1. Bibliographic data
Pollock, Penny. 1996. The Turkey Girl: A Zuni Cinderella Story. Ill. by Ed Young. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. 0-316-71314-7.
2. Plot summary
The Turkey Girl: A Zuni Cinderella Story tells the story of a young Indian girl who tends turkeys for a living. She is poor and badly dressed, and is made fun of by the other children in her village. On the night of the sacred dance, the turkey girl's flock speaks to her and offers to transform her so she can attend the dance. They will help her on one condition: She must return before the sun sets or they will be set free forever. The turkey agrees and attends the dance, but does not return in time to keep her flock. Because she did not keep her promise, her source of livelihood has left her.
3. Critical Analysis
The Turkey Girl is an intriguing tale that adds many twists to the Cinderella story. Pollock sets this story in the pueblo village of Matsaki, which sits in the shadow of Thunder Mountain. Cinderella is the "Turkey Girl" -- a poor child who must herd turkeys for a living. Pollock's use of the turkeys as the girl's fairy godmother is endearing and humorous, and her description of the girl's new robes give new life and depth to the Cinderella story: "...the Turkey Girl stood in a white doeskin dress belted with red-and-yellow cloth. Rare shells dangled from its hem. Colored twine and beads threaded her soft white moccasins." I really enjoyed all of Pollock's twists because they made the story was refreshing and new to me.
Pollock's incorporation of the Zuni culture gives the story a richness of culture and tradition that I haven't sensed before in the tale of Cinderella. The sacred dance, the manner in which the turkeys dress the Turkey Girl, the references to the Sun-Father, Old One, and Maiden Mother, and the language of the Zuni people provide an element of multiculturalism that leaves the reader feeling as if they've learned more about others in addition to reading a good story. Pollock's ending also sends a message to the readers: Keep your word.
Ed Young's illustrations add greatly to the Zuni story. The blurred images and bleak landscapes give the tale a lonely feel, but support the text's message that nature is integral to this story. Some pages are vivid in color while others are very light. This contrast gives richness to the story and gives life to the accompanying text. Young's use of chalk perfectly fits this particular landscape - it is rough but bright, and gives the image a tangible feel.
Turkey Girl is a wonderful alternative to the Cinderella story. It breathes new life into the tale and leaves the reader with a message. I think children would learn many new things from this Zuni tale.
4. Review Excerpts"Pollock's retelling is steady and solid, and her source is clearly indicating in an author's note." - Booklist
"The colors evoke the Southwest desert; open spacing and broad forms suggest its isolation." - Horn Book
"... Pollock's thoughtful retelling, which itself gracefully captures the Zuni landscape." - School Library Journal
5. ConnectionsActivity: Have students research the Zuni culture and write their own versions of popular fairy tales using elements of the Zuni tribe culture.
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