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Arrow to the Sun
With vibrant colors and bold geometric forms, Gerald McDermott brilliantly captures the stylized look of Pueblo Indian art in this Caldecott Award-winning retelling of an ancient legend. A young boy searches for his father, but before he can claim his heritage he must first prove his worthiness by passing through the four ceremonial chambers: the kiva of lions, the kiva of snakes, the kiva of bees, and the kiva of lightning. Striking in its simplicity and grace, Arrow to the Sun vividly evokes the Native American reverence for the source of all life--the Solar Fire.
Winner of the Caldecott
Winner of the Caldecott
40 pages, Library Binding
First published June 10, 1974
13 people are currently reading
1681 people want to read
About the author
Gerald McDermott
65 books77 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Gerald McDermott is an award-winning children’s book illustrator and an expert on mythology. His work often combines bright colors and styles with ancient imagery.
He has created more than 25 books and animated films. His first book, Anansi the Spider, was awarded a Caldecott Honor, and he’s since won the Caldecott Medal for Arrow to the Sun and another Caldecott Honor.
Gerald McDermott is an award-winning children’s book illustrator and an expert on mythology. His work often combines bright colors and styles with ancient imagery.
He has created more than 25 books and animated films. His first book, Anansi the Spider, was awarded a Caldecott Honor, and he’s since won the Caldecott Medal for Arrow to the Sun and another Caldecott Honor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 555 reviews
September 3, 2018
Written in 1974 - a very good year, if I do say so. This is a Pueblo Indian Myth brought to life. I love the artwork here. It looks like tetris or pixelation. The colors are extremely vibrant and lovely. The artwork is stunning.
This is another Virgin Brith origin story. The sun sends his essence to Earth to warm the people there and a mother has a baby from that. The other children make fun of him for not having a father. He seeks out his father. The interesting thing to me is that the father requires that the son prove he is his son by going through these tests. They are trials to prove he is worthy to be a god. I suppose they didn't have DNA tests back then. haha. He goes back to Earth bringing many gifts with him to the people.
I think this is an excellent book and worthy of the Caldecott Medal. We had a lot of fun reading this as a family. The kids both gave this 4 stars.
This is another Virgin Brith origin story. The sun sends his essence to Earth to warm the people there and a mother has a baby from that. The other children make fun of him for not having a father. He seeks out his father. The interesting thing to me is that the father requires that the son prove he is his son by going through these tests. They are trials to prove he is worthy to be a god. I suppose they didn't have DNA tests back then. haha. He goes back to Earth bringing many gifts with him to the people.
I think this is an excellent book and worthy of the Caldecott Medal. We had a lot of fun reading this as a family. The kids both gave this 4 stars.
February 1, 2013
It may have won the Caldecott, but even award-winning books can (and should) be set aside.
Errors in it are several.
One, what pueblo is it about? The subtitle is "A Pueblo Tale" but there are 19 pueblos in New Mexico, and we're not identical. Amongst us there are several language groups.
Two, kivas are places of ceremony and instruction, not places of trial. However, in McDermott’s kivas, the protagonist must prove himself by fighting lions, serpents, bees, and lightning in four different kivas.
Three, the protagonist is mocked and chased away by other boys in the pueblo who say to him “Where is your father?” and “You have no father.” That conflict is the impetus for the boy’s journey to the sun. However, the conflict is one that does not reflect Pueblo family structure and values. The concept of illegitimacy does not exist. Children in Pueblo communities are born into large extended families. The stain of illegitimacy is European, not Puebloan.
For more background on the book, visit my site, American Indians in Children's Literature.
http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...
Errors in it are several.
One, what pueblo is it about? The subtitle is "A Pueblo Tale" but there are 19 pueblos in New Mexico, and we're not identical. Amongst us there are several language groups.
Two, kivas are places of ceremony and instruction, not places of trial. However, in McDermott’s kivas, the protagonist must prove himself by fighting lions, serpents, bees, and lightning in four different kivas.
Three, the protagonist is mocked and chased away by other boys in the pueblo who say to him “Where is your father?” and “You have no father.” That conflict is the impetus for the boy’s journey to the sun. However, the conflict is one that does not reflect Pueblo family structure and values. The concept of illegitimacy does not exist. Children in Pueblo communities are born into large extended families. The stain of illegitimacy is European, not Puebloan.
For more background on the book, visit my site, American Indians in Children's Literature.
http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...
