The Legend of the Bluebonnet

DePaola, T. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet: An old tale of Texas. New York: Putnam.

A great drought and famine has taken over the land of a young girl named She-Who-Is Alone. The terrible drought has taken her parents and grandparents and all she has left is her most prized possession, her warrior doll, given to her by them. The people dance and cry to the Great Spirits to end the disaster until a runner comes and says the Great Spirits want something in return because the people have become selfish taking and taking from the earth. A great sacrifice must be done, whose ashes must be spread to the four points of the earth. While everyone questions and hesitates to offer up a sacrifice, the young girl decides to offer up her warrior doll and spreads the ashes to all four points. It is then that the land comes back to life as blue flowers grow throughout the land of Texas, known as the bluebonnet. Her name then changes to the One Who Dearly Loved Her People.The famine is now over. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys Texas based historical fiction.