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 as magical as the
mythical time it describes. Enter the village of the First People … and
become a part of the time when the world was new.
“In this traditional Navajo tale, a
burning branch sets the mountaintop on fire, which threatens the village
of the First People. First Woman asks the Bird People, to help by
carrying a jug of water, and, finally, a small gray bird agrees but ends
up scorching her breast; she becomes Robin Redbreast. First Man asks
the Insects and then the bear, lion, and wolf. All say no. First Woman
asks the Water People — a snail, a beaver, an otter, and a muskrat. None
will help, including Turtle. Finally, she discovers Frog. After soaking
his spongelike coat with water, Crane carries him to the mountain to
douse the fire, creating black mist on the north side of the mountain,
blue mist on the south, white on the east, and yellow on the west. In
gratitude, First Woman gives Crane the name “Rainbird” and Frog the
power to “call the rain.” This story, written in both English and
Navajo, is vibrantly illustrated with neon-colored, folk-inspired art on
vivid backgrounds.”
– School Library Journal, July 2006
“This is a delightful retelling from
the Navajo tradition explaining how rain came to earth with the help of
Crane and Frog. As a reward for their work they are given roles in
nature that remain today. Thick glossy pages in vibrantly glowing colors
echo the richness of the retelling…This story, not easily found
elsewhere, is a solid purchase…”
– Kirkus Review, March 1, 2006