November 27, 2017
I actually did end up liking Gerald McDermott's Caldecott Medal winning Arrow to the Sun quite a bit more than I had originally expected to (as it is indeed an evocative tale, and the illustrations, although not really all that much to my aesthetic tastes in and of themselves, are really and truly visually stunning and spectacular, working exceedingly well with the author's narrative, with McDermott's text). And even though these same illustrations are actually and supposedly considered controversial and inappropriate by some, I personally really had and have no issues whatsoever with the fact that Kachina figures are used by Gerald Mcdermott (since Arrow to the Sun is basically about a supernatural being who becomes a boy and is sent to earth, definitely shadows of Jesus Christ here, it therefore and in my opinion kind of does make a bit of common sense to use supernaturally representative Kachina figures as the accompanying pictorial images).
However, as much as I have indeed enjoyed both story and illustrations in a general and uncritical sense, Arrow to the Sun still leaves me with a rather and majorly problematic and bitter taste in my mouth, as while the author's presented narrative is definitely captivating and much engaging, one cannot deny that the entire concept of the young boy being ostracised due to his having no father, due to being illegitimate, is actually and in reality totally foreign to Pueblo culture, and that kivas are never and were never used as places of trial, of testing, but as places of community, ceremony, healing.
Native American Pueblo activist and university professor Debbie Reese actually goes so far as to claim that she believes Arrow to the Sun to be a gross misinterpretation of Pueblo (of her and those of her tribe's) way of approaching and caring for children, and Pueblo ways of spirituality and worship, and after having done a bit of supplemental online research and now having read Arrow to the Sun myself, I would tend to agree with her assessment one hundred percent (it does not make me unappreciative of the book, it does not make me absolutely despise Arrow to the Sun, but it does seem to take much of the bloom off of my potential and actual reading enjoyment).
Now, if Gerald McDermott had included a detailed note stating that he had changed certain tenets of Pueblo culture and lore to suit his story, while I would probably still not have found this entirely acceptable, I would definitely now have less issues with Arrow to the Sun, but no author's note, no acknowledging of sources and information on what has been altered are in any manner included, and that fact is rather problematic even on its own (and while I do realise that supplemental authors' notes are generally a relatively recent phenomenon, with this book, with Arrow to the Sun, an author's note really should be an absolute and required "must"). Still somewhat recommended is Arrow to the Sun, but with the necessary caveat that if reading this book with and to children, the authenticity issues, the fact that for many (and especially for many Native Americans), this book is controversial and even considered inappropriate and potentially disrespectful of Native American culture and tradition, should be discussed, and actually, absolutely must be discussed.
However, as much as I have indeed enjoyed both story and illustrations in a general and uncritical sense, Arrow to the Sun still leaves me with a rather and majorly problematic and bitter taste in my mouth, as while the author's presented narrative is definitely captivating and much engaging, one cannot deny that the entire concept of the young boy being ostracised due to his having no father, due to being illegitimate, is actually and in reality totally foreign to Pueblo culture, and that kivas are never and were never used as places of trial, of testing, but as places of community, ceremony, healing.
Native American Pueblo activist and university professor Debbie Reese actually goes so far as to claim that she believes Arrow to the Sun to be a gross misinterpretation of Pueblo (of her and those of her tribe's) way of approaching and caring for children, and Pueblo ways of spirituality and worship, and after having done a bit of supplemental online research and now having read Arrow to the Sun myself, I would tend to agree with her assessment one hundred percent (it does not make me unappreciative of the book, it does not make me absolutely despise Arrow to the Sun, but it does seem to take much of the bloom off of my potential and actual reading enjoyment).
Now, if Gerald McDermott had included a detailed note stating that he had changed certain tenets of Pueblo culture and lore to suit his story, while I would probably still not have found this entirely acceptable, I would definitely now have less issues with Arrow to the Sun, but no author's note, no acknowledging of sources and information on what has been altered are in any manner included, and that fact is rather problematic even on its own (and while I do realise that supplemental authors' notes are generally a relatively recent phenomenon, with this book, with Arrow to the Sun, an author's note really should be an absolute and required "must"). Still somewhat recommended is Arrow to the Sun, but with the necessary caveat that if reading this book with and to children, the authenticity issues, the fact that for many (and especially for many Native Americans), this book is controversial and even considered inappropriate and potentially disrespectful of Native American culture and tradition, should be discussed, and actually, absolutely must be discussed.
August 25, 2023
Beautiful retelling of this important legend. You can tell so much about other cultures through the stories they pass down from generation to generation; norms/values become very clear when certain legends are examined. We know so little about legends today; one of the reasons that we have such a hard time connecting with others. Legends provide a spiritual 'map' of a people; but the universal truths help different cultures see common moral/ethical destinations.
October 2, 2015
I had a difficult time deciding how I felt about this story. On the one hand, the illustrations are certainly striking. And I really enjoy spiritual "myths" such as this. Yet, I also found myself wondering at the authenticity and had a hard time reconciling the imagery with my own (albeit limited) knowledge of the Pueblo people.
