THE SUN: A CHEROKEE STORY. By
Geri Keams. Illustrated by
James Bernardin. Flagstaff, AZ:
Northland Publishing (P.O. Box 1389,
86002), 1995. Hardbound. 32 Pp.
ISBN Number 0-87358-597-6. $14.95.
Written by Geri Keams and illustrated
by James Bernardin, “Grandmother
Spider Brings the Sun” is a delightful
rendition of the Cherokee folktale.
Written for children, “Grandmother
Spider Brings the Sun” relates the
quest of the animals in a time long
ago, a time when the animal could talk,
to bring the sun to their side of the
world. The animals hold council to
decide whom from amongst them
should attempt this difficult feat. First
the opossum tries, then the buzzard.
They both fail. The next to volunteer is
the diminutive Grandmother Spider. By
fashioning a bowl out of clay in
which to contain it, she is able to bring
a small piece of the sun home to the
animals.
The illustrations are full page prints of
acrylic and color pencil originals. They
effectively capture the eye of the small
child and adult alike. The authors
preface ties the story into Cherokee
lifeways as she compares the making
of Grandmother Spider’s bowl with that
of Cherokee potters of times past and
present This book is sure to be
cherished by the small child in your life.
Anita Cheek Moon, Member
Reviewers’ Consortium
