Reading Diary A: Tejas Stories

For this week's unit, I chose Tejas Stories. Texas has a rich history, and I knew that the mythology associated with it would help me appreciate the history of the state even more. I also liked that different stories came from other regions but became part of the mythology associated with the state and particularly the Caddo Indians.

I really enjoyed reading Why the Woodpecker Pecks. I've always been a little puzzled as to why the woodpecker has to constantly be pecking away at something, so reading this was an entertaining answer to my question. The story itself is quite sad. Something bad always happens when you don't listen to the medicine men. Those poor woodpeckers seem like they will never find their hidden children! What if one day all of the woodpeckers just stopped wood pecking? That would be creepy. That could mean that they finally found their children.

(Woodpeckers)

Another story I really liked was The Cloud That Was Lost. I really loved how the setting was described in this tale. The description of the rich nature was lovely to read. The way the lost cloud was described as a puppy at one point was just adorable! I was sad that it was lost, but thought it was a very creative way to show how the white flowers got their colors. I wish there would have been a way for both the cloud and the flowers to get what they wanted, but at least now the flowers look much prettier and brighter.