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Kokopelli & the Butterfly
by Michael Sterns
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Grasshopper Dream Productions (2001-01)
ISBN: 0615123376
EAN: 9780615123370
Dewy Decimal #: 813
Hardcover: 64 pages
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
SKU: BX004-080518007
Condition: Collectible: Very Go
Comments: Artistically signed by author. Clean, nice hardcover but missing dustjacket. Very minor wear to cover. Pgs crisp, clean, tight, unmarked. No remainder mark.
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Editorial Reviews
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Book Description
"Kokopelli & the Butterfly" is a book created specifically for parents and children of all ages to share together. Parents find the story to be very fulfilling, keeping them "in the moment" with their children. Children enjoy its magical, life-like illustrations and messages of love throughout. It is a love story that takes place in tribal times, centered around the main character Kokopelli. Through his intriguing adventures, the reader is delighted by the book's poignant messages of environmentalism, appreciation of nature's beauty, kindness to animals, tolerance of diversity, and peaceful conflict resolution. When Kokopelli is faced with the plight of an amazingly beautiful, caged butterfly, he must make the most important decision of his life!
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Customer Reviews
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Good intentions, but....
Rating  (1)
Date: 2008-04-22
2 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
The author came to the nice children's bookstore that I worked at with this self-published book of his. He seems to honestly want to help create positive change in the world. He certainly is working hard at trying.
But we wished that someone had sat him down for an honest talk and/or that a competent editor had suggested the very extensive re-writes needed for this to be a good book (the owner of the store is a retired children's book editor, so this is not just a random opinion).
As it is, this book is very poorly written. Kokopelli is a cross between Snow White and Jesus Christ. He teaches the Native Americans, who are living in teepees and have no industry, how to not pollute. We all laughed really hard at that one. He teaches them how to live in peace...except for with their one other neighbor tribe who like war. All the animals love him and follow him around. Guess he is a vegetarian? No mention of him teaching the natives that. Cliches abound.
Anyway, he goes to visit the bad guys and they have a captive butterfly. He frees the butterfly and it turns into a hot chick and they go off together. Nice work, bra.
Really making a more peaceful world starts with understanding that most often there are not good groups and bad groups in a conflict. Perpetuating the good/bad duality is unproductive.
The author has good intentions, but he needs real help here. He is not much of a writer. His plot is pathetic. He has no insight into what would make people more peaceful or more environmentally conscious. He does have a real commitment to helping, but he needs someone else to help him first.
It is great to encourage people to follow their dreams, but we need to also be honest with them about what they need to do to realize them. If no publisher will print your book, take that as a sign that you need expert help to make your book better. Self-publishing is not a solution.
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Importance of love of mankind and Mother Earth
Rating  (5)
Date: 2004-04-06
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
Recently, I had the good fortune to attend a book reading of a children's book entitled KOKOPELLI & THE BUTTERFLY.
(...)
In this case, the story -teller was the author himself, Michael Sterns, whose animated reading of his book mesmerized adults and children alike.(...)
First Nation's legendary character, KOKOPELLI, carries the torch of love, friendship and compassion from town to town until he is invited to view the prized possession of a Grand Chief: a rainbow colored butterfly in a prison with bars of bone. With his magical powers, KOKOPELLI liberates the dying butterfly causing an amazing transformation.
The exquisite illustrations executed in line drawings by Joseph V. Cioffi and special effects by Gayle Deal magically capture the love of Mother Earth by America's First People. As a footnote, it should be noted that the paintings are somewhat similar to the Pocahontas drawings, as the artists had worked at one time for Disney Studios.
The sides of the pictures are alternated so that if there is more than one child involved they may share equally in the reading experience, as Michael Sterns demonstrated so well during his lively performance.
Michael Sterns enchants his readership with his idealistic dreams of love, hope and compassion for all of mankind. The concepts of peace, conflict management, respect for Mother Earth and interpersonal relations are developed briefly in the upbeat narrative. Just enough to get children's imaginations fired up.
I had reservations about the wisdom of condensing so many subjects together in all their complexities in 62 illustrated pages of a fairy tale. However, KOKOPELLI & THE BUTTERFLY, a clearly written primer for young readers, went a long way towards assuaging my doubts. Michael Sterns's text is lively, direct and succeeds in explaining the basic dreams of love of mankind and the preservation of Mother Earth.
The book is not only a good bedtime read, but also teachers will have at their disposal a useful tool in order to initiate discussions about pollution love and respect for Mother Earth.
No doubt, KOKOPELLI & THE BUTTERFLY will act as an impetus in fueling the fire of imagination in creative writing and art for young and old alike; a pleasant change from the clicking fingers of video games, Internet and Television.
Conversing with author Michael Sterns after his performance, I was excited to learn that he is preparing another KOKOPELLI adventure. Stay tuned!
(...)Lily Azerad-Goldman reviewer for Bookpleasures.
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Richly Illustrated Book & Incredible Story
Rating (5)
Date: 2003-08-22
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
I am a 16-year-old Kokopelli fanatic, and while this book tells a story different from the hunchbacked fluteplayer's that we're used to, it is still amazing. Full of beautiful lessons about love, respect, nature, harmony, kindness, etc., it tells the tale of Kokopelli and how he finds the woman he loves.
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Don't Miss This Book
Rating (5)
Date: 2001-11-08
3 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
My daughter and I love to read, and now we have a new favorite book! Kokopelli and the Butterfly is a beautiful story for both children and adults. The pictures are amazing and the writing brings you right into the story. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates family time and wants to encourage reading at home! The book is sized so your child can sit in your lap and hold half of the book while the parent holds the other half. Really neat!
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Kokopelli Has His Heart In The Right Place
Rating (5)
Date: 2000-12-12
8 out of 9 customers found this reveiw helpful
What a wonderful book! The dedication of this book to strengthening the bond between parent and child and to promoting book reading in this day of MTV and violent video games make _Kokopelli & The Butterfly_ a true winner! But that's not all! It has a beautiful story with some of the most colorful, eye-appealing illustrations I have ever seen! The pictures will keep a child's attention now and the story of love, nature and goodness will stay with the reader forever. Bravo! This book should be in the hands of every child.
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