Beardream by Will Hobbs (1997)

Just picked up a random kids book from our shelves and it turned out to be an Ute story that I hadn't heard. Actually, I recognize quite a lot of the European based tales,but less of those coming from the Native Americans. This is one of those dreaming stories - and I know that dreams were/are very important in this culture. But somehow this was such a likable tale, where a little boy - Short Tail goes up the mountain to wake up the Great Bear, as he has overslept though spring had arrived. Short Tail falls asleep and dreams that he wakes the big old bear who takes him to a gathering of the bears dancing to celebrate the end of winter. Short Tail goes back and teaches his people how to do the dance, so they too can celebrate the end of winter and the awakening of the bears. Just so moving.