December 17, 2012

Funny Indian names in Soonchild

Tiger Lily isn't the only children's book that uses funny Indian names. Debbie Reese notes another in her American Indians in Children's Literature blog:

Russell Hoban's SOONCHILDUmmm... Russell Hoban, author of some terrific picture books, wrote this on page 6 of Soonchild:John came from a long line of shamans. His mother was Stay With It and his father was Go Anywhere. His mother's mother was Never Give Up and her father was Try Anything. His father's mother was Do It Now and his father's father was Whatever Works. His mother's grandmother was Where Is It? and his father's grandmother was Don't Miss Anything. His mother's grandmother was Everything Matters and his father's grandfather was Go All The Way.John's full name, by the way, is Sixteen-Face John. His wife's name is No Problem.

Want some more excerpts from this novel based on Inuit stories? Did you say 'hell no'?! That's what I'm saying.
Comment:  For more on "funny" Indian names, see "Stanksgiving" in Happy Endings and "Feather Tell-A-Tale."

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