my own. In the story, the main character’s parents agree to let go of their daughter out of love, and I think my parents did the same. Lastly, I feel that readers can find many distinct hidden meanings behind the texts and illustrations, but this lesson is what I realized the most.
I did not feel a connection with the illustrations, which is a large part of my reading experience, but they did seem to support the text well. I also was not fond of the word patterns and structures of the sentences, but I feel that i may appreciate the book more later in time. show less

One look at these lovely earth-tone illustrations reveals why Paul Goble’s slender book won the Caldecott Medal in 1979. Readers will be moved by Goble’s story of a girl who loved adventure and freedom, but never forgot her Navajo tribe. The tale is on one level, an old Navajo legend, but on another it’s the tale of Everywoman, caught between obligations to others and her own needs. Children and adults will love this book for very different reasons.