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Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache: A Trickster Tale
"Chukfi is a trickster worthy of the name, and this fresh, funny tale makes an excellent addition to the genre." (starred reivew, Kirkus Reviews)
Named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2014
Silly kids, tricks are for rabbits! Chukfi Rabbit, that is. The laziest—and hungriest—trickster rabbit there is!
Deep in Choctaw Country, Chukfi Rabbit is always figuring out some way to avoid work at all costs. When Bear, Turtle, Fox, and Beaver agree on an everybody-work-together day to build Ms. Possum a new house, Chukfi Rabbit says he's too busy to help. Until he hears there will be a feast to eat after the work is done: cornbread biscuits, grape dumplings, tanchi labona (a delicious Choctaw corn stew), and best of all, fresh, homemade butter! So while everyone else helps build the house, Chukfi helps himself to all that yummy butter! The furry fiend! But this greedy trickster will soon learn that being this lazy is hard work! A classic trickster tale in the Choctaw tradition.
Greg Rodgers is a storyteller and writer. He is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and tells stories in schools, libraries, festivals, and tribal events throughout the country. He is currently completing a PhD at the University of Illinois, Urbana.
Leslie Stall Widener lives in north Texas in a one-hundred-year old farmhouse with her husband, also an illustrator. When she was a child, she explored every inch of her grandparents' Oklahoma farm, an allotment her grandmother received for her Choctaw ancestry. Leslie's latest book, a collaboration with her sister, is an illustrated history of fashion.
Named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2014
Silly kids, tricks are for rabbits! Chukfi Rabbit, that is. The laziest—and hungriest—trickster rabbit there is!
Deep in Choctaw Country, Chukfi Rabbit is always figuring out some way to avoid work at all costs. When Bear, Turtle, Fox, and Beaver agree on an everybody-work-together day to build Ms. Possum a new house, Chukfi Rabbit says he's too busy to help. Until he hears there will be a feast to eat after the work is done: cornbread biscuits, grape dumplings, tanchi labona (a delicious Choctaw corn stew), and best of all, fresh, homemade butter! So while everyone else helps build the house, Chukfi helps himself to all that yummy butter! The furry fiend! But this greedy trickster will soon learn that being this lazy is hard work! A classic trickster tale in the Choctaw tradition.
Greg Rodgers is a storyteller and writer. He is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and tells stories in schools, libraries, festivals, and tribal events throughout the country. He is currently completing a PhD at the University of Illinois, Urbana.
Leslie Stall Widener lives in north Texas in a one-hundred-year old farmhouse with her husband, also an illustrator. When she was a child, she explored every inch of her grandparents' Oklahoma farm, an allotment her grandmother received for her Choctaw ancestry. Leslie's latest book, a collaboration with her sister, is an illustrated history of fashion.
32 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
1 person is currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 31, 2014
This Choctaw trickster tale is a delight from start to finish, perhaps by its familiarity but also for the freshness this particular cultural spin provides to readers. When Shukata Possum needs help building her new house, she rounds up several animal friends, including Chukfi Rabbit. He's only in it for the delicious meal she has promised to her helpers. While the others are working hard, he pretends to be sick and sneaks off to devour the butter Shukata has prepared. When the others realize that the butter is missing, in typical trickster fashion Chukfi lays the blame at the feet (er, mouth) of another animal. Justice prevails eventually, though, as Chukfi has eaten so much that he belches "big, bad butter breath" (unpaged), and the other animals know exactly who to blame for the theft. The story sings and is filled with a sort of awareness that while Chukfi may or may not have learned his lesson, something good was still accomplished. After all, Shukata got her brand-new home. I also loved the softly-colored illustrations that allow each animal's unique personality to emerge. This one is perfect for sharing with others multiple times.
