Ch'ał Tó Yiníló: Frog Brings Rain

by Patricia Hruby Powell, Kendrick Benally (Illustrator)

As fire creeps toward the village of the First People, First Man and First Woman must find a way to quench the flames. First Woman asks the Bird People, the River People, and the Water People for assistance, but everyone she speaks to has an excuse. Not me, said Mockingbird. The smoke would hurt my voice and I would never sing again. Not me, said Snail. I carry my house with me and I am slow. No, said Beaver. We'd like to help, but our river home would become a desert if we changed the flow of water. At last, First Woman asks the mysterious Frog for help. Will he be able to stop the flames before they reach the village? Author Patricia Hruby Powell's retelling of this Navajo folktale is as graceful as it is compelling, and Kendrick Benally's bright, folk-inspired contemporary paintings are as magical as the mythical time the story describes. Enter the village of the First People and become a part of the time when the world was new.

This Children's book is written in both Navajo and English.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2006

About the author

Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of Josephine: the Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker (Chronicle 2014), illustrated by Christian Robinson, (Sibert, CSK, Boston Globe Horn Book, Ragazzi International Honoree; Parent's Choice Gold, etc.) and Loving vs. Virginia (Chronicle 2017) illustrated by Shadra Strickland; Struttin' With Some Barbecue: Lil Hardin Armstrong Becomes the First Lady of Jazz (Charlesbridge 2018) winner of SMA Nonfiction for Youth. Forthcoming is: Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker (Simon & Schuster 2020); untitled Woman's Suffrage Project (Chronicle 2021)

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Presented in both Navajo and English, Ch'ał Tó Yiníló: Frog Brings Rain is a retelling of a traditional Navajo legend set during the time of the First People. When their village is threatened by fire, First Woman asks all the animals for help, but only frog and crane are willing and able to give their assistance.

Folklore is often a means of explaining how things came to be - in this case, how frog came to be the announcer/summoner of the rain - and Powell's book will be of interest to some for that reason. But it is also an engaging story that, when paired with Kendrick Benally's intriguingly stylized illustrations, should keep young readers involved.

[Megan Rollings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with my second grade class and they loved it. The illustrations are beautifully done and helped students understand what was going on. This book was also a great launching point into a discussion about problem/solution and how the characters responded. Students were able to make a lot of connections while reading which was great to see.

[S10_Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bilingual, Navajo folktale. The folktale retells how rain was needed and how it came to be. The First Woman, one of the main characters, asks several animals to help. However, many of the animals give reasons of why they cannot help. When the First Woman asks Frog he agrees to help. But Frog needs help, he needs to be carried. So, Crane agrees to help him. After Frog and Crane are successful, the First Woman rewards Crane with springs and pools, and the Frog is rewarded with marshes and swamps. In addition, they will have the responsibility of providing the earth with rain.

This book would be great for elementary students that range from 1st to 5th grade. The book has wonderful illustrations. However, for beginning readers, the bilingual text could be confusing. This book would be a great tie to any unit regarding folktales or teamwork.

[Miss Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is the story one that can't be found anywhere else, the art the Art The Art THE ART!!!

I am in love with Kendrick Benally. If I were still single, I would literally throw myself at him and beg him to let me rinse his paint brush.

(Hee hee for that terrible, yet oh so amusing double entendre.)

Seriously, though, the art is amazing. I love the colors, the style, the way the characters hair is like a sculpture, yet still like hair. I love how the faces are impressionistic, but still expressive.

Did I say I love the art?

And can someone read this to me in Navajo while I rinse Mr. Benally's paint brush? OkThanksBye.

[Patricia Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful Navajo/English language book, and environmental story. Don't divert the water or we'll live in desert (so says Otter, Beaver, and Muskrat). Don't empty the spring or you'll have no water to drink (so says the snail). But Frog will come to the rescue with the help of Crane. I want an outfit just like First Woman's in this book.