The Path of the Quiet Elk: A Native American Alphabet Book

by Virginia A. Stroud

An alphabet book drawn from Native American teachings profiles twenty-six ways that children can link human life to the natural world, beginning with the letter A, which stands for the Animal Helper's guidance

Genres: Picture Books, Native American

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Virginia Alice Stroud was an American Cherokee-Muscogee Creek painter from Oklahoma. She was an enrolled citizen of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians.

Reviews

[LeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations as Looks Within (love the name!) takes a walk with the gray-haired Wisdom Keeper. They encounter bits of nature (in alphabetical order) that Wisdom Keeper uses to teach Native American philosophy and faith. Along the way, we non-Natives learn about Native culture and worldview. The intended audience is older than those just learning their ABCs, but an alphabet book works well as an organizing tool for the ideas.

H is for Hummingbird, a reminder, Wisdom Keepers says, “to notice the sweetness of life and to spread it around to others.” D is for Dragonfly whose “wings shine in the sun’s light. She is here to remind us of the light that comes from the great Creator.” But Wisdom Keeper’s understanding of the great Creator is not the same as Christianity. An eagle feather will not carry our prayers to God. The God of the Bible does not require us to enter a medicine wheel from the south, walk around three times and then sit before he will give us direction for our lives, although, like a labyrinth, that could well be a way to calm your spirit and focus on seeking God.

This is a beautiful and authentic Native American book, but be prepared to discuss differences with your child, and perhaps pray for Natives in your community.

[Allie]

This came up on a no circ list a few years ago, but I definitely kept it because it's absolutely lovely. I looked up Virginia Stroud on American Indians in Children's Literature and read Debbie Reese's

[Granny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely little book of the alphabet given in terms of Native American spirituality. The framing story is a woman named Wisdom Keeper who guides the girl named Looks Within through the forest learning lessons from the guidance of the Elk through each letter of the alphabet. A charming little book.

[Julian Franklin]

Virginia A. Stroud says, "I paint for my people. Art is a way for our culture to survive," showing how much her culture influences her stories. Stroud is a Cherokee-Creek descendant who uses her culture in every page of her story. Replacing our traditional "A is for apple" with her own cultures words and shows how her culture feels about the world and the living creatures here. She personally learned The Path of the Quiet Elk with a medicine woman who taught her the connection we all have to the earth.
Stroud does not tell us very much about the characters, however through the journey you learn the Wisdom Keeper cares for her home and the creation that make it.
This book is a great way to teach children the alphabet side-by-side with learning about the Native American culture. Learning about culture through this book gives insight on how children should care for the world because we are all one and we only get out of the Earth what we put into it. It is also a great way to show learning. By listening to Wisdom Keeper and traveling on this journey with her, Looks Within discovers many things about her culture and how she should live. Learning was an important part to Looks Within journey.

[Paul Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each letter is an opportunity for Wisdom Keeper to share a lesson from nature with young Looks Within.

Don't miss what Stroud does with letter X, which always proves problematic for alphabet books as there are few xylophones to be found in the woods. For what Stroud does with X, we put The Path of the Quiet Elk on a ladder with units introducing The Hero's Journey.

The Path of the Quiet Elk would work well at the beginning of a course dealing with early literature of the new world and the oral tradition.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This non- fictional book shows a different way to think about the alphabet and connecting the letters with nature. very colorful book and intriguing for the children. This books helps create imagination and creativity. Each letter is illustrated with nature and creates some type of peace and tranquility. Very good for children

[Audrey Harlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be used in Kindergarten or the early parts of first grade. This is an alphabet book. This alphabet book focuses on concepts important to Native Americans. This book combines Social Studies and Language Arts. I really enjoyed it!

[Laura]

This book tells of the journey that Looks Within and Wisdom Keeper take along the Path of the Quiet Elk. Each letter of the alphabet represents a way in which we are connected to all things. It is a terrific introduction to Native American beliefs.