I decided to do a bit of research and discovered this excellent article from The Horn Book: http://www.hbook.com/2013/09/choosing...
It's actually "This is the fifth of a continuing series of articles celebrating the history of the Caldecott Medal, which marks its seventy-fifth anniversary this year. Librarian and children’s literature historian Kathleen T. Horning looks at one seminal but unheralded Caldecott book of each decade — identifying trends, noting the changing nature of the picture book, wrestling with issues and definitions. Here she examines the 1975 winner, Arrow to the Sun (Viking), adapted and illustrated by Gerald McDermott, through the lens of cultural authenticity."
It's well worth a read, and I am going to try and get to the other articles in the series, as well. It really shines a light on the decision making process of the Caldecott committee not just looking at the books as art but also as a means of showcasing and promoting cultural awareness, equality, etc. (I had been thinking of this, for example, with the back-to-back wins for the Dillons in this line-up.)
In terms of "Arrow to the Sun" the article made me realize at once why I had felt slightly troubled by the illustrations: it was not only the rather garish color choices but the use of the Kachina figure: "“Picture Books, Art and Illustration,” published in Lee Kingman’s Newbery and Caldecott Medal Books, 1966–1975 (Horn Book), Barbara Bader was also highly critical of the committee’s choice, calling it “the most problematic of the lot. '...in actuality kachina dolls represent supernatural beings, rain spirits and the like, not human figures. To blur the distinction is to rob the kachina-image of its point and to suggest, wrongly, that geometric dolls represent the Pueblo image of people. (From early times the Pueblos have drawn human beings realistically.)'”
As for the story itself, "Debbie Reese and Naomi Caldwell-Wood reviewed the book for their chapter in Violet J. Harris’s Using Multiethnic Literature in the K–8 Classroom, in which they examined the depiction of Native Americans in children’s literature. In a section called “Controversial and Problematic Books,” they acknowledge that the story is “captivating” but critique it on two major points: the fact that McDermott sets the boy’s trials inside kivas (“places of ceremony and instruction — not places of trials”) and the idea that the fatherless boy was ostracized by his people, a concept foreign to the Pueblo."
Of course, one wonders what the Pueblos themselves feel about the book and their response was actually mixed, and I think this reminds us of the importance of not grouping all those in a particular culture together. For example, those from more traditional groups were troubled by the already mentioned issues in the book did not feel the book was appropriate to share with their children. Whereas a teacher from a less conservative group had no issue with the book.
I'm glad I read the book, but I think I would look for more authentic tales to share with young readers.
I decided to do a bit of research and discovered this excellent article from The Horn Book: http://www.hbook.com/2013/09/choosing...
It's actually "This is the fifth of a continuing series of articles celebrating the history of the Caldecott Medal, which marks its seventy-fifth anniversary this year. Librarian and children’s literature historian Kathleen T. Horning looks at one seminal but unheralded Caldecott book of each decade — identifying trends, noting the changing nature of the picture book, wrestling with issues and definitions. Here she examines the 1975 winner, Arrow to the Sun (Viking), adapted and illustrated by Gerald McDermott, through the lens of cultural authenticity."
It's well worth a read, and I am going to try and get to the other articles in the series, as well. It really shines a light on the decision making process of the Caldecott committee not just looking at the books as art but also as a means of showcasing and promoting cultural awareness, equality, etc. (I had been thinking of this, for example, with the back-to-back wins for the Dillons in this line-up.)
In terms of "Arrow to the Sun" the article made me realize at once why I had felt slightly troubled by the illustrations: it was not only the rather garish color choices but the use of the Kachina figure: "“Picture Books, Art and Illustration,” published in Lee Kingman’s Newbery and Caldecott Medal Books, 1966–1975 (Horn Book), Barbara Bader was also highly critical of the committee’s choice, calling it “the most problematic of the lot. '...in actuality kachina dolls represent supernatural beings, rain spirits and the like, not human figures. To blur the distinction is to rob the kachina-image of its point and to suggest, wrongly, that geometric dolls represent the Pueblo image of people. (From early times the Pueblos have drawn human beings realistically.)'”
As for the story itself, "Debbie Reese and Naomi Caldwell-Wood reviewed the book for their chapter in Violet J. Harris’s Using Multiethnic Literature in the K–8 Classroom, in which they examined the depiction of Native Americans in children’s literature. In a section called “Controversial and Problematic Books,” they acknowledge that the story is “captivating” but critique it on two major points: the fact that McDermott sets the boy’s trials inside kivas (“places of ceremony and instruction — not places of trials”) and the idea that the fatherless boy was ostracized by his people, a concept foreign to the Pueblo."
