Arrow to the Sun

Title: Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale

Author/Illustrator: Gerald McDermott

Genre/theme of the book: myth/legend

Summary of the book: This is a Pueblo Indian tale about the Lord of the Sun who sent a spark of life to earth. This spark is known as the Boy, who must journey on the Trail of Life to find his father and prove he is his son. He has various encounters until meeting Arrow Maker. This man creates a special arrow - the Boy, himself. By doing this, the Boy is able to visit the sun, where he must pass through the four chambers of ceremony to prove who he is. The Boy endures these trials, thus, being transformed. The story ends when the Boy returns to earth and he and his people celebrate in the Dance of Life.

Characters: The Lord of the Sun, the Boy, the maiden, and the villagers

Reader's comments: The story has very minimal text. However, the choice of words and phrasing along with the vibrant pictures truely capture the spirit of this story. This book really shows how a picture is worth a thousand words. I think this is a great book that can be appreciated by all ages. Non-readers, and young readers can still understand the storyline by just looking at the pictures. I think this is a great story to have in any classroom.

Grade level appropriateness: preschool to third grade (and up through adults!)