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PIERRE, S.D.—Tatanka and the Lakota People has received a prestigious Aesop Accolade from the American Folklore Society. This is the sixth book award for the South Dakota State Historical Society in 2007, and the third award for Tatanka and the Lakota People and its illustrator,Donald F. Montileaux.
The Aesop Prizes are awarded each year by the Children’s Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society to books for children and young adults, both fiction and nonfiction, that enhance the reader’s understanding of folklore and reflect the culture and worldview of the people whose folklore is the focus of the book.
Just four books have been recognized for the Aesop Prizes by the committee this year. Two books were given Aesop Awards, and two books (including Tatanka) have received Aesop Accolades. Tatanka is a “beautifully illustrated and well-documented picture book that will bring joy to many children and help them understand more about the Lakota people,” stated the Aesop Prize Committee.
Tatanka is part of the Lakota creation legend. Based on centuries of storytelling, it tells how the buffalo came to live with the Lakotas so that they would have life-sustaining food, shelter, and clothing. Tatanka is presented in both English and Lakota. It describes the Lakota’s creation, the trickery that caused them to move from the Underworld, and their ultimate survival in this world.
Tatanka and the Lakota People is $16.95 plus shipping and tax. It can be purchased from most bookstores, or ordered directly from the South Dakota State Historical Society Press. Visit www.sdshspress.com or call (605) 773-6009 for more details.
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The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Tourism and State Development and strives to help the state meet the goals of the 2010 Initiative by enhancing history as a tool for economic development and cultural tourism. The society is headquartered at the South DakotaCulturalHeritageCenter in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call (605) 773-3458 or visit www.sdhistory.org for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call (605) 394-1936 for more information.