Of course, one wonders what the Pueblos themselves feel about the book and their response was actually mixed, and I think this reminds us of the importance of not grouping all those in a particular culture together. For example, those from more traditional groups were troubled by the already mentioned issues in the book did not feel the book was appropriate to share with their children. Whereas a teacher from a less conservative group had no issue with the book.
I'm glad I read the book, but I think I would look for more authentic tales to share with young readers.
March 21, 2017
The subtitle is A Pueblo Indian Tale, and the Caldecott-winning artwork is reminiscent of Native art I’ve seen, with a color palette rich with oranges, reds, yellows and browns.
The book relates how the Lord of the Sun sent his spirit to the people of earth. I cannot help but compare this Pueblo Indian tale with the story of Christ.
The Lord of the Sun sends a “spark of life” to earth, where it enters the house of a maiden, who then has a baby. The boy is persecuted by others, and then travels to his Father. After enduring several trials the father tells the son, “you must return to earth … and bring my spirit to the world of men.” So he returns to earth, and the people celebrate with the “dance of life.”
The book relates how the Lord of the Sun sent his spirit to the people of earth. I cannot help but compare this Pueblo Indian tale with the story of Christ.
The Lord of the Sun sends a “spark of life” to earth, where it enters the house of a maiden, who then has a baby. The boy is persecuted by others, and then travels to his Father. After enduring several trials the father tells the son, “you must return to earth … and bring my spirit to the world of men.” So he returns to earth, and the people celebrate with the “dance of life.”
September 19, 2010
This is based on a Native American legend, I guess. It is about the sun impregnating a woman. (Sound familar, anyone?) The son of the sun later becomes an arrow and goes back to his father, the sun. (Gosh, the parallels are striking.)
However.........
According to this site: http://americanindiansinchildrenslite... there are some inherent problems with this book.
However.........
According to this site: http://americanindiansinchildrenslite... there are some inherent problems with this book.
October 5, 2017
The art in this one is stronger than in Raven, as is the story. I did notice some similarities in both stories, but since they are folk tales, I don’t think the author necessarily recycled his own story. I just think that many folk tales are similar. My favorite page in the entire book is the two-page spread where the boy, as the arrow, is shot into the sun. I love all the geometric patterns and the brightness of the colors.
October 12, 2015
The story doesn't wow me. However, I do love the illustrations. I grew up in AZ and my grandmother loved Southwestern art and decorations. She had tan furniture, with wall hangings in orange, red and yellow. She liked pottery and also had a stained glass front door that portrayed a sunset over the desert. So while the colors are not colors I would wear or decorate with, the combination of colors brings back warm, happy childhood memories and evoke feelings of the Arizona sunset and desert.
July 24, 2017
“Arrow to the Sun” is a Caldecott Medal Award winning book by Gerald McDermott that relates an old Pueblo Indian tale about a boy who tries to find his father, the Lord of the Sun and prove himself worthy to be his son. “Arrow to the Sun” is a fun and creative book that many children who love Native American folktales, will easily get into!
Gerald McDermott has done many wonders with both the illustrations and the writing. Gerald McDermott makes the story dramatic and simple at the same time as the writing is often shown on one side of the page and the other side of the page contains mainly images and many children who are adopted can easily relate to the boy as he tries to find his real father and many children can sympathize with the boy as some children might feel like they have to find their real parents to find out about their real heritage, so this story is similar to an adoption story for children who were often adopted and they want to learn more about their real parents. Gerald McDermott’s are extremely colorful as they show all the colorful vibes that you would find in a 70s show as this book was made during the 70s and the illustrations are also highly creative as the characters are all block shaped and there is no real figure to the characters to identify them as human beings as they look like blocks rather than human beings. The image that stood out the most was the image of the boy being turned into an arrow and being shot out into the heavens towards the sun and you can see that the stars also look block shaped but are also done in rainbow colors making the illustration look truly magnificent.
“Arrow to the Sun” is a brilliant folktale about the power of courage and determination and many children who love hearing various folktales from the around the world will definitely love this book. I would recommend this book to children ages four and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book unless smaller children might worry about the boy’s misfortune with the other boys for not having a father in his life.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
September 1, 2015
The artwork of this folktale is so reminiscent of Native American beadwork that I was fascinated and drawn in. Sadly the text was lacking so much that I never had a clear understanding how the boy survived the kivas and honestly failed to see the true point of the story. I feel like this could have been really good, but only give it three stars, and that entirely on account of the artwork.
September 17, 2016
Fabulous illustrations. I want to make each of them into a quilt.
