Ten Little Rabbits

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Summary: Praise for "Ten Little Rabbits"
Review: A clever variation on the 10 little Indians theme, this book adds instead of subtracts, and no one gets killed. Beginning with one lonely traveler, the book progresses to 10 sleepy weavers "knowing day is done." Each picture shows rabbits attired in Native American constumes and engaged in activites - fishing, hunting, weaving, storytelling - common to Indians. The illustrations are gorgeous. Though light in touch, they carry an admirable visual weight.

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Summary: A beautiful Counting book
Review: Having Native American children I am always looking for books for them. I purchased this for my 18 month old (hard cover version). He loves to look at it. He will pull it out at least once a day to look at it. I've even noticed his 8 year old brother sneaking a peek more than once. I love the vibrant, without being bright, illustrations. They are intracate yet simple. The rabbits are adorable. The book starts with one rabbit and continues through to 10. The rabbits are in Native American regalia and doing traditional Native activites

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Summary: Great book for indian study and patterns.
Review: I have read this book to my first grade class during a unit on indians as well as used the patterns in the blankets during a pattern unit in math. The children want to read it again and again!! A great read and a great resource for teachers. My students enjoy making sack puppets and designing their own blanket and then acting out the book.

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Summary: Reinforces Negative Steryotypes of Native Americans
Review: This book reinforces many stereotypes about Native Americans, including ideas like "they all wear feathers and live in tepees." Books and songs like this, which count Indians as if they were objects, are considered derogatory and offensive to most Native Americans. If you don't understand this, try saying the words to the rhyme "one little, two little, three little Indians" and substitute "whitie," "Jew," or any other racial or ethnic group in place of "Indian." Would a book like this ever sell or even be tolerated? Help to teach your children or students to view Native Americans as a diverse group of people with many highly developed cultures!

Positive books about Native Americans...
-Do not count them or treat them as objects.
-Do not use words like "victory," "conquest," or "massacre" to distort historical events.
-Do not use insulting terms such as "brave," "squaw," "papoose," "Indian givers," or "wild Indians."
-Do not teach "Indians" only at Thanksgiving, but as a regular part of American history.
-Show Native peoples as separate from each other, with unique cultures, languages, spiritual beliefs, and dress.
-Depict modern day Native Americans as well as those from history. (Yes, they are still here, and no they do not live in tepees.)
-In general, be careful of books about Native Americans that are not written by a Native author and/or do not specify which tribe or nation the story depicts.

Some good books to start with are: those by Joseph Bruchac such as "How Chipmunk Got His Stripes," and "Eagle Song," "Byron Through the Seasons" by La Roche Children, "Mama's Little One" by Kristina Heath, "Jingle Dancer" by Cynthia Leitich Smith Swamp, "Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message" by Jake Swamp, and "A Rainbow at Night: The World in Words and Pictures" by Bruce Hucko and Navajo Children.

If you are looking for a counting book, why not try "Ten Little Bunnies" by Robin Spowart, Eileen Christelow's series of Five Little Monkey books, "123 A Family Counting Book" by Bobbie Combs, or "Counting Kisses" by Karen Katz?

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Summary: Ten Little Rabbits
Review: This was OUR bedtime book for both of my boys when they were very little. We knew it by heart and could chant the text at times of stress to calm them down. WE/I love this book. Just read it again to my 8 year old and am going to buy it for my 2 month old nephew!