Main characters are Nekalta and Susitna and they lived among giant people. Susitna was soon to be married when her husband went to war and never returned. While waiting for him to return, she grew sleepy and laid down among others and winter finally came. Her husband was killed in battle and her villagers chose not to awaken her to tell her the news and allowed her to sleep through the seasons. When he returns, she will awaken. ( )

Amazing book

Fiction: Picture Book
Dixon, Ann The Sleeping Lady. Illust. by Elizabeth Johns. Alaska Northwest Books, 1994. Unp. Intermediate
A modern, touching folk tale to explain origins of Mount Susitna across Cook Inlet from Anchorage and snow. Main characters are lovers, Nekatla and Susitna. Colorful, stylized oil paintings accompany flowing, narrative with theme of peace.
AK: Mount Susitna, Cook Inlet
Activity: Ask children if they have seen Mount Susitna and if it looks like a giant, sleeping lady to them. Have they seen mountains that looked like that in other places? ( )

Summary: Long ago in Alaska, there lived a race of giant people. The day before the wedding of Nekatla an Susitna, word came that warriors were on their way to attack their village. Nekatla, along with others, volunteered to go meet them and convince them to lay down their weapons and live in peace. Susitna waited for the return of Nekatla over several days, but she eventually tired and fell asleep. Word eventually came back that Nekatla and more of their men were killed. The air grew cold, and the tears of the villagers gathered into clouds to return to earth as Alaska's first snowfall. Susitna's people lay down with her, and the snowfall covered them all. Susitna still sleeps today, and it is said that when peace rules the earth instead of war, Nekatla will return and Susitna will awake.

Genre Critique: This is a good example of a folktale, because it is a story that has been retold passed down over many years in Alaska, since at least the 1930s. It is a tale told to explain natural events, such as Alaska's first snowfall and the origin of Mount Susitna. The story portrays valuable life lessons about the consequences of war. It also meets folktale criteria by its fast-paced action, repetition in the days that Susitna waits for the return of Nekatla, and a conclusion directly following the climax.

Plot Critique: This story shows a good example of person against person conflict in the story. This external conflict is clearly shown as the warriors come to fight and destroy peace amongst Nekatla and Susitna's village. The climax of the story appears towards the end, when it is learned that Nekatla was killed by the warriors. The resolution follows directly after, with Susitna remaining asleep as the snow falls and covers her, and continuing to sleep until peace returns to the earth.

I loved this beautiful, yet sad tale of how Mount Susitna came to be. This folktale has been told since at least the 1930's. The paintings used to illustrate this book remind me of beautiful quilts. The colors are rich and have the feel of Native american art.. The peaceful compassion of this tribe comes through and make the story more poignant. ( )