Seasons of the Circle

Seasons of the Circle: A Native American Year
Bruchac, Joseph. 2002. Seasons of the Circle: A Native American Year. Ill. by Robert F. Goetzl. Mahwah, NJ: Troll/Bridgewater. ISBN: 0816774676.

PLOT SUMMARY
This short picture book by award-winning Joseph Bruchac introduces a different Native American tribe and one of its practices for each month of the year. A one sentence verse accompanies each double page color painting by Robert F. Goetzl. Supplementary notes and information provide more detail.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Seasons of the Circle: A Native American Year serves as a very basic introduction to Native American tribes and their practices. The verse accompanying each of the twelve months and tribes consists of a single sentence, some rhyming and some not. Many of the rhymes sound forced, “March – As the snow starts to melt and the nights still freeze Lenape women gather sap, a sweet gift from the maple trees,” and the best lines are those which are merely rhythmical, such as September’s verse, “A Menominee wild rice harvester slowly poles his canoe through still green water.”

Seasons of the Circle’s premise of the never-ending circle of life may not be clear to a young reader. It is only in the extensive Author’s Note, and supplemental map, chart and notes that the concept of the book becomes understandable. These materials, however, are beyond the comprehension of the book’s target audience of children ages 4-8. Also problematic is the juxtaposition of both contemporary and age-old Native practices and depictions. This will be confusing to a young reader and may perpetuate common misconceptions - either that Native Americans are only a people of the past or that modern Native people typically wear feathers, beads, buckskin and other traditional clothing.

Seasons succeeds in portraying the Native American reverence for the earth and tradition. “Hvasupai men build a winter home, its door open to the blessing of the rising sun.” and December’s “In the Moon When Wolves Run Together, in a buffalo-skin tipi, a Lakota elder tells stores of when earth was young.” July’s verse tells of an Apache girl’s coming of age ceremony.

Goetzl’s illustrations are richly colored in warm tones and in harmony with the text. The features and skin tones are appropriate, and each tribe is clothed in its traditional dress, except in the few months that illustrate modern traditions. He accurately depicts many aspects and customs of Native culture - people working for a common purpose, eight women harvesting sap or six farmers performing various planting tasks. These indicate the communal nature of Native American life. Depictions of leisure are also include large groups – men playing “snow snake” on a frozen lake while the women look on, or children running together to greet the sun. A respect for elders and a feeling of community is also obvious; as young girls watch the older women weave baskets in the early evening or a clan gathers in a tipi to hear a Lakota elder tell “stories of when earth was young.” Sensitivity to sacred rites is also observed. July’s illustration of Apache Mountain Spirit Dancers obscures the dancer’s faces.

Overall, Seasons of the Circle is a feast for the eyes. The rich purples and reds of the desert Southwest in November’s painting of a rainbow over a Havasupai home is a beautiful example. Goetzl’s illustrations will engage any reader. Bruchac’s brief verse will hopefully open the door to further exploration of Native culture.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"An unusual introduction to calendar and custom."

Hepler, Heather. 2002. "Seasons of the Circle: A Native American Year (Book)." Booklist 99, no. 3: 316. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 12, 2007).

"There are other, better books along this line, Bruchac's and Goetzl's award-winning Many Nations (1997) among them. The meat of this is in an author's note, an appendix of tribal names and information, a map, and a chart of moon names. All this material convinces the reader that other stories or nonfiction forms or even the Web site it shills might be more useful--but this outing leaves one considering the addenda, not the text."

2002. "SEASONS OF THE CIRCLE (Book)." Kirkus Reviews 70, no. 16: 1218. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 12, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Read Bruchac's Many Nations (1997).

Use the included map of the eight "tribal regions" to determine your region. Research which tribes live in your region.

Joseph Bruchac's Author's Note includes two websites to access for further information - the National Museum of the American Indian www.nmai.si.edu and http://www.nativeculturelinks.com/nations.html