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33rd out of 76 books
—
226 voters
Arrow to the Sun
Explains how the spirit of the Lord of the Sun was brought to the world of men. 1975 Caldecott Winner
Library Binding, 40 pages
Published
February 24th 1977
by Puffin
(first published 1974)
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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...more
Arrow to the Sun, written and illustrated by Gerald McDermott, is a Pueblo Indian tale and the illustrations depict that very well. All of the pictures are drawn in traditional Native American style and the main colors used are yellow and black. The only time any of the colors change is when the boy gets shot to the sun on an arrow. On the way to the sun, the stars are drawn in different colors, which I thought was really cool. The difference in colors showed the distinction between what was on...more
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....more
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....more
Arrow to the sun was an interesting book. I had to read it twice to really grasp what was going on but it made more sense the second time through. McDermott brings to life a Pueblo Indian tale about a boy, the son of the sun, trying to find out who his father is. After asking many people, he becomes an arrow and gets shot to the sun, and then must prove himself to his father. Once he does this, he returns to the homeland and everyone celebrates in "the dance of life." It is a great learning tool...more
Genre: Traditional Literature/ Picture book
Summary: This book is based on an ancient Pueblo legend about about the source of life and a Pueblo boy who has to pass through four test of wisdom, strength and endurance to prove that he is the son of the the Lord of the Sun, sent to the Earth as a spark of life.
Critique:
A. Legends, folklore and culture
B. This beautifully illustrated and written story tells the tale of the Lord of the Sun creating life through a spark sent to the Earth. The cultura...more
Summary: This book is based on an ancient Pueblo legend about about the source of life and a Pueblo boy who has to pass through four test of wisdom, strength and endurance to prove that he is the son of the the Lord of the Sun, sent to the Earth as a spark of life.
Critique:
A. Legends, folklore and culture
B. This beautifully illustrated and written story tells the tale of the Lord of the Sun creating life through a spark sent to the Earth. The cultura...more
Grade/Interest Level – Primary/ Learn to read (K-2)
Reading Level: 480L Lexile
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: Lord of the Sun, Arrow Maker, the Boy
Setting: The world of men
POV: Narrator
This story is a Pueblo Indian tale about how the spirit of the Lord of the Sun was sent to earth. The Lord of the Sun once shot a spark of life to the earth. The rays fell upon a young pueblo maiden who later gave birth to a son. This boy was always in search of his father and one day ran off in a que...more
Reading Level: 480L Lexile
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: Lord of the Sun, Arrow Maker, the Boy
Setting: The world of men
POV: Narrator
This story is a Pueblo Indian tale about how the spirit of the Lord of the Sun was sent to earth. The Lord of the Sun once shot a spark of life to the earth. The rays fell upon a young pueblo maiden who later gave birth to a son. This boy was always in search of his father and one day ran off in a que...more
Genre: Children’s Picture Book: Traditional Literature
Summary: A young maiden was blessed with a son from the Lord of the Sun. This young boy grew up separate from his father, and was teased by other boys for not seemingly to have a father. The boy decides to go look for his father among other Pueblo men. When he came to the Arrow Maker, the arrow maker recognized that this boy must have come from the sun. He made the boy into an arrow and shot him to the sun. Once he reaches the sun, he goes th...more
Summary: A young maiden was blessed with a son from the Lord of the Sun. This young boy grew up separate from his father, and was teased by other boys for not seemingly to have a father. The boy decides to go look for his father among other Pueblo men. When he came to the Arrow Maker, the arrow maker recognized that this boy must have come from the sun. He made the boy into an arrow and shot him to the sun. Once he reaches the sun, he goes th...more
I would first like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The illustration are very bright and geometric shaped. The content of the book though is really what I enjoyed. "It" traveled down to the Earth from the Sun. "It" was a boy. He lived in a village where he was teased by the other boys because he didn't know who his father was. He sets off on his journey to figure this out. When he runs into a wise man who turns him into an arrow and sends him back to the Sun. Once he is there he asks...more
Grade/interest level: Primary/Learn to Read (k-2nd grade)
Reading level: Guided Reading Level N
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: The Boy and The Lord of the Sun
Setting: Long Ago in a Pueblo Village
POV: Omniscient third person narrator
Summary: Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott is a traditional Pueblo Indian folk tale. The artwork of the book represents traditional Pueblo artwork and is done in a gouache format. The tale takes place long ago in a Pueblo Indian village. One day The L...more
Reading level: Guided Reading Level N
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: The Boy and The Lord of the Sun
Setting: Long Ago in a Pueblo Village
POV: Omniscient third person narrator
Summary: Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott is a traditional Pueblo Indian folk tale. The artwork of the book represents traditional Pueblo artwork and is done in a gouache format. The tale takes place long ago in a Pueblo Indian village. One day The L...more
I bought this book a year ago because of the beautiful and unique illustrations. I was planning art and literacy lessons to enrich 5th grade Social Studies, specifically the unit on Native Americans. The artwork has beautiful bright colors, lines that flow and move, and pattern that build the characters and scenery. If you just looked through the book without reading it you can see that it tells a story of a boy that is on a journey visiting interesting places and people. The most dynamic techni...more
The book Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott, is a folk tale about the sun god creating a son to be sent down to earth. Once he is on earth he is teased for not having a father, so he goes on a journey to find his father. He comes a crossed an arrow who makes him into an arrow and shoots him to the sun. Once he reaches his father he has to go through a bunch of tests to prove that he is his son. After he past all the test his father says he must return to earth to spread the spirit of him to th...more
“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 t...more
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 t...more
This book had the most interesting cover, so I couldn't pass up reading it. When I saw that it was a native american tale , I was intrigued because I have not read any tales from this culture. This book is based on an Pueblo Indian tale, and is also illustrated in Pueblo style art. It did not surprise me that the book won the Caldecott medal because the illustrations are magnificent and really bring an element of depth to the story. The story centers around a young boy who was sent to the earth...more
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Eye-catching geometric design and vivid colors reminiscent of Pueblo Indian art help tell the tale of a boy in search of his father, the Lord of the Sun. When he arrives, his father tells him that he must prove that he is indeed the Lord of the Sun’s son. The boy bravely survives the trials indeed proving that he is the son of this powerful entity.
I love how it is the pictures that really tell the tale of this hero’s quest. Although the illustrations are geometrical lines and shapes representati...more
I love how it is the pictures that really tell the tale of this hero’s quest. Although the illustrations are geometrical lines and shapes representati...more
Genre: Folk Tale
Role of illustrations in this book: The illustrations are very stylized and rooted in Native American imagery. These abstract images help to fuel the readers imagination by letting the reader fill in their own interpretation of the details.
Age appropriate for: Ages 3 to adult.
SYNOPSIS:
Characters: The two main characters are the Boy and the Lord of the Sun.
Plot: A young boy is shunned by his peers because he has no Father. The Boy goes on a quest to find his father and has to pr...more
Role of illustrations in this book: The illustrations are very stylized and rooted in Native American imagery. These abstract images help to fuel the readers imagination by letting the reader fill in their own interpretation of the details.
Age appropriate for: Ages 3 to adult.
SYNOPSIS:
Characters: The two main characters are the Boy and the Lord of the Sun.
Plot: A young boy is shunned by his peers because he has no Father. The Boy goes on a quest to find his father and has to pr...more
Grade/interest level: K-2
Lexile: 480L
Reading level: 2.6
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: The Boy, the Lord of the Sun
Setting: The Pueblo, Earth, the Sun
POV: Third Person
In this story the Lord of the Sun "sent the spark of life to the Earth." From this spark, a young Boy was born. This boy was teased as a child because he had no father. Determined to find him, the boy leaves the pueblo in search of his father. After some difficulty, he encounters the Arrow Maker. The Arrow Maker chang...more
Lexile: 480L
Reading level: 2.6
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: The Boy, the Lord of the Sun
Setting: The Pueblo, Earth, the Sun
POV: Third Person
In this story the Lord of the Sun "sent the spark of life to the Earth." From this spark, a young Boy was born. This boy was teased as a child because he had no father. Determined to find him, the boy leaves the pueblo in search of his father. After some difficulty, he encounters the Arrow Maker. The Arrow Maker chang...more
Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale is one of those examples of a picture book that is great to share with 3rd to 6th grade readers, but would be lost on the younger crowd. Written, as well as beautifully illustrated, by Gerald McDermott - it is a Caldecott medal winner told in a rich and bold, orange and black, Native American art style. The illustrations in this story are so unusual - like a painting in action - with expressive and powerful use of color and design.
This is the story of the L...more
This is the story of the L...more
Arrow to the Sun is one of the most beautifully illustrated books I have ever read. I loved the note at the end that talked about how the art was "rendered in gouache and ink" and explained the process of how the book was made. (I didn't know what gouache was so I looked it up and learned something new about watercolor and glue!)
Fairy Tales and Mythologies are one of my favorite types of stories, if not my absolute favorite, and I love hearing new classic stories from other cultures! (You can on...more
Fairy Tales and Mythologies are one of my favorite types of stories, if not my absolute favorite, and I love hearing new classic stories from other cultures! (You can on...more
McDermott retells a Pueblo Indian mythological story using beautiful prose and art. The Lord of the Sun has a son on earth who is searching for him. He travels the land until he happens upon a wise man that transforms him into an arrow and shoots him into the sun. There he meets his father who makes him endure several trials to prove that he is truly from the Lord’s bloodline. Once the boy completes the tasks, he is filled with the power of the sun and returns to earth where he is now loved and...more
A Pueblo Indian story. I personally believe that all religions used to stem from one, complete, religion. And then things are misunderstood, lost in translation or just lost over the years of oral traditions. There seem to me, to be many similarities to the Boy in this book to Jesus Christ. A Boy is born to a young maiden. He has no Father on earth and is shot into the sky. His Father is the Sun (I believe the Sun God is the highest God to Native Americans...) and the Boy has to overcome trials...more
This story is a Pueblo Indian tale. A boy wants to find his father, but that journey will take him all the way to the sun. He eventually is able to form himself into an arrow so he can shoor himself at the sun and see his father.
The illustrations feature sharp angles and many different simple shapes that are used to create characters and backgrounds. The colors are bright and bold, and are often set against a black background, which makes them stand out. Although the images are abstract, most o...more
The illustrations feature sharp angles and many different simple shapes that are used to create characters and backgrounds. The colors are bright and bold, and are often set against a black background, which makes them stand out. Although the images are abstract, most o...more
I give this five awesome stars with some hesitation because of my own biases. I grew up in a Joseph Campbell's household. My Dad was a big fan of his ideas about myth and McDermott's illustrations bring up warm happy story memories for me. Not that's out of the way; I do see why think these illustrations won the Caldecott. The bold colors and geometric patterns are so carefully executed and repeated. The art matches the McDermott's ideas about myth; at the core they are very basic, simple, and e...more
I really enjoyed this beautifully illustrated tale by Gerald McDermott. It is a retelling of a Pueblo Indian tale about a boy who is born from the sun. He is shunned by the other boys in his Pueblo because he has no father. He goes off in search of him but the only person to help him is the Arrow Maker who transforms the boy into an arrow and launches him to the sun. The Lord Sun has the boy endure 4 trials in order to prove that he is his son. When he completes these trials the Lord Sun acknowl...more
The cover of this book is colorful and intriguing; however, the pictures throughout the book do not capture the same kind of attention. The pictures throughout the rest of the book lack color and detail. The pages are filled with different shades of red, orange and some black. The images look rigid, as if they were cut out of paper and pasted onto the page. Some of the pictures almost seem abstract, due to their lack of detail and color, you have to really concentrate to tell what the picture is...more
Summary: The Lord of the Sun sent the spark of life to earth and The Boy was born. The Boy is mocked, so he goes to find his father and is sent as an arrow to the sun. He must prove he is the Lord of the Sun's son through trials. In the lightning trial, The Boy is transformed to be filled with the power of the sun and he and the Lord rejoice over their relation. The Boy must then be sent back to earth, again as an arrow, to bring the Sun's spirit to the world of men. The people celebrate with th...more
This was an excellent retelling of an old Pueblo Indian folktale. Upon my second reading of the book, with my son Liam, I found myself thinking of the parallels between this story and the mythology of Christ. The text also highlights a number of the tropes of the classical Hero journey. Now having taken some time to read up on Gerald McDermott, I've found that he created an animated series on mythology with Joseph Campbell and works with the Joseph Campbell foundation. The pieces fall into place...more
This book is based on a Pueblo Indian tale and the illustrations definitely reflect the fact that it is a tale and it is about Indians. The art is abstract. The characters are made mostly of geometric shapes and they are two-dimensional. This abstract art matches with the story because it is a tale that is not based on fact, therefore the pictures do not look real. Another aspect to notice about the pictures is the color used. Majority of the pages have brown, black, tan, orange, and yellow. Thi...more
The story is about finding what is missing within you and overcoming the obstacles that come in your way. It uses illustrations to show the storyline rather than just telling about it. It starts out as a bright yellow palate and then more colors are added as the plot thickens. This seems like a biblically influenced book providing the Mayan or Latino perspective of creation. This book has a good message so I'd place it on my shelf but it may become a controversial book due to its parallels with...more
Arrow to the sun was not one of my favorite books. It was definitely original but not my style. The illustrations however, amazed me. I feel like the colors and illustrations were perfect for this picture book. Since it is a Publo Indian tale, the illustrations showed part of the culture by using symbols such as the sun and other symbols on clothing as well. I thought it was interesting how the illustrator used different size squares or rectangles to make up a person then colored them with a var...more
Published in 1977 by Puffin
Interest Level: 3rd-5th Grade
This is a great picture book about a Pueblo Indian tale of the creation of the son of the Sun. The illustrations are bold and exciting with the geometric shapes and contrast between the bright colors and black. The story is a tale that could be transposed to many other cultures, but the illustrations and movement of the story create a cultural experience. The story is a simple story of a son looking for his father, proving himself, and a ce...more
Interest Level: 3rd-5th Grade
This is a great picture book about a Pueblo Indian tale of the creation of the son of the Sun. The illustrations are bold and exciting with the geometric shapes and contrast between the bright colors and black. The story is a tale that could be transposed to many other cultures, but the illustrations and movement of the story create a cultural experience. The story is a simple story of a son looking for his father, proving himself, and a ce...more
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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.
More about Gerald McDermott...
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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