Description
A Coyote Columbus Story is a Thomas King story that satirizes the journey of Columbus from the Old World to North America. Through illustrations by Kent Monkman and King's witty dialogue, readers of all ages will be treated to a First Nation's perspective of the so-called discovery of North America. Shattering all stereotypes with humour, the story features a female Creator in the form of Coyote, the trickster. The picture book sets the generally accepted American history saga of discovery on its head with brilliantly rendered images of contact as Columbus and his crew arrives and refuses to play baseball with Coyote. Instead Coyote returns the balance to the world when Columbus and his men are rude and exhibit no manners. Coyote sends them back and in their place Jacques Cartier and his men appear. Lots of silliness occurs in the book with liberal amounts of anachronistic symbols of the modern world along with an Elvis impersonator, clowns, and chocolate cake. King challenges readers to examine the documentation of history and historical perspective at the same time creating a fun-filled account of contact between First Nations and European explorers. Makes a great read-aloud picture book. ATOS Reading Level: 3.3; Reading Level: 4.3; Guided Reading Level: S.