The Great Canoe: A Karina Legend Book

• This story fuses the legend of Noah's Ark with historical Karina folklore. Karina people are descendants of an indigenous nation in Venezuela prior to being occupied by Spain. There are documented versions of this story in Karina records, a culture that is absent from many American textbooks. The paintings use high color contrast to focus the reader's attention on certain images. To gain a better understanding of how to portray the Karians accurately, both Maggi and the illustrator traveled to Venezuela and spent time living in Karinan communities completely isolated form the rest of the world.

• This book is an ideal introduction to a social studies unit for 2-3 graders about indigenous nations. Elements of Karinan culture are evident in the story such as punishment and religion. Although these topics may be complex for younger students, understanding how cultures and groups of people disappear when they are conquered is crucial in history.