Walk Two Moons

Creech, S. Walk two moons. (1996). New York: Harper Trophy.

Walk Two Moons is a story of the life journey of the main character, Salamanca Sugar Maple Tree Hiddle (Sal). Sal is thirteen years old, living in Kentucky. She is taking a trip with her grandparents. The story reveals that Sal's mother abandoned her and her father, moving to Ohio. The purpose of the road trip is to drive to Lewiston, Idaho to get there just in time for her mother's birthday. On the journey, Sal will visit many places her mother has visited in the hopes of feeling a connection to her mother. Along the way, Sal tells stories in the car; during this time the novel shifts between time, focusing on the perspectives of Sal and her mother. By the end of the book Sal feels relief that she was able to walk in her mother's shoes. 

“Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins…
You can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you
can keep them from nesting in your hair.” (p. 185)

Walk Two Moons is a fiction story full of metaphors, personification, and foreshadowing.  Creech constantly gives hints and clues about the end and, because of Sal’s former farm life, frequently gives the trees and wind humanlike characteristics.  The personification allows the reader to see how much Sal misses her farm and country lifestyle.  The metaphors and foreshadowing help the reader see life through Sal’s perspective and how she will feel once she finds her mother in Lewiston.

I really enjoyed this Newbery Award winning book.  The story taught me some valuable lessons in human psychology and opened my eyes to people’s emotions and motivations.  I made a text to self connection about how people feel about lost loved ones and that they need time to cope with the death before interacting with other people again.  Sharon Creech’s masterful use of foreshadowing and metaphors had me engaged  from the first chapter. 

Mark My Words Strategy:

diabolic  fiendish; wicked (p. 16)

divulge  to make known, especially something secret (p. 16)

flinch  to draw back, as from something painful or unpleasant (p. 36)

gullible  easily fooled (p. 30)

huzza  used to express joy (p. 20)

primly  excessively precisely or properly (p. 17)

roost  to perch or settle, especially for the night (p. 1)

Big Questions:

At the beginning of the book there is a quote:
"Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins."
Reflect on this quote, what are some possible meanings of this quote? What situations might it apply to? When do people tend to judge others? Is it ever helpful?

Literature Circle Discussion

The phrase politically correct, or PC, means avoiding the use of language and eliminating practices that could offend certain groups of people. The novel Walk Two Moons addresses the issue of political correctness in its use of the term Native American rather than Indian to refer to North America’s first inhabitants. Sal does not like the sound of the term. She prefers to be called an Indian. Many Americans strive toward political correctness in their speech and behavior, but others believe that political correctness has gone too far. In your group debate the issue of whether political correctness is a value that should guide our speech and behavior.