Troll meets Trickster Educational Materials

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TEACHING RESOURCES

Troll Meets Trickster on the Dakota Prairie

Faythe Dyrud Thureen, Author / Chris Wold Dyrud, Illustrator

Feather Nest Books, 2005            ISBN  0-9774061-6-4

This is a picture book for all age groups, from pre-school through the elderly.  Together young and old can explore the first illustration to find trolls who ventured out into the sun and turned to the stone that forms Norway’s landscape and culture. Those who have traveled to the homelands of their ancestors, near or far away, can share stories so others can imagine those places. All can enjoy the experience of dancing hand in hand with children representing a variety of cultures.

Discussion Questions

These questions can be adapted for all ages and classrooms. High school students are encouraged to discuss the book in preparation for study abroad, perhaps as part of a future college experience.

• How can Ingrid, the main character, “remember” a place where she had never been?
• Has your family always lived here, or did your ancestors come from another country?
• What do you know about the history and culture of your great-great grandparents?
• What interesting stories from your family history can you tell?
• What did Ingrid do and learn in Norway? 
• How did Ingrid's experiences in another country help her see her prairie home in a new way?
• Troll and Trickster are symbols of two different groups of people.  Which ones?
• How are Troll and Trickster alike?  How are they different?
• How do Troll and Trickster help Norwegian Americans and Native Americans get to know each other?

Activities

• Enjoy and examine the illustrations.  What can be discovered through the pictures that is not expressed in words? How many trolls are hidden in the first page spread? Retell the story using illustrations as cues.

• Perform Troll Meets Trickster using fiddle and flute background music. Find dancers thatrepresent both cultures.

• Invite Norwegian Americans and Native Americans to discuss their cultures and traditions.  Serve Norwegian lefse  and Indian frybread. 

• Consider implications of the immigration of Europeans to America. What were some of the tragic results for American Indians? Look at the illustration in the book which shows the angry first meeting of the Troll and Trickster. Why do you think they were angry? How does this represent a historical cultural collision?

• Examine the titles of books on Ingrid’s college room shelf (center of book). How does the selection of books relate to the theme of this story/poem? Discuss the importance of sharing stories in the effort to understand one another.

• Near the end of the book, we read:

Join us to dream / And build and dance / The circle grows stronger with you.

 What can you and I do to encourage understanding among people from different cultural backgrounds?

--This sheet may be photocopied for educational purposes.                                            

 

 

 

 

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