The Seventh Direction: A Legend of Creation

Gr 2-4–Lakota elder Locke shares the creation legend and emphasizes the responsibility of humans to be stewards to the planet and its inhabitants. The Great Spirit created the world in seven days, infusing power into the four cardinal directions. When it comes time to form “the most precious and sacred entity in the world,” the human spirit, he worries that humans will not appreciate his gift and seeks help in finding a place to keep it. The animals offer hiding places, but the Great Spirit ultimately chooses “a place where all the powers of creation, all the powers of the four directions, Grandfather Sky, and Grandmother Earth are made to connect”—the center of us, creating a link between humans and our world. Cameron’s illustrations are rich with Indigenous influence, full of vivid color and imagery; animals share colors that connect them to the earth and one another. Back matter includes a Lakota glossary of terms.