The Stolen Sun: A Story of Native Alaska

by Amanda Hall

A native Alaskan folktale tells about a raven who punishes humans for destroying nature by blocking out the sun to make Earth cold and dark, but a woman finds a feather from the bird that may have the secret to saving the planet.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 11, 2002

Reviews

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

A woman from Britain writing about indigenous stories from Alaska??????? Questionable and I think the other reviews do a good job of calling out the issues of this picture book.

[Darin Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This native Alaska story focuses around the Raven, who brought life to the earth. As he watched over his creation, he was pleased, but after a while, the people and animals of Earth forgot about the Raven, bickering and arguing amongst themselves. So, the Raven took the sun and hid it, vowing never to return. He left a farewell feather, and floated down, and was eventually swallowed by a woman of the village. She gave birth to a baby boy, one with dark eyes, that those around him could sense was different. The boy, Little Darkness, finds a mask shaped like a bird's head. He touches it, feeling its power. He puts it on, and growing wings, he flys towards a song he hears, towards the hole in the sky. Little Darkness is attacked by the Raven, his masks falls off, his wings disappear, and he finds himself somehow carried up through the hole in the sky. He's sat down next to a huge mountain made of ice with a dim light in the center. He wanted the light in the middle, so warm and inviting, so he began to hack away at the mountain, towards the light, all the while singing. As he sang and chopped away, his voice grew, the mountain became warmer until finally he breaks into it, but falls to a certain death, until the Raven intercedes. The Raven then takes Little Darkness and the sun out of the mountain, places the sun in its rightful place.

4 stars because while I enjoyed the story, there are a few holes in it for me.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

We really enjoyed this book about this folk tale. We don't hear much folktales and it was really neat to read a folktale based in one of our states. The illustrations in this book are amazing and really help set the story up as I read it the kids loved to look at the pictures. They also loved to pick out similarities to this to our religion beliefs. The text in this book is easy to read and easy for kids to understand. The words were simple that even my two year old could understand the text. This book is worth checking out.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew immediately that this wasn't written by a Native person, or by someone who has researched these tales well.

This is a Raven tale, a creation story. But all it says is that it is Native Alaskan. There are numerous Native Alaskan tribes, and they are all different. Most have Raven stories in their culture, but they are not the same stories. It bugs the crap out of me when a non-Native writes on of these stories and doesn't even acknowledge what specific tribe it originated with.

Cute illustrations, so two stars.

[Genny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a creation tale. Although people start off happy, like always greed and violence takes over, drowning out, quite literally, the light of the world. Goodness and song eventually set matters right again. I personally didn't feel the story had a flow to it. It seemed a little choppy in the telling.

[Rebecca Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book and brilliant to get a glimpse into the beliefs of another culture. Countless uses within a classroom setting.

[Black Flamed Candle Books 🕯️📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations of this book and I loved learning about a new culture.

[Lulu Cares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Amanda Hall!!

[TinaNoir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billed as an original story woven from native Alaskan Folklore, this tells the story of Raven who, through songs of joy, first created people to inhabit beautiful, sun-drenched earth.

But over time, people turn violent and greedy, their venality drowns out Raven's song. In a burst of anger, Raven takes the sun away, leaving cold, darkness and a single feather behind. Years later Raven's son, Little Darkness goes on a quest to return the Sun to the people.

The story is fairly interesting in a creation myth/Folklore-y way. The art, though, is what elevates this book. The author/illustrator's style is decidedly folk-artesque to go along with the theme of the story. While the pages depicting the sun-drenched beginnings are nice enough, it is the chilly, sun-less renderings that are the prettiest. She uses blues, whites, blacks, and purples of the snow-laden Alaskan to great effect. She also somehow manages to make green look cold.

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Native American (of Alaska) tale. It is a creation tale. It is also explains, in a way, about seasons. The tale talks of how some people appreciate the things around them while others do not, and how the violence and unkindness offend the Creator, who is the Raven. In this tale, it is the Raven's son with a mortal mother who steals the sun and return warmth to the earth.

[Nisah Haron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story and beautifully illustrated!