Books with author Jim Taylor

The heavens — the sun, the stars, and the moon — have inspired, intrigued, and mystified us from the beginning of time. We’ve always searched for ways to comprehend their beauty and their meaning. Mohawk artist and author C. J. Taylor has drawn from First Nations legends from across North America to present a fascinating collection of stories inspired by the night skies.The legends — Salish, Onondaga, Blackfoot, Netsilik (Inuit), Wasco, Ojibwa, and Cherokee — are by turns funny, beautiful, tragic, and frightening, but each one is infused with a sense of awe.From the Ojibwa legend of the great hunter, White Hawk, and his love for an unattainable maiden, or the Salish legend of a magical lake that is threatened when human beings turn greedy and lose their respect for its gifts and for the sun’s power, to the delightful Cherokee legend of Grandmother Spider who brought light to the world, this is an important collection that is enhanced by Taylor’s glorious paintings.

When the buffalo herds fail to appear one spring, a village in the Black Hills of South Dakota finds itself in turmoil: the people grow selfish and the elders lose their authority. But a beautiful woman comes, bearing a message. Only if the people learn to cooperate in the building of a great tipi, will she return with the first peace pipe and the rules of how it must be offered to the earth. Her message delivered, she returns to the hills and is transformed into a white buffalo, which in turn becomes a grazing herd.

Magic lessons are starting up for Brian: a much-needed distraction from the tragedy over the summer. But the dead rising from their graves is perhaps too much of a distraction. Now Brian and his friends must work out what is happening and why. Does it have something to do with the Stone of Surzaal, a fabled emerald with the power to grant near-immortality? Who is the six-fingered man? And what exactly is the 'silver dragon'?

WINNER of the WILLA Literary Award for Best Young Adult Fiction "admirably evokes the dusty, gritty aura of Depression-era Colorado" - Publisher's Weekly "With subtlety and insight, Taylor introduces readers to complexities and truths about love and family" - American Library Association "Taylor nails small-town agrarian Dust Bowl life in the '30s." - School Library Journal On the Depression era Colorado plains, there's nothing but dust and empty farms. It's an unforgiving background to the violence in Cissy Funk's life. She's alone on a scrap of a farm with her mother and brother, and her mother hasn't recovered from the death of Cissy's baby sister. She's turned cold, and mean, and she's turned against Cissy, singling her out, leaving bruises and a breaking heart. When Cissy's Aunt Vera turns up, with her warm hugs and pretty clothes, it looks like there just might be hope on the horizon after all. Vera is determined to make sure Cissy is safe and loved, despite her sister in law, despite the hard times, despite her own fears. But these hard times are more than failed crops and no work. There's a trouble in Cissy's family that no one is willing to tell her about, and it's threatening to bring her fragile happiness crashing down. When there's nothing but dirt, dust, and the faintest glimpse of delight, Cissy has to find the strength to grab onto what she can. Her family might not be what she thought it was, but maybe it can be exactly what she needs.

This book, Our First Rodeo, is a story about three boys about to attend their first rodeo. They are excited, and in spite of the fact that they hate shopping, they spend all day with their mother buying western duds to wear to the rodeo. Imagine their shock when Daddy and Mother both appear in western duds, as well. The rodeo grounds,entertainment attractions, souvenirs, and autographs are discussed. There is a description of each rodeo event, calf roping, bronc riding, barrel racing, and bull riding. The clowns are entertaining and keep the boys laughing throughout the activities. The boys dreamed about the events, chalked up memories for the future and continued to talk about the events the following morning at breakfast. The younger of the three painted his face like a clown and came to breakfast, making everyone laugh.

As Jacob struggles to come to terms with his sexuality, his choice of partners make for a very difficult and confusing few months. He is left wondering whether coming out of the closet was the best thing that ever happened to him, or the worst. After his first relationship doesn't go as planned, Jacob delves into the waters of casual sex, depression and self harm.

From the heartbreaking Mi’kmaq story of Minnow, a mermaid in the Atlantic who must choose between two worlds to that of Water Lily and her five brothers, told by the Coos in British Columbia, creatures that inhabit fantastic realms appear in many First Nation stories. C. J. Taylor draws from those stories and from her own Mohawk heritage in this collection of haunting tales about some of the powerful spirits who touch the lives of human folk. The spirits of heaven and earth from the Ute help bring an understanding of the stars in the sky. The Cree story, “Souls in the Fog,” presents the battle between the good and the evil-minded. The Ojibwa “Fairy Village” is a unique and touching love story. Illustrated with her own powerful oil paintings, this is a collection to read and an excellent story-teller’s resource.

Kenny Kookaburra is a devious, cunning bird and is hungry for a meal. He sets out to trick the unsuspecting Kylie Kookaburra into giving up her juicy worm by his deceit. Kennys devious plan fails spectacularly, and he realizes the last laugh is on himself. He laughs so hard at his folly that the sounds of the Australian bush are changed forever. Importantly, Kenny learns a life lesson he will never forget!