Thirteen Moons of Turtle's Back - A Native American Year of Moons by Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London Illustrated by Thomas Locker

This collection of narrative poems for each of 13 moons of a year begins with a grandfather explaining to his grandson the stories behind each of the 13 scales on a turtle's back. Some of the most vivid descriptions with figurative language seemed evident in four or five of the poems. The winter Moon of Popping Tree describes a Frost Giant that cracks his club against the cottonwood trees warning animals to stay inside until the Coyote's sing to signal safety to venture out again. Another poem about a winter moon, Baby Bear Moon seems to warn against disturbing bears as they sleep, because long ago a young child was taken in and protected by the bears. Disturbing the sleeping group is discouraged. An unusual poem that seems to tell of coming spring is the Frog Moon relating competing ideas among the moose, the beaver, and the frog concerning the decision of how many moons of snow there are. Finally all agreed with frog that there are as many moons of snow as are toes on his foot. The illustrations show the reader how the connections between our traditional seasons of the year fit in with the thirteen moons. This collection of poems bespeaks the respect for the interactions of living things and the balance and order of how life and its phases work together for a greater good. The text appears on the left side of the left facing page, and the text appears on a simulated rough paper surface similar to a sheet of birch bark. This three-inch text border is rough edged as if to portray torn paper. The illustrations covering the rest of the left page and the entire right page is done in pastels showing rich shades and softly outlined shapes. The illustrations enhance the text on each page and aid in helping the reader imagine the workings of the different phases of nature creating the thirteen moons.