Description
Yax is too young to accompany his father on a trading expedition and must stay at home with his mother and his younger sister. Disappointed, he goes off to practise his spear-throwing. When he loses his spear, he thinks he is old enough to go into the forest to look for it, even though he has been warned about the dangers that await children who wander into the woods alone . . .
In this, her second book inspired by First Nations’ stories, author and illustrator Caroll Simpson tells how the first mosquito came to be. Her dramatic tale of a young boy’s narrow escape from the dangers of the forest illustrates a mother’s wisdom in her response to her son’s accidental bid for independence. Caroll introduces readers to a world of Lightning Snakes, Woodworm, Creek Woman, Mouse Woman, Two-Headed Serpents, the Wild Man of the Forest and a Bloodsucking Monster.
Written for children aged 6 to 11, Caroll’s charming story is illustrated with her distinctive colour paintings, intended to celebrate the culture of the First Nations. A glossary of legendary mythical creatures, describing their traits and identifying physical details, provides an informative backdrop for Caroll’s tale.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 5 to 8
- Grade:
- 2 to 5
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Annotations
Librarian review
The First Mosquito
Yax loses his spear among the trees one day. Ignoring his mother’s warnings about the dangers of the woods, he wanders into the forest. Soon he finds himself in peril. Fortunately, the members of the village are able to enlist the help of friendly spirit creatures—Creek Woman, Thunderbird, and the Lightning Snakes, who set a trap for the boy’s pursuers and help transform a fierce monster into the insect now known as the mosquito.
Elements of traditional storytelling, including a glossary of terms and images brings the reader knowledge of the First Nations people in this collection of books. This collection of books is useful in literacy planning, specifically, storytelling skills.
The themes found in this story are: perseverance, bravery, and how mosquitoes came to be.
Source: Association of Canadian Publishers. Top Grade Selection 2016.
