Caught in the act of tormenting a raven, brothers Toby and Chris are confronted by one very large, angry man, who demands to know where they live and who their parents are. Taking this accuser home with them, the brothers are made to listen to his story about another individual, long ago, who was cruel to ravens. This man, who imagined he had no friends, and who therefore offered his friendship to no one, was eventually transformed into a raven himself, only then discovering that he had a place among his people. It was then, in raven form, that this Raven Man decided he could help the people, guiding them through dangerous situations, and occasionally assuming his human shape again, when most needed. Ashamed now of their behavior, the boys escort their guest to the door, realizing as he departs in a rush of wings that they had been entertaining the Raven Man himself as a guest...

Dogrib author Richard Van Camp and Plains Cree illustrator George Littlechild, who subsequently collaborated on What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?, made their debut as a team here, in A Man Called Raven. A powerful and moving book, one which pairs a perceptive and thought-provoking tale with gorgeously colorful folk-art illustrations, it addresses a number of important themes, from the correct way for humans to interact with animals, to the importance of community to both human and animal welfare. There are clear parallels between the story of Raven Man and that of the two boys. Both are isolated from their culture and community - the former by his own belief that he is unwanted, the latter by the fact (as stated in the narrative) that their family circumstances have kept them from living on the land, as their people would have traditionally done. It is only through reconnecting with their community, by realizing that they have a place, and a worth, that they are led to stop their destructive and cruel behavior. I thought that this was an interesting and ultimately true formulation, even for people who do not belong to a traditional culture. After all, it often seems as if bullying behavior, whether the target is animal or human, arises from a deep sense of unworthiness in the bully. I appreciated that the story here addressed what is very disturbing behavior in a constructive and thoughtful way, attempting to get to the root of the problem, in the psyche of the wrongdoer, rather than offering a simple "be nice" message. Recommended to more advanced picture-book readers looking for stories about the importance of treating our animal friends humanely, and with respect, as well as to those seeking children's books with a Native American/First Nations cultural context. ( )

A Man Called Raven is an enjoyable and traditional style First Nation folk-tale that teaches two young boys about cruelty to animals. Although George Littlechild is an acclaimed author, I do have to admit that I didn't love the illustrations. Though vibrant and appropriate for the story they just weren't my cup of tea. I do appreciate the lesson of the story and would recommend for teaches trying to share Native culture with their classes. ( )

Van Camp, Richard. A Man Called Raven. Illus. George Littlechild. San Francisco: Children's Book Press, 1997. International Children's Digital Library. University of Maryland. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.

A picture book by Dogrib author and storyteller Richard Van Camp and Cree artist George Littlechild, A Man Called Raven is a great example of how contemporary characters and the narrative conventions of folklore can come together in surprising ways. The target audience is grade school readers and older, as the story begins with an act of cruelty and the action involves making inferences. The book opens as Toby and Chris Greyeyes have cornered a raven in a neighbor's garage: "The boys had been hitting the bird with broken hockey sticks and now its wing was dragging." A strange man appears and makes the boys take him to their mother so that he can tell her what they were doing. He then tell them a story of a lonely and angry man who, like them, abused a bird. The bird begins to haunt him and he falls from a tree trying to escape it. But instead of hitting the ground he is turned into a raven:

"He flew to his village and when he got there he saw that there was a funeral. Do you know whose funeral that was?"
"The old man's."
"Yes. And do you know who came to the funeral?"
"No one." the boys said.
"Wrong." the man answered. "Everyone."

From then on, although the man is no longer a living human he knows that he is part of a community and that he must help his people. He stays a Raven, except at moments where he is most needed in his human form.

This seemingly simple story has enormous depth. There is the obvious moral not to be cruel to animals. That is what the raven-man spells out most explicitly. But it is the underlying message that is the backbone of the story: that the boys, even though seemingly disconnected from their larger community and history, have a place among their people and a responsibility to behave well and honor both nature and their larger family. Van Camp's storytelling is matter-of-fact in tone. Littlechild's work, though swirling and colorful, also clearly situates the characters in the present, seemingly in suburbia. It is in the final two-page spread that the worlds of the fable and the contemporary setting come together most fully. Van Camp writes: "Then the man was gone, leaving behind him the thunder of wings." The boys' ordinary house, presumably not the richest environment since all the boys had to do was torment an animal with broken hockey sticks, is transformed into a cozy space with the two boys waving while a feather for each drifts down from the bird. It is the kind of book that bears multiple readings and is clearly not only about Indian culture but from an aboriginal perspective.
A Man Called Raven touches on some of the same issues as Sherman Alexie's excellent and National Book Award-winning Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian, but in a shorter format that may be useful for classroom visits or when suggesting supplemental materials to Alexie's work. This is a book that librarians could use in group instructional settings, for reader's advisory or for book talks. I accessed it through the International Children's Digital Library website and it is a great example to use when illustrating how the site works - both technically and as a repository for multicultural titles that may be hard to find or out of print in physical formats. This would also be a useful title for professional discussion, at trainings about multicultural literature or for use in broaching the subject of the less tangible effects of generational poverty or cultural disconnection as the result of genocide or slavery. Librarians often don't come from the same cultural or economic backgrounds as the groups that they serve. They, like the boys in the story, may make incorrect assumptions about how people will act and why. Just as it is not too late for the old man, even though he is dead, or too late for the boys, even though they have never "gone out on the land", it is not too late for us, even though we are adults working from our own cultural viewpoints, to reassess what we believe and shape our service accordingly. I would argue that one of the goals of the American Indian Library Association, an affiliate of the American Library Association, to "educates legislators, public officials, and the general public about the library/information needs of Indians communities" should be a goal of more librarians in the broader professional community. An awareness of high quality native-authored works by all American librarians is an important step towards that goal.

References:
American Indian Library Association, . "FAQ." American Indian Library Association. 30 01 2010. AILA, Web. 31 Jan 2010. ( )