Several Native American folktales from the Rocky Mountains and Plains regions tell variations on a story of a rabbit who tries to control the sun. This retelling, based on Hopi lore, starts with sympathy squarely placed on the animal's side. Amid scorching temperatures, in which creatures have no water to drink and are too hot to search for food, Rabbit decides "to teach the Sun some manners" by shooting it.
His courage and determination are admirable, if a bit foolhardy in their overreach. He studies the skies to see where the Sun will rise and practices with his bow, arrows, and throwing stick, then tries each morning to shoot while the Sun is still low enough in the sky to reach. Even when he's "roasting and discouraged" — as the Sun continues to evade his attempts — he doesn't give up.
It's not until Rabbit does finally manage to shoot the sun that he fully discovers what a formidable foe he's taken on. What happens next explains — in the folktale sense — why rabbits hide when they hear noises, why the sun is too bright for us to look view directly, and more. There are losses here, yes, but there's also survival, beauty, and the desire to protect others even at cost to one's self.
Terri Fields brings the story to life with perfect pacing and an expert's eye for the details that will appeal to four-to-eight-year-old readers. She is the author of nearly thirty books for children and young adults, titles which have won multiple awards including recognition from the American Library Association. Her work is enhanced by the art of Gerald Dawavendewa, who has worked as an exhibit specialist with the Arizona State Museum, where his Hopi mural is part of the permanent collection.
