Her Seven Brothers

Paul Goble

Seven brothers and their sister are playing. Suddenly the buffalo stampede. There is nowhere for them to go, they will surely be killed. A brother pulls an arrow and shoots it ahead of where the children are running. As the arrow lands, a tree grows from the spot. As he shoots another arrow, the tree grows larger. The children race to the tree and climb. The tree continues to grow and the children are carried to the Star Prairie. The boys become the seven stars of the Big Dipper. The smallest of the stars is shared by the sister. ’’Her Seven Brothers’’ is a children’s book that teaches culture, the value of nature and preserves the legend of the Native American’s view of how the Big Dipper was formed. This book integrates the values of the Native American people. It focuses on work ethics, family values, and extended family, as well as use of nature in creation. The book encompasses the animals which play a strong role in the beliefs of the native peoples: the geese bring springtime, the buffalo calf is born, and the dogs are thanked. Animals are considered equal and of high value.