The Rainbow Bridge

by Audrey Wood, Robert Florczak

Hutash the earth goddess creates a rainbow bridge--and saves her people from drowning by turning them into dolphins.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Mythology

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Audrey Wood studied art and drama at the Arkansas Art Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. She has owned an operated a book and import store, taught chldren's drama and art, and traveled throughout Mexico and Guatemala studying Indian folk art. She now lives in Hawaii with her talented family (husband Don and son Bruce, who have both collaborated with Audrey by illustrating some of her books).

Reviews

[Jenni Paulsen Buchanan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed being introduced to the story of the Rainbow Bridge and learning more about one of the Chumash legends, but I don't think this picture book would appeal to many young children or readers. The text on each page was lengthy and the illustrations were fairly dark--in color, not in the subject matter. All in all, I'd say this is a book for older folk interested in a quick version of the Chumash tale rather than an engaging picture book for children.

[Susan Webb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I purchased this book as a history lesson for my daughter. We reside in Southern California and live along the featured coastline, which is across from the island mentioned in this book. I wanted to like this book, but it was actually a bit depressing for me. An earth goddess creates people in her own image because she is lonely, but then the island gets too crowded and noisy, and she demands that half of them leave! She makes them decide who will leave by walking across a rainbow to the mainland. While walking across the rainbow, some people fall into the sea and begin to drown. The earth goddess doesn't save them in the traditional fairytale way, but rather turns them into dolphins. So now the tribe is separated in three different locales (island, sea, and mainland), never to be reunited again because the earth goddess destroys the rainbow bridge. Some, as mentioned, are turned into a totally difference species - all because the earth goddess didn't like noise. I found it hard to find a cheery moral here (rather it brought up images of forced migration). Maybe this book was not meant to convey a moral, but rather an old Indian legend redrafted and expanded into a fictional tale. Not my cup of tea, and the illustrations are a bit too dark for my liking for children's books (blacks and deep purples), so you may wish to review a copy at your local library first to check its suitability for your children.

[Stain’s Number 1 Fan Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the unusual legend of how the Earth Goddess Hutash populated the island of Limuw with humans and then once it overcrowded she had to make half of the tribe cross the sea. This was made possible by her creation of a rainbow bridge, however some members fell of the bridge into the sea and the goddess made them into dolphins. This book doesn’t present much use in the classroom, but it could be a good book to teach children mindfulness in regards to nature.

[Marisa Duarte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an artistic take on coastal Chumash traditional knowledge and ancestral teachings. The illustrations are based on images of individuals, making the drawings relatable to tribal children. The narrative is designed to evoke Chumash myth-historical time--the temporality interwoven through the present--offering readers an opportunity to teach children about the relationships between humans, landscapes, spirit beings, ancestors, and animal kin.

[Jodi Ottobre · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully written and illustrated tale about the Chumash Indians. The end didn't really tie the whole story together, it just ended on a random—although nice note. I wish it would have somehow tied back into the rainbow bridge and elaborated on its significance, but that's just my preference for a well-rounded story.

[Jackie Ibarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because it may teach children that there are beliefs and cultures different from theirs, it teaches that they are no different and to respect everybody for who they are and what they believe in. Some children may also feel like they can have a connection with The Earth and animals also.

[Kirsten Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Connections:
* Native American Nations
* Cultural Stories

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

An inspiring creation story

[Chris Meads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short picture book that I picked up while I was out on Ana Capa Island.

It is the legend of the Shumash People and how they got on the Island as well as the mainland around California between Los Angeles to the San Luis Obispo County.

The Earth Goddess Hutash is lonely and so she makes humans in her image. Her susband, the Mily Way also blesses the new people. They live on Liuw or what is Santa Cruz Island. The people become too many and Hutash decides to send half to the mainland via a rainbow bridge. Some don't make it and she turns them into dolphins.

The Shumash people still honor Hutash and each year. they do a ceremonial dolphin dance. As you cruise out to the Islands, dolphins splash and play around the boat. It is awesome to watch them and also learn about an Indian civilization.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a beautifully illustrated storybook about how Los Angeles CA 'came to be'. The way the Chumas Indians believe how the islands came to be and also how the dolphins are so sacred. This was an interesting book, nicely written but the paintings that are used as the illustrations is what REALLY makes this book. But becareful of younger children reading this, as an adult be ready to help educate them in the way you believe and how some tribes of Indians believe differently than some others etc. Doesn't mean that this story is untrue, just that it could confuse some younger children as they read it.

[Kara Duncan]

The Rainbow Bridge is a story of a tribe from the beginning of their time. The tribe came from seeds scattered across the land like flowers. The tribe becomes too large for the land they are living on and are told in three days there will be a bridge ready to take them across the water to a new land to live. The ones who doubted the rainbow bridge and its' power fell off into the water and drown, or so we thought. At the end of the story we learned the ones who fell off became dolphins that would protect the waters.
I think this book would be cute to put in my reading area. It is a cute story that I think many students would enjoy.

[Cindy D · Rating 2 out of 5]

This unusual legend reveals how Hutash accomplished a dangerous task and how she saved some of the Chumash from drowning by transforming them into dolphins. This sophisticated picture book and has a complex theme relating to Native Indians in the content of social studies. This book could be used in the content area of social studies during lessons on Native Americans to help students understand Indian legends.

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to like this story because it is set in and around Santa Barbara. It was written by a Santa Barbaraian and researched at a museum on the street where I grew up. But I don't like it. I think the story is a bland retelling of Chumash oral traditions. The paintings are almost pretty but mostly come off as creepy and synthetic. Not a fan.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dolphins! <3

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books that truly capture the imagination of Native American folk tales can be hard to find. This book did an excellent job!

[Carrie Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I loved the artwork. The pictures were very colorful and they fit perfectly with the text. The book talks about a rainbow bridge and the Chumash tribe. Very good book!

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose of the story is good, but the illustrations are an attempt at Maxfield Parish that falls short of the mark, and comes off looking photoshopped.

[Aaron Ayers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice folklore piece of a Native American tribe that explains and gives reason to multiple aspects of their culture.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great artwork

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. I like this story. It's a very nice creation story of the Chumash tribe by the earth goddess Hutash.

[Hannah McManus · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5