May 17, 2013
This is my favorite book in my 2nd grade classroom. I love it because it's a short story, not difficult to read, and the illustrations are so cool that they look like you're playing a video game. When I'm reading it, I feel like I'm reading the words on a video game screen. The story is an ancient one of the Indians, and it is fascinating to me. I love how the boy perseveres even though people are mean to him and even though it's hard to get to the sun. It teaches me how to persevere. (Note from Hudson's mom: I had no idea the child knew the word "persevere.")
February 6, 2012
The story of a boy's quest to please his father, the sun god, from the Pueblo people; I love the bold colors and graphic style of this McDermott book. There's a wordless section in which we need to interpret various symbols to understand the action. This has a modern feel to it.
March 7, 2018
This book is about the boy who has no father, and the boy was searching for his father. I like the book because it speaks about the child who does not have a father, and it is important to have a father.
I give this book 3 stars.
I give this book 3 stars.
January 25, 2012
Caldecott Medal 1975 - I read this one years ago, but in looking at it again, the illustrations really were quite spectacular for it's time.
July 24, 2015
I really enjoyed this Indian folk tale. Nice to see stories like this being shared at last.
December 10, 2015
A multicultural book about the Pueblo Indians.
March 7, 2017
Before I begin, it MUST be noted that Arrow to the Sun is NOT "A Pueblo Indian Tale" as noted in the title. Like many books written during the time of my childhood, the book is culturally inaccurate and depending on how you read it, insensitive. If you are an educator or parent, I urge you to read further about this as well as the authentic history of the (varied and numerous) Pueblo peoples. There are many excellent critical essays about Arrow to the Sun on the web which discuss its lack of authenticity in detail. And as you can imagine, there are a bounty of sources written by First Peoples which explore the life of the Pueblo.
However....
I need to admit that I loved this book as a child. I loved the illustration, I loved (McDermott's) "Lord of the Sun," and I loved what I took from the story. It was introduced to me at...wait for it...my meditation center. (Yes, I was raised by hippies and this really is relevant to my review). As a child, and most likely this was suggested to me by the adults around me, this story was about the transformative nature of meditation and prayer and that each Kiva was not a scary place but a powerful and spiritual center in which the boy could progress through greater and greater level of wisdom and enlightenment; where he could evolve much like the Buddha. AND he was a child, which made it all the more wonderful.
So for my younger self, it was a book about power and progression and I was in awe of the imaginary Sun character and the dynamic energy of this book.
Nonetheless, this book is, as mentioned above, flawed.
We all need to make our own decisions about what and how we present information to children. But should you choose to share this book with them, - and I get it, I love it too – I would appeal to your sense of honor and ask you to read this story only when you child/ren are old enough to have an age-appropriate discussion about cultural appropriation. Point out that this really isn't a Pueblo folk story or even an accurate representation of events that happen in a pueblo and that the book was imagined by a man who is not of these people. Talk about Kivas being sacred and special and that there are many Pueblo and they have different ways in which they practice prayer and worship. And finally, what a great opportunity to point out that just because you read something does not make it true. So important in this day and age.
I imagine I will hear arguments from both sides – I should condemn it entirely or I should lighten up and not be so politically correct – but if I went to with one side entirely, I wouldn't be speaking my truth. So thank you for hearing me out and if your child reads this book, I hope this leads you to seek the real history behind it and to find other, culturally accurate picture books from First People.
4 stars for story + discussion. 1 star if read at face value.
However....
I need to admit that I loved this book as a child. I loved the illustration, I loved (McDermott's) "Lord of the Sun," and I loved what I took from the story. It was introduced to me at...wait for it...my meditation center. (Yes, I was raised by hippies and this really is relevant to my review). As a child, and most likely this was suggested to me by the adults around me, this story was about the transformative nature of meditation and prayer and that each Kiva was not a scary place but a powerful and spiritual center in which the boy could progress through greater and greater level of wisdom and enlightenment; where he could evolve much like the Buddha. AND he was a child, which made it all the more wonderful.
So for my younger self, it was a book about power and progression and I was in awe of the imaginary Sun character and the dynamic energy of this book.
Nonetheless, this book is, as mentioned above, flawed.
We all need to make our own decisions about what and how we present information to children. But should you choose to share this book with them, - and I get it, I love it too – I would appeal to your sense of honor and ask you to read this story only when you child/ren are old enough to have an age-appropriate discussion about cultural appropriation. Point out that this really isn't a Pueblo folk story or even an accurate representation of events that happen in a pueblo and that the book was imagined by a man who is not of these people. Talk about Kivas being sacred and special and that there are many Pueblo and they have different ways in which they practice prayer and worship. And finally, what a great opportunity to point out that just because you read something does not make it true. So important in this day and age.
