The Legend of the Bluebonnet: An Old Tale of Texas

A young Comanche girl named She-Who-Is-Alone makes a noble sacrifice in order to save her people in this picture book retelling of a traditional tale from Texas. Orphaned after her entire family starved to death, the girl's only treasure is the warrior doll left to her by her parents, a doll who is her sole companion. But when the people's dancing and the shaman's vision reveal that the Great Spirits require a sacrifice in order to be appeased, and to send life-giving rain, She-Who-Is-Alone decides that she can give up the only thing she has, for the benefit of her people...''

A pourquoi story explaining how the bluebonnet—the state flower of Texas—first came to be, The Legend of the Bluebonnet pairs an engaging and poignant tale show more with appealing artwork, done in Tomie dePaola's trademark style. There are apparently a number of legends about how this flower came to be, including one in which farming children planted bluejay feathers after a prairie fire—this tale is told in Cherie Foster Colburn's Bloomin' Tales: Legends of Seven Favorite Texas Wildflowers, where it is known as When Feathers Bloomed—as well as one in which a blue-cloaked nun sometimes interpreted as the Virgin Mary appeared to the people of Texas, at the same time that the bluebonnet first appeared. In any case, the story retold here by Tomie dePaola is probably the best known origin story for this lovely flower, and has also been retold in a number of other picture books, including Pat Cusick Ripton's The Legend of the Bluebonnet, Michael Lind's The Bluebonnet Girl, and New Zealand author Alan Trussell-Cullen's The Legend of the Blue Bonnets. I enjoyed this telling immensely, and look forward to tracking down some of these other versions, to compare and contrast. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts. It could be paired very nicely with Lise Lunge-Larsen's The Legend of the Lady Slipper, which tells a traditional Ojibwe story about another brave little girl, and how her bravery led to the creation of a different flower. show less

I adore Tomie DePaola's work! His bold illustrations and commitment to his research of the stories and cultures that he writes about is evident in every story and this story is no exception. He clearly has a deep respect for the subjects he writes about. The legend that he shares with us gives us an explanation about the origin of bluebonnets blooming in Texas every spring, but it also gives us a young heroine that we can look to as a source of strength and selflessness. She-who-is-alone is a character that many children will see themselves in. Her doll is her most cherished possession and she chose to give him up to save her people. Children can be so selfless and giving especially when it comes to the people that they love. This story show more has a powerful message and a beautiful outcome. show less

Subtitle: An Old Tale of Texas

This is a lovely children’s story book that relates some of the Native American legends about the wildflower that is the Texas state flower – the Bluebonnet.

Drought is adversely affecting the Comanche people. They sing and dance and plead with the Great Spirit, but still there is no rain. Many of the elderly, the sick and the youngest children have died as a result of the drought. Finally the Shaman tells the people that the Great Spirit is ashamed of them, because they have become selfish, always taking from the Earth, but not giving back. So they are instructed to make a burnt offering of their most cherished possessions, scattering the ashes to the four winds. But one by one they refuse to make show more give up their treasures.

One young child, an orphan now called She-Who-Is-Alone, has only one possession left after losing her entire family – a doll made of buckskin. It was made for her by her grandmother but she willingly gives it up for the good of the people. The Great Spirit is so moved by her sacrifice that after the rain finally falls, the landscape bursts into beautiful blue blooms.

It’s a wonderful lesson about family, community, sacrifice and selflessness.

DiPaolo provided the beautiful illustrations, too. show less

This book allows a young child to relate to a girl from a world much different from his or her. The main character is a young Native-American girl who lived long ago in what is now Texas. Many children can relate to how precious her doll is and what it must have meant to her to give it up.

This story is a beautiful tale of sacrifice and courage in addition to the legend behind the bluebonnets. The illustrations are pretty, and the story is sweet and inspirational.

The Legend of the Bluebonnet is a staple book in Texas elementary schools as well as being an award-winning children's book. It's beautifully written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola that I remember reading this in elementary many many moons ago! Like many beginnings in our country, it all began with a Native American tribe, the Comanches, going through a horrible famine and drought when one of the children gives up her favorite doll as a sacrifice to stop these events. The next day the fields are filled with beautiful flowers and the hunting game has come back, because of these events the young girl gets a new name, instead of She Who Is Alone it changes to She Who Loves Her People. This is a wonderful book for an elementary social show more studies class learning about Tecas History. show less

This book has always been one of my favorite children's books. I love the storyline, the emphasis on personal sacrifice. and the beautiful illustrations. In the classroom this book could be used to teach the importance of language, customs, traditions, and how those themes can be woven into literature.