"One Small Blue Bead" combines text by Byrd Baylor with illustrations by Ronald Himler. The story, which is told in rhyming verse, is about an apparently prehistoric stone age culture. The heroes of the story are an old man and a boy who are part of a stone age tribe.

The old man announces his intention to go on a journey to discover if other humans exist. The boy, who is simply called "Boy," volunteers to do the old man's share of work while the old man is on his quest.

"One Small Blue Bead" is a very moving story with striking illustrations. Himler makes effective use of warm earth tones. The book also contains an inspiring message about the interconnectedness of humanity across vast distances of both time and space. Truly a special book.

I am not even sure how this book came into my hands, but it has been influential in my life. I continue to get goose bumps, or sometimes cry when I read it. It exemplifies the brotherhood of man, the bridging of generational, as well as racial gaps. I had the good fortune to encounter another book by Baylor during my credential program, "I'm in Charge of Celebrations." I realized that there were other books and that this book was still available. It is a great gift, as well as great for use in kindergarten or first grade clasrooms. It can be used as an intro into friendship, acceptance of responsibility, risk-taking for the good of community, and much mmore.Enjoy!

This book is used by me in my fifth grade class for discussion, predicting and appreciating challenging thoughts outside their comfort zone.

My 7-year-old son has loved this book since it was first read to him at age 3. It is beautifully written -- a real pleasure to read aloud! -- and its message is wonderful: one can live with, respect and love Nature's creatures without having to own them! Garth Williams' illustrations are terrific, too, of course. Like the other reviewer, reading this book can cause me to cry, especially as I near its lovely ending. Get this book and take the time to read it to an attentive child. And check out Baylor's other titles; she's got the right idea.

I read this book to both of my children and remember barely being able to keep from crying. It is truly a wonderful, heart warming story of a poor Mexican boy whose only pet was a praire dog. It is written in simple and poetic verse. If this book doesn't make your children think about the beautifully simple pleasures of life then nothing will.

HELLO, I AM 24 AND I WILL START TEACHING ON JANUARY. I WILL USE THIS BOOK WHEN TALKING ABOUT ANIMALS AND NATURE. IT IS A USEFUL BOOK FOR GRADES 4TH AND UP BECAUSE OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND THE MESSAGE IN POETIC FORM. A MUST READ BOOK! I RECOMEND IT HIGHLY. I AM USING IT NOW FOR MY CHILDREN'S LITERATURE CLASS.

This children's book describes the animal- and plant-life found in the desert in the southwest U.S., including the Papago Indians. Children learn more about what it is like to live in such an environment. The book was illustrated by Peter Parnall and was a 1976 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children.

When Clay Sings, tells the story of Indian pottery lying in the sands of the desert of the American Southwest. This pottery cries out with stories from the lives, customs, and thoughts of the people. The legacy of their lives are wrapped up in the art. The beautiful Indian artwork on each page matches the lyrical, imagery effect of the text. A great book for introducing children to Indian heritage or pottery in general.

This is a book I would give to my grownup friends who are potters, or graphic artisits, or parents of budding artists.... I was drawn in by the title and the cover art, and enchanted by what I found...truly a treasure! It is about the centuries-old tradition of pottery and the stillness necessary to hear the small voice in the clay as it sings to the potter. A wonderful book to give as a gift during these holidays so filled with noise and technology and BUY ME! Enjoy.

This is a wonderful collection of stories told by Native American children from their perspective. The author, well compiler is a more accurate title, does a very good job of keeping these stories realistic and believable.

This a very nice source to begin to get an understanding of the traditional culture of the South West Native Americans.

Though this book was based on the RPG computer game by KOEI, it provides for excellent reading to anyone interested in celtic mythology. It has a beautifully narrated story line that will emerse the reader in times of old and yore. For those who have played the PC game, this book will help feed your imagination as you visualize the action and entice you to another round of simulated battle! Wonderful writing!

What a sweet book! And not syruppy either. In this book, children talk about their father's hometwon-- the best town in the world, where food tastes better and everything is better. The children obviously believe their father had a wonderful time growing up, but also question some of his "bests"--for example, they refuse to believe ice cold creeks are the best to swim in. Even though I'm from a very different sort of place, this book reminded me of my own childhood and how many of the "bests" we experienced growing up can never be bettered--and never be fully understood by others who had their own "bests." What a great book!

As a preschool teacher, I was unsure how my students would take listening to the poetry of Byrd Baylor, but as soon as I began reading 20 preschool children sat still as they heard Desert Voices. The children could relate to what was being said, because they too live in the desert. The book sparked conversation about desert plants, animals, and rocks. The poetry brought the desert to life in their minds. I recomend the book to all children, as a way to introduce poetry, learn about the desert, and enjoy the desert.

_Fine Frenzy_ was assigned in my (high school) freshman honors English class -- I am now 30, and it's still my favorite anthology.

Unlike most other poetry anthologies, it is organized thematically -- rather than, say, chronologically. W.H. Auden brushes shoulders with Aphra Behn; Theodore Roethke bumps elbows with Christina Rossetti. The book is broken into the following thematic sections:

Exuberance
Childhood, Youth, Maturity, Old Age
Social Conscience
Alienation
Love
Illusion/Reality
Faith
Order
Marriage
War
Mutability and Death
Insight

Within each section, the poems are alphabetical by author, which makes for some lovely juxtapositions of epoch and style.

The canon is well represented, but so is the obscure, the fresh, poets you won't find in most other anthologies.

It makes a wonderful introduction to poetry, and a wonderful field to wander for those whose introduction to poetry is long past.

I use this book in the beginning of each school year with my fifth grade students. It always leads to great discussions about what is important to them and leads into interesting writer's notebook entries. The book is a great tool for inferencing, noticing details, and celebrating the little events in our lives that make us who we are. A good book to use when teaching about differences that make each of us unique and how we all have our own set of priorities.

I stumbled upon this book recently and, as an avid reader of children's literature, believe it is one of the most amazing books I have seen -- for readers of all ages. It is lyrical, humorous and quiet. The illustrations are spare--and that's all that's needed. Life in the desert is depicted beautifully. I felt like the book was speaking me, calling me to a more mindful way of life. I plan to buy it as gifts for all my friends this year, no matter their age.

This is a wonderfully written book about a Native American woman who goes out into the desert and observes the wonders and beauty of nature around her. She records what she finds fascinating and creates her OWN holidays or celebrations. One day she may observe a green cloud and call it Green Cloud Day. On another day, she may observe a shooting star and call it Star Day. She gets outside of herself and observes wonderous things that may only be seen once in a lifetime!