Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite Valley

Retold by Robert D. San Souci; Illustrated by Daniel San Souci

The tale of two lost bear cubs, Mother Grizzly, Red-tailed Hawk, Gray Fox, Mountain Lion, Clever Badger, Mother Deer, Measuring Worm, and El Capitan

This enormously popular children's book is a delightful retelling of the Southern Sierra Miwok legend of the mountain El Capitan and how it came to be. Mother Grizzly Bear thinks that her two playful cubs are wrestling and having fun along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley while she is checking her fish traps. When she returns to join her sons, however, she discovers the cubs are nowhere to be found.

Populated with characters based on real Sierra animals, this story is about the value of all beings, the nature of courage, and the lesson that being a hero has very little to do with one's size. Includes notes about the life and culture of the Southern Sierra Miwok, a bibliography, and Internet resources for teachers.

Named one of the Best Picture Books of 1997 by the San Francisco Chronicle

About the Author and Illustrator

Robert D. San Souci is the author of more than eighty books, among them The Talking Eggs, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, and The Faithful Friend, illustrated by Brian Pinkney. He is also creator of the best-selling series Dare To Be Scared. His books have received two Caldecott Medals, three Coretta Scott King Awards, a Commonwealth Club of California Silver Medal, awards from the library associations of ten states, and many other honors. He also wrote Disney’s animated movie Mulan. Robert lives in San Francisco.

Daniel San Souci is the award-winning artist of nearly sixty children’s books. His many successful titles include North Country Night, Red Wolf Country, and Antelope, Bison, Cougar: A National Park Wildlife Alphabet Book. He is currently both writing and illustrating books in the Clubhouse series, which chronicles his life growing up with his brothers and their friends. He lives in Oakland with his wife, Loretta, who is a children’s librarian.