I imagine I will hear arguments from both sides – I should condemn it entirely or I should lighten up and not be so politically correct – but if I went to with one side entirely, I wouldn't be speaking my truth. So thank you for hearing me out and if your child reads this book, I hope this leads you to seek the real history behind it and to find other, culturally accurate picture books from First People.
4 stars for story + discussion. 1 star if read at face value.
August 16, 2017
An incredible find, and not at all as good OR respectful as I was expecting before reading. McDermott bases this story from a Pueblo Native American children's folktale, and stays extremely true to the original story. As the Sun-Lord fires an arrow to a maiden in the Pueblo tribe, she gives birth to a son, who is ridiculed for not having a father around. He sets out to find his father, and finds him as the Sun-Lord after a wise sage turns him into an arrow and fires him into the sun. He completes four trials for his father to prove himself, and when he completes them all, his father asks him to go back to the land of men and spread the magic of the sun. Knowing that McDermott was not himself a Native, and being that the book is over 40 years old, I expected to see some level of objectification, ignorance, or disrespect to the Natives. But McDermott seemed to have done his homework. Not only was he VERY respectful of both the Pueblo culture and their storytelling methods, he made sure he was well informed of the folklore and details of the story. I was pleasantly surprised to see this kind of positive representation for once. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for Native American folktales.
November 26, 2016
1. Book Summary in your own words
Pueblo Indian tale about a boy who wants to meet his father, the Sun. He has to succeed at several tests to prove who he is. Then he is sent back to Earth to teach man of the Sun’s spirit.
2. Grade level, interest level, lexile
K-3
3. Appropriate classroom use (subject area)
Native American
4. Individual students who might benefit from reading
Students who love hero-quests. Students who only have 1 parent.
5. Small group use (literature circles)
In groups, students will work through some challenges like the boy did.
6. Whole class use (read aloud)
As a class, we will learn about Native Americans, the different types and tribes.
7. Related books in genre/subject or content area
Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott
8. Multimedia connections (audio book, movie) available
Short film (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Gbx...
Pueblo Indian tale about a boy who wants to meet his father, the Sun. He has to succeed at several tests to prove who he is. Then he is sent back to Earth to teach man of the Sun’s spirit.
2. Grade level, interest level, lexile
K-3
3. Appropriate classroom use (subject area)
Native American
4. Individual students who might benefit from reading
Students who love hero-quests. Students who only have 1 parent.
5. Small group use (literature circles)
In groups, students will work through some challenges like the boy did.
6. Whole class use (read aloud)
As a class, we will learn about Native Americans, the different types and tribes.
7. Related books in genre/subject or content area
Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott
8. Multimedia connections (audio book, movie) available
Short film (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Gbx...
June 30, 2017
I can vividly recall reading this book in my elementary school's library way back in the mid-1970s, and the story has stuck with me ever since. I reread it this week and found that it still had that magical numinosity about it that I remembered from long ago and not-so-far-away. :)
The gorgeous illustrations and simple prose combine to evoke a mythmaking atmosphere set in the ancient Pueblo civilization of the American Southwest. A boy goes in search of his father -- and finds him -- and brings back hope and blessings to his community as a result. I would very much like to read the original Pueblo myth that inspired this story!
Highly recommended for readers who love mythology, fantasy, and amazing artwork, too!
The gorgeous illustrations and simple prose combine to evoke a mythmaking atmosphere set in the ancient Pueblo civilization of the American Southwest. A boy goes in search of his father -- and finds him -- and brings back hope and blessings to his community as a result. I would very much like to read the original Pueblo myth that inspired this story!
Highly recommended for readers who love mythology, fantasy, and amazing artwork, too!
October 12, 2015
This is an intersting tale that combines traditional Pueblo geometric illustrations with an interesting folktale. It's a short tale and easy to read aloud.
The illustations are very angular and primarily of earth tones which are mostly commonly associated with pottery and other Southwestern art. We enjoyed reading this book together.
This book was selected as one of the books for the October 2015 - Quarterly Caldecott discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
The illustations are very angular and primarily of earth tones which are mostly commonly associated with pottery and other Southwestern art. We enjoyed reading this book together.
This book was selected as one of the books for the October 2015 - Quarterly Caldecott discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
September 7, 2017
**** Caldecott Medal (1975) ****
Bold in graphic style and rich in vibrant colors, this is a splendid tale of a boy on a mythical journey in search of his father. The art was produced in gouache and ink, and presents a memorable introduction to young readers of the southwestern Native American traditions and myths. Top notch and wholly deserving of the Caldecott Medal.
Bold in graphic style and rich in vibrant colors, this is a splendid tale of a boy on a mythical journey in search of his father. The art was produced in gouache and ink, and presents a memorable introduction to young readers of the southwestern Native American traditions and myths. Top notch and wholly deserving of the Caldecott Medal.
September 7, 2016
I am not saying this is a Jesus book
but what I am saying is
I see parallels to the Jesus story everywhere I look.
but what I am saying is
I see parallels to the Jesus story everywhere I look.
December 30, 2021
When the Lord of the Sun sent an arrow down to earth, a young boy was born. After being ostracized because he had no father, he traveled around...until finally he learns that his father is in the sun. He is turned into an arrow and sent to the sun, where he faces four challenges and is accepted by the Lord of the Sun. He returns to earth as a changed person, and is finally accepted there, too.
While the illustrations are pretty, the story ("a Pueblo Indian tale") has too many issues. McDermott is not part of the Pueblo Indian community, and misrepresented many facts. Refer to Dr. Debbie Reese's article regarding this book on her blog: American Indians in Children's Literature.
While the illustrations are pretty, the story ("a Pueblo Indian tale") has too many issues. McDermott is not part of the Pueblo Indian community, and misrepresented many facts. Refer to Dr. Debbie Reese's article regarding this book on her blog: American Indians in Children's Literature.
June 15, 2018
1.5
I had seen this at my library's bookstore, flipped through it, and debated on whether or not to get it. What had me on the fence was the simple artwork and minimal writing. I love anything to do with Native American culture; it's my favorite, so I ended up getting it knowing it wasn't going to be the best read.
It's cool that the author wrote it and illustrated it. To be so talented...
It seemed to be a creation story, with the Lord of the Sun sending a spark of life to earth, so I was surprised when there was already a pueblo on earth with a woman inside. It seemed like if there was already life they wouldn't have needed a spark. He gave a boy to the woman, but if there were already men and women why did she need help having children?? And there were other boys too. These holes stood out glaringly.
I guess the god just wanted a son out in the world and chose a woman who didn't have a husband. Because of this, not having a dad, the other boys wouldn't accept him or let him play with them.
He went in search of his dad, and couldn't get help from a couple beings, until Arrow Maker made him an arrow. It was jarring that he became the arrow. I didn't know why an arrow would be made, and then the boy would become something that was already made. I think the author should have said the boy went into the arrow instead.
Arrow Maker knew he was the son of the Sun, so he shot him into the sky. As soon as he saw the god, he called him dad. How did he know that was his dad?
The four trials of the Kivas of lions, serpents, bees, and lightning passed with no words, no explanations as to what was going on and how he made it through. Just pictures. That was a terrible idea. I hate books with pictures and no words to explain things. It's such a waste and I don't like having to use my imagination and make up what's happening. I want you to tell me.
He received the power of the sun at the end..of whatever happened. His dad wanted him to bring his spirit to earth. The people celebrated with a Dance of Life. Why wouldn't they celebrate him just because he came back? They didn't know what he did.
And that's how it ended. It was so incomplete and I hardly learned anything about the Pueblo Indians. Just that they live in pueblos, believe in the Lord of the Sun, and have a Dance of Life. Nothing of their culture to go on and those pages without any writing were maddening, the absolute worst thing to do in a picture book.
The summary explained a tad more, that he underwent the Trial of Life, and it's a myth of the hero quest. They believe the Solar Fire is the source of all life.
It's just too lacking in every way. The artwork was ok. Some of the designs were cool but overall it's a little too hard to read the figures and tell what they are. It was mostly yellow and orange so it wasn't very exciting for the eyes.
I had seen this at my library's bookstore, flipped through it, and debated on whether or not to get it. What had me on the fence was the simple artwork and minimal writing. I love anything to do with Native American culture; it's my favorite, so I ended up getting it knowing it wasn't going to be the best read.
It's cool that the author wrote it and illustrated it. To be so talented...
It seemed to be a creation story, with the Lord of the Sun sending a spark of life to earth, so I was surprised when there was already a pueblo on earth with a woman inside. It seemed like if there was already life they wouldn't have needed a spark. He gave a boy to the woman, but if there were already men and women why did she need help having children?? And there were other boys too. These holes stood out glaringly.
I guess the god just wanted a son out in the world and chose a woman who didn't have a husband. Because of this, not having a dad, the other boys wouldn't accept him or let him play with them.
He went in search of his dad, and couldn't get help from a couple beings, until Arrow Maker made him an arrow. It was jarring that he became the arrow. I didn't know why an arrow would be made, and then the boy would become something that was already made. I think the author should have said the boy went into the arrow instead.
Arrow Maker knew he was the son of the Sun, so he shot him into the sky. As soon as he saw the god, he called him dad. How did he know that was his dad?
