"Kindle Me A Riddle"

"Kindle Me A Riddle: A Pioneer Story"

Story by Roberta Karim

Pictures by Bethanne Anderson

Greenwillow Books, 1999

Picture Book, Historical Fiction, Poetry K-2

"Kindle Me a Riddle" is set in the 1850's with the pictures set in the landscape of eastern Utah. The book is told through the young eyes of Constance. She is a girl who seems to think rather deeply into subjects and she asks many questions! Her question follows this pattern each time: "What is our chalk before it was chalk?" The book goes throughout Constance's day which she shares with her Mother, Father, and brother Jack. Constance also goes to school, does chores, listens to Papa read a book, and falls asleep with her doll in the loft of her family's cabin. One can learn much about pioneer life by reading this book.

I thought this book was enjoyable and that students would be entertained by it. I believe that they would even laugh a few times reading this book! I like how the book is written through a child's point-of-view becuase it seems to think the way that a child may think! For example, Constance says that after school "we leapfrogged home" and she asks "what is my doll before it's my doll?" Her mother answers, "Corn husks dancing in the moonlight." I think that this is significant because students may not have ever thought about what children played with during the 1800's. I know that they can not imagine playing with a doll made from corn husks!

This book can be used in the classroom to learn about pioneer life and for students' to learn new interesting facts! For example, when Constance asks her teacher where chalk comes from, her teacher replies, "Chalk comes from seashells pressed tightly together." I did not know that! The teacher can use the book to teach concepts about pioneer life which include the importance of a fire in the cabin, the wagon roads which used to be buffalo trails, the abundance of apple orchards found in the west, using chalk and slates in school instead of paper, what a springhouse is, how life would be using a fire and candles for light, how baskets were made, playing for corn-husk dolls, and that pillows were made from from feathers from ducks, chicken, or geese. All of this information can be made into a very interesting and fun lesson plan!

The illustrations of this picture book are beautiful! They are oil paints on a gesso background. The paintings are all very colorful which matches the tone of the book greatly. The landscapes look so real-there are rolling hills, pine trees, colorful skies, birds, blooming trees, stars, and moons. The people all look happy and gentle, and have different expressions depending on the text. The paintings of the house portray a great picture of what the houses may have looked like-plain and simple. The artist also draws the fireplace in all the house pictures because the pioneer life depended greatly on the fireplace. It was used to cook food, give light, and keep them warm. I like how the artist uses many colors and is sure to make each page different and pleasing to the eye.

This is a book that the teacher would enjoy reading to her students. The students would learn about pioneer life as well as interesting facts. The students would also like taking in the details of the paintings.