Raccoon's Last Race

Bruchac, Joseph and James Bruchac. 2004. Raccoon's Last Race. Ill. by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803729774

Summary
This traditional Abenaki story, retold by Joseph and James Bruchac, explains why a raccoon looks the way he does. The story begins, "Long ago, Raccoon did not look the way he does now (Bruchac and Bruchac, 2004)." Azban the Raccoon had long legs and was a very fast runner but he was also not very nice. He challenged the other animals to races and gloated when he won. Azban also played tricks on all of the other animals. But no one could catch him because he was so fast. One day Azban challenges a rock to a race. When the rock flattens Azban, who will help him get back to his original shape?

Analysis
This story is a trickster tale. In the author's note it says, "Azban is a kind of character called a Trickster, a human or animal who deliberately tries to deceive or cause trouble for others, but often ends up as the victim of his own actions (Bruchac and Bruchac, 2004)." Tricksters appear frequently in folktales worldwide and there are many Native American folktales that feature them (http://members.cox.net/academia/coyote.html). Even though tricksters are common, this story is not a flat, stereotypical retelling but rather a rich experience. The story is simple and relatively short and that helps this story to be great orally. Since this format is in a book, the illustrations must fill in for the missing voice and actions that go with oral tales.

The illustrations of the animals are well done. The animals are drawn relatively realistically with natural colors. They are not a stylized version of animals and there is no attempt to make them seem Native American. The animals do have expressive faces though. The anxiety on their faces is clear when they are racing with Azban as is their annoyance when Azban taunts them.

Trickster tales are also cautionary tales. Mr. Bruchac says that the story of Azban the Raccoon is used to discipline children. It is a behavior lesson for children because understanding that all of Raccoon's bragging and bad behavior led to his problems, it is an example of how not to act. It is a nice way of teaching a lesson without having a "wise Native American" stereotype thrown in.

Although when Azban addresses the rock, he calls him "Grandfather." Calling the rock Grandfather is meant to be a term of respect, but it comes dangerously close to sounding stereotypical. According to the Dictionary of the American West, Grandfather means different things to different tribes. In some tribes it is a term for a deity and in others it is simply a term of respect for an older man. But it does sound like a term that would be in a Native American story, authentic or not.

A common Native American theme is a connection with nature. This book has that connection. It shows that animals are not looked down upon, but are intelligent and respected. When no animals will help Azban get stretched back into his original size, he asks an ant for help. Even though the ants agree to help Azban in order to gain more respect from the other animals, the ants are good guys in the story. "And so before long, all of the ants, thousands of them, gathered around the raccoon and began to do something they do very well: work together (Bruchac and Bruchac, 2004)." If Azban had been patient and grateful the ants probably would have restored him to original size, but he brushes the ants off, calls the horrible and leaves. So Azban has learned a lesson. He is short and wide because he was prideful and he did not return to his original shape when he spurned the only animals who tried to help him. A good lesson for everyone to learn.

Review Excerpts
School Library Journal says, "The text reads aloud smoothly and keeps the action moving quickly. Done in pen-and-ink, gouache, and pastel, the illustrations accentuate the humor of the tale."

Hornbook Magazine says, "The Bruchacs’ well-paced retelling is alive with sound (zip-zip; ka-bunk, kabunk), making the story well suited to reading aloud. Aruego and Dewey’s distinctive illustrations humorously convey the animals’ irritation and Azban’s arrogance; even Big Rock manages to be expressive. The authors’ notes discuss sources and Azban’s place in Abenaki folklore as well as the tale’s clear lesson about the consequences of one’s actions."

Connections
This book can be used as a moral tale to teach children to be mindful of their actions.
This book can be part of a study of Trickster tales.
Children could perform this story either for their class or as part of a story telling contest.

Works Cited
Blevins, Win. 2008. Dictionary of the American West. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University Press.

Bruchac, Joseph and James Bruchac. 2004. Raccoon's Last Race. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Flynn, Kitty. 2005. "Raccoon's Last Race: A Traditional Abenaki Story." Horn Book Magazine 81, no. 1: 102-103. Academic Search Complete database accessed July 19, 2009.

Nichols, K.L. 2009. Native American Trickster Tales. http://members.cox.net/academia/coyote.html. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Threadgill, Catherine, and Daryl Grabarek. 2004. "Raccoon's Last Race: A Traditional Abenaki Story." School Library Journal 50, no. 12: 127-127. Academic Search Complete database accessed July 19, 2009.