The First Fire: A Cherokee Story

by Brad Wagnon, Alex Stephenson (Illustrator)

The First Fire, A Cherokee Story takes place in a time when animals could do many of the things that people do. The Creator gave the animals the world to live on, but they were without a source for heat at night. Great Thunder and his sons saw the plight of the animals so he sent lightning down to strike a tree. The tree burst into flames but the tree was on an island. Many animals tried to bring the fire over the water to the shore, but they were all unsuccessful. Then one small creature, Water Spider, volunteered. Curious, the animals said to her “ We know you could get there safely, but how would you bring the fire back without getting burned? ”
Water Spider was successful and to this day the water spider is revered in Cherokee culture.

Genres: Picture Books, Indigenous, Native American, Childrens, Animals

40 pages, Paperback

Published August 27, 2020

About the author

Brad Wagnon is a lifelong resident of the Gideon Community and an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. He is a graduate of Tahlequah High School and Northeastern State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Native American Studies. Brad taught Cherokee History, Culture and Language at Tahlequah High School for 10 years and has worked for Cherokee Nation Community and Cultural Outreach since June 2015. Brad’s position as Community Outreach Coordinator put him in contact with Cherokee citizens all over the United States. Brad is a retired Lieutenant on the Gideon Fire Department, where he began as a firefighter in 2005. He is the author of three children’s books, “How the World Was Made: A Cherokee Story” (coming August 2021), “The Land of the Great Turtles” (coming August 2021) and “The First Fire: A Cherokee Story” (7th Generation, 2020). These books are based on traditional Cherokee stories. He and his wife Tanya live on his family’s land in Gideon. His favorite thing to do is spend time with his family.

Reviews

[Richard Muro · Rating 5 out of 5]

All things Native American should be read ……

Bravo…..👏🏼 Simple. Enjoyable read

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Folklore comes to life in this lovely picture book, where even the smallest can make a difference.

This book is based on a tale from the Cherokee culture, which for me already is an interest grabber. And this one is well done, too. The story is written in a very natural style with only a few lines of text on each page. Young listeners will have no trouble connecting with the story and understand the animals's troubles. I love the way it keeps the folklore alive without hitting upon heavy language or dragging story-telling. It simply makes a lovely read-aloud, and allows the tale to come to life.

The illustrations show the animals in a way listeners will easily recgonize, while still giving them a touch of 'human' personality. The mannerisms are subtle but still hold a few quirks that are sure to bring a smile or two. Young listeners will be able to flip through the tale on their own, too, and enjoy the animals' adventures after the tale has been read.

It's a great way to introduce Cherokee folklore and open the door to discussions. In other words, this one gets a nice thumbs up from me!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale from the Cherokee tells of the time that animals were sent down from the sky. They believe that animals can do much of what people can do. This time, although they did well, when the sun went down, they shivered in the cold. Nearby Great Thunder and his two sons saw the plight and sent a lightning bolt to set fire to a sycamore tree, but on an island. Readers will see what happens when some of the animals try to get the fire for their warmth and what happens to them personally after the encounter. Told in a simply-understood text by Bradley Wagnon, a citizen of the Gideon Community and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, with engaging illustrations by Alex Stephenson, an author and artist who serves as a therapist for the Cherokee Nation, children will love this story of obtaining fire! I imagine some might never have thought that fire had to be discovered or kept!

[Maverick Independent Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This charming story, illustrated in a cartoon style, relates the Cherokee tale of how fire came into the world. Anthropomorphic animals feel cold at night. Sympathetic, Great Thunder and his two sons send a lightning bolt to create fire, but alas, it hits a sycamore tree on an island. The animals see the fire but struggle to bring it back to the mainland where it can warm them at night. Animal after animal tries but fails to succeed. Their failures seek to explain why animals look the way they look--the owls, for example, are so blinded by the smoke that it creates the white rings around their eyes. Finally, Water Spider succeeds where the others have failed because he is able to spin a small basket to bring back a burning coal, which he swims across on his back. This is why Water Spider is celebrated among the Cherokee to this day. I can't imagine a child who wouldn't delight in this fun tale, with the bright, cheerful illustrations. Highly recommended.

Review by J.L. Powers

[Jes Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging story written by an own voice author and co-written by a psychologist who works with a First Nation tribe. I love how animals... myths and this one goes through a cast of wild animals that will help build a child's vocabulary.

The only negative of the book were the illustrations. They don't fit the text until the reader meets the spider. They seem part of the dominant culture instead of playing off the strengths of indigenous art. That being said, this still would be of use in exploring myths of other cultures and a great sequencing story to build narrative skills in emerging readers.

[Anneke Alnatour · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son said a five-star book, so who am I to say no? One of the few books that we read as a family, and we all enjoyed this beautiful re-telling.

And a spider as the hero? I am all for that! Now we are doing research on water spiders!

Recommended!