Reviews for Knots on a counting rope
School Library Journal
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K-Gr 4 Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses begs his grandfather to tell him again the story of the night he was born. In a question-and-answer litany, the boy and his grandfather share the telling of the events on that special nightthe wild storm; the frantic ride for the grandmother/midwife; the birth of the frail, sickly boy; and the blessings of the blue horses. Through a staccato dialogue, readers learn how the boy, who was born blind, teaches his horse to run the trails. They enter a race, and although the boy does not win, his grandfather tells him that he has ``raced darkness and won.'' The boy and his grandfather each have such a distinctive voice and cadence that there is no need of imposing qualifiers such as ``he said.'' The story unfolds naturally, exhibiting the love between the boy and his grandfather. The illustrations, executed in strong watercolors, capture the beauty and strength of the southwest. Through form and color, Rand creates enduring mountains, fluffy clouds floating in a brilliant blue sky, and the gritty textures of the earth. The people exhibit character, individuality, and pride. And the loving bond eloquently expressed in the text is also reflected in the profiles of the two seated figures surrounded by the glow of the campfire. Parents and grandparents should share this book, and then their own stories, with children. Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Still gaining strength and dimension, this talented trio offers a fifth book: as an old Indian retells the story of his grandson's birth and early years, their loving relationship is revealed. ""Tell me who I am,"" says the boy, and the grandfather recounts the suspense and joy of the night he was born, sickly but well-beloved. Midway, we realize that the boy is blind--he must always live in the dark; but there are many ways to see, and since he has the strength of blue horses (which gave him his name), he is learning quickly and well. Blue represents happiness, says the grandfather; the boy rides well, and has even completed a race, though he didn't win. Grandfather ties another knot in his rope to represent this retelling; though he cannot promise to be there always, the boy will soon know the story by heart; remembering it will support him with the strength of his grandfather's love. Rand's broad page-and-a-half spread paintings sensitively evoke the warmth of this southwestern family, the mysterious shadows of the star-studded night, and the brilliance of the desert day, when the turquoise sky repeats the color of the decorative, symbolic stones worn by the characters. Both the illustrations and the poetic text are full of affection and dignity; the several valuable themes are well integrated. An excellent contribution. Copyright ŠKirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Ages 4-10. A boy's emerging strength and confidence in dealing with his blindness, guided by his grandfather's love and support, unfold through atmospheric deep-toned illustrations. (N 15 87)
Publishers Weekly
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A Native American grandfather tells a blind boy the inspirational story of the child's birth. "A rich tale of intergenerational love and respect... that reverberates long after the book is closed," PW wrote. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Gathered near a campfire under a canopy of stars, a Navaho Indian boy hears the tale of his birth from his grandfather. Born on a windy night, the child was weak and frail. In the early morning, Grandfather brought him out to meet the morning. Two blue horses galloped by, stopped and looked at him; the baby raised his arms to them. Grandfather said, ``This boy child will not die. The great blue horses have given him the strength to live.'' Named Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses, the child later needs that well of strength to deal with the fact that he is blind. Rand's atmospheric, vivid paintings evoke the tale's sensibility as they move it along. The beauty and vastness of the Western sky and the intimacy of two loving figures by a campfire are portrayed with equal fluidity. A rich tale of intergenerational love and respect, this is bittersweet and unsentimental. It is a moving collaborative effort that reverberates long after the book is closed. Ages 5-8. (October) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Ages 4-10. Bathed in the golden glow of a camp fire a boy and his grandfather are seen in silhouette, with purple-tinged craggy bluffs as a backdrop. It is a formidable setting, conducive to reflection. ``Tell me the story again, Grandfather. Tell me who I am.'' And so once again, Grandfather tells the boy of the dark night ``when a wild storm came out of the mountains . . . crying, `Boy-eeeeeeeee! Boy-eeeeeeeee!' . . . and your mother said, `I hear it in the wounded wind. A boy child will be born tonight.'' Grandfather tells the boy that he was born sick and frail, ``with a dark curtain in front of your eyes,'' and was named Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses. As the boy grows stronger, he learns to cross the dark mountains of fear, to see through his blindness as he rides like the wind, and to finish a race hot and dusty, dripping sweat and smiling. Each time the story of his birth is told Grandfather ties another knot in the counting rope, a metaphor of the passage of time. He tells the boy, ``when the rope is filled with knots you will know the story by heart,'' symbolic of the boy's emerging strength and confidence in dealing with being blind. The powerful spare poetic text is done full justice by Rand's fine full-color illustrations, which capture both the drama and brilliance of vast southwestern space and the intimacy of starlit camp-fire scenes. While classified as an Indian story the love, hope, and courage expressed are universal, meriting a wide audience. PW. Indians of North America Fiction / Grandfathers Fiction [OCLC] 87-14858