The four trials of the Kivas of lions, serpents, bees, and lightning passed with no words, no explanations as to what was going on and how he made it through. Just pictures. That was a terrible idea. I hate books with pictures and no words to explain things. It's such a waste and I don't like having to use my imagination and make up what's happening. I want you to tell me.
He received the power of the sun at the end..of whatever happened. His dad wanted him to bring his spirit to earth. The people celebrated with a Dance of Life. Why wouldn't they celebrate him just because he came back? They didn't know what he did.
And that's how it ended. It was so incomplete and I hardly learned anything about the Pueblo Indians. Just that they live in pueblos, believe in the Lord of the Sun, and have a Dance of Life. Nothing of their culture to go on and those pages without any writing were maddening, the absolute worst thing to do in a picture book.
The summary explained a tad more, that he underwent the Trial of Life, and it's a myth of the hero quest. They believe the Solar Fire is the source of all life.
It's just too lacking in every way. The artwork was ok. Some of the designs were cool but overall it's a little too hard to read the figures and tell what they are. It was mostly yellow and orange so it wasn't very exciting for the eyes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2017
Summary: This is a Pueblo Indian fable about the son of the Lord of the Sun. The Lord sends his son to the earth but remains in the sun. On earth, the boy is mocked for not having a father so he sets out on a quest to find him. The boy passes many people who will not help him, but finally the arrow maker turns the boy into an arrow and shoots him to the sun. When he arrives, the boy has to pass through the Kivas of lions, serpents, bees, and lightning to prove that his father is the Lord. When it is proven, the boy is filled with the power of the sun and returns to the earth to bring his father's spirit to the people.
Themes: The themes of this book are religion and acceptance.
Personal Response: Of course, this book really reminds me of the sunday school stories I always heard about Jesus being the son of God and bringing the spirit to the people. I think it's fascinating that many religions of the world can have similar fables and the same messages.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book for children from ages 5-8. I would be a great book to illustrate the beliefs of other cultures and even pass on a message about the way we treat those that come from non-tradtional family dynamics.
Themes: The themes of this book are religion and acceptance.
Personal Response: Of course, this book really reminds me of the sunday school stories I always heard about Jesus being the son of God and bringing the spirit to the people. I think it's fascinating that many religions of the world can have similar fables and the same messages.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book for children from ages 5-8. I would be a great book to illustrate the beliefs of other cultures and even pass on a message about the way we treat those that come from non-tradtional family dynamics.
August 30, 2017
After reading "Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale" I was impressed especially with the illustrations of Pueblo's'Indian art. The art of the author and illustrator Gerald McDermott used in this book was amazing. In 1975 "Arrow to the Sun" won the Caldecoot award for it's illustration. This book is suitable for most age groups.
This story is about a young boy who sets out to find his biological father. As he is on his search he meats the Arrow Marker. The Arrow Maker then made the boy a arrow. Now the boy is an arrow he must pass through the four chambers of ceremony- the Kiva of Lions, the Kiva of Serpents , Kiva of Bees, and the Kiva of Lightning. After passing through the four chambers the boy will find his father.
I rated this book five stars. The plot was very interesting and entertaining. The characters had strong roles. The language was easy to understand.The illustrations and colors used in this book was creative and beautiful. This book would be appealing to young readers because of the story line and how it is shown through the lively art. If I was working with children I would use this book to introduce them to a different type of literature from another culture.
This story is about a young boy who sets out to find his biological father. As he is on his search he meats the Arrow Marker. The Arrow Maker then made the boy a arrow. Now the boy is an arrow he must pass through the four chambers of ceremony- the Kiva of Lions, the Kiva of Serpents , Kiva of Bees, and the Kiva of Lightning. After passing through the four chambers the boy will find his father.
I rated this book five stars. The plot was very interesting and entertaining. The characters had strong roles. The language was easy to understand.The illustrations and colors used in this book was creative and beautiful. This book would be appealing to young readers because of the story line and how it is shown through the lively art. If I was working with children I would use this book to introduce them to a different type of literature from another culture.
May 7, 2015
As is the case for many children in search of their identity, a boy who is descended from the Lord of the Sun, wants to find out more about his father. He is given very little help along the way, and he must pass four tests by going through the kiva of lions, snakes, bees, and lightning. When he returns to earth, he carries with him the sun's spirit. The gouache and ink illustrations are visually stunning, and seem to pulse with life and energy. I don't know how authentic the story itself is although the book refers to it as a Pueblo Indian story. I do know that it is hard not to recall the images when thinking about the book, the 1975 Caldecott Medal Winner, long after having read it. They seemsto vibrant and full of life.
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