Beautifully illustrated, this book is a delightful authentic Native American tale. Every child I bought this for has loved the drawings.

Geri is a genuine Native American storyteller (Navajo) and one of the few authentic indian authors of children's books today. This book reflects her creativity, while the vivid and beautiful illustrations excite the imagination! "Snail Girl" is based on a story from the Navajo creation myth which imparts respect and honor for a most precious substance, water. Highly recommended.

This could have been a good book except for the fact that the author claimed it is Cherokee. Cherokee stories do not have coyote as a character. The author should perhaps stick to Navajo stories from her own heritage, or relate stories from other cultures more accurately.

This marvelous story of how tiny and ancient Grandmothe Spider successfully brings the sun, something larger and more spritely animals before her could not accomplish, was written to be read aloud. Instead of the usual stereotypical "ancient legend storyelling" literary style we often see with retelling of traditional tales, this legend is refreshingly written in a colloquial manner. This style, as well as the two-page layout with text on one side, makes this an excellent book to read aloud. The textures and colors and expressive animal illustrations can be shown to their best advantage. My boys love all the animal pictures, the humor, and the exciting fire-spouting Sun Guard monsters! We return again and again to see and hear the sweet-faced but proud and determined Grandma Spider as she demonstrates why she is so respected and revered.

This is a wonderful telling of a truly Cherokee tale. Most stories written after the oral tradition can be a litte stale. Keams avoids this by modernizing the language for her younger readers. The Coyote, btw, comes from the Western Cherokee, after the removal. I was told this story as a child by my Western Cherokee Grandfather with the Coyote, and by my Eastern Tribes Grandmother without it. It would be correct either way. All in all, a wonderful retelling.