November 17, 2017
A Chocktaw tale of a greedy bunny with Chocktaw words and phrases
April 16, 2022
Chukfi Rabbit is hesitant to help Ms. Shukata Possum and the other animals build her new house. That is, until he hears Ms. Possum is making lunch with fresh butter for all the animals who do help. But while the others are hard at work, Chukfi tells them he has a fever and sneaks down to wear the food is for a taste and a rest. When the work is done, Ms. Shukata and the others are shocked to find all the butter eaten! Who could have done such a thing? Chukfi tries to hide his crimes, but a big, buttery belch gives away his gluttony.
This humorous retelling of a Choctaw folktale is sure to evoke laughter. Suitable for grades K-2, the story could also be used as a mentor text for older grades, whether too introduce folk literature, discuss theme, or character development. The value of telling a Native American tale is worth finding a way to integrate this book into the classroom.
This humorous retelling of a Choctaw folktale is sure to evoke laughter. Suitable for grades K-2, the story could also be used as a mentor text for older grades, whether too introduce folk literature, discuss theme, or character development. The value of telling a Native American tale is worth finding a way to integrate this book into the classroom.
September 5, 2019
This trickster tale shows how Chukfi Rabbit successfully avoided work and gobbled up more than his fair share of the bounty, experiencing a big, bad bellyache as a result. The narrative combines the Choctaw words for the animals with their English names.
The story is humorous and the colorful, cartoonish illustrations complement the narrative nicely. I was a bit startled to see Nita Bear using Luksi Turtle's carapace as a hammer.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and loved learning a new trickster tale.
The story is humorous and the colorful, cartoonish illustrations complement the narrative nicely. I was a bit startled to see Nita Bear using Luksi Turtle's carapace as a hammer.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and loved learning a new trickster tale.
May 24, 2014
Review coming soon as part of Children's Book Review Tuesdays on my blog.
March 24, 2016
The story was fine, but the illustrations left a lot to be desired.
October 31, 2017
Summary: This book is a picture book for children in 1st and 2nd grades. It is about Chukfi, a rabbit, that is very lazy and loves to eat. All the animals were going to get together to help Ms. Possum build her house and she invited Chukfi to help, but he claimed to be too busy on that day. That was until she mentioned she would make food for those that helped. Chukfi said he would help, but on the day they all got together to start building, he claimed to have a fever and hid behind some rocks all day. While he was hiding, he snuck to where the food was to get the jar of butter and returned to his hiding spot to eat all of it. He returned the jar once he was finished and decided to join the others to build, but it was too late. The house was done and it was time to eat. So the others would not suspect of him, Chukfi ate as well. All the animals took a nap after supper and Chukfi noticed he still had some butter on his paw and rubbed it on Nita Bear to make the others think that it was she who ate the butter. Towards the end, Chukfi did something that caused everybody to find out that it was him who ate the butter.
Activity: As a class, talk about the things that Chukfi should not have done and write it down like eating all the butter, hiding, lying about being sick, blaming others, and running away. Talk about what Chukfi should have done instead and write ideas down such as being honest and actually helping. The children could also write an alternative to the story with their own ideas about Chukfi's actions and how it affects others.
Citation: Widener, L. (2014). Chukfi rabbit's big, bad bellyache : A trickster tale. New York: Cinco Puntos Press.
Activity: As a class, talk about the things that Chukfi should not have done and write it down like eating all the butter, hiding, lying about being sick, blaming others, and running away. Talk about what Chukfi should have done instead and write ideas down such as being honest and actually helping. The children could also write an alternative to the story with their own ideas about Chukfi's actions and how it affects others.
Citation: Widener, L. (2014). Chukfi rabbit's big, bad bellyache : A trickster tale. New York: Cinco Puntos Press.
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October 14, 2019Chukfi Rabbit, a lazy one in the crowd, always enjoy a great meal and dodges the opportunity to work hard for it. I bet you will take away the Choctaw wisdom that hard work is always rewarded, "helping others is always enjoyable", and "no pains no gains". This unique story of the indigenous people, whose land we stand today, helps us appreciate the importance of preserving the language, customs, and traditions of the Choctaw people.
May 4, 2018
Light to average amount of text for a traditional story/tale picