How Snowshoe Hare Rescued the Sun: A Tale from the Arctic

by Emery Bernhard, Durga Yael Bernhard (Illustrator)

When the demons who live under the earth steal the sun leaving the tundra in darkness, the animals send Bear, Wolf, and finally Snowshoe Hare to bring it back.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1993

Reviews

[Abigail]

When the greedy demons who live under the earth steal the sun for themselves, the animals of the tundra hold a great conference, to decide what to do. They know that without the sun, there will be no light, and no heat. Without the sun, there will be no Spring. And so they elect to send Bear, the strongest of them all, to retrieve it. Only Old Snowy Owl suspects that strength is not what is needed, an idea that is confirmed when Bear gets distracted by some delicious berries, and forgets his quest altogether. Similarly, Wolf - selected for his speed - ends up bedding down with a warm wolf-pack, and falling asleep. In the end, it falls to Snowshoe Hare to rescue the sun...

Taken from James Riordan's The Sun Maiden and the Crescent Moon , this lovely story comes from the Yuit people of Siberia. Emphasizing the importance of selfless dedication, which wins out over both strength and speed, it explains how the moon and stars came to be. Durga Bernhard's gouache and acrylic illustrations, in pastel shades that perfectly capture the cool and shadowy world being depicted, are rich in folk motif and allusion, inspired (according to a brief note from the artist) by the traditional masks of the native peoples of Alaska and Siberia, and by contemporary Inuit stonecut prints. All in all, a lovely retelling, with both visual and narrative appeal - young folktale lovers are sure to appreciate this one!

[Kristin]

In this Yuit tale, demons steal the sun leaving the Arctic animals in the cold darkness. The animal council sends Bear and then Wolf to retrieve the sun, but it is ultimately the selfless act of brave Snowshoe Hare that returns the sun to the sky as well as creating the moon and stars. Fresh language with a dignified cadence, the story is illustrated in a tribal style using sleek lines with bright gouache colors on layers of acrylic.

[Annie Delight]

I really liked this book but prob because I really love tales of how the stars were created, I always have!!

[Mrs. Frankenstein]

Overall a nice folktale but it does have demons in it... Not the best bedtime story and may not be appropriate for some children. Demons are a bit scary even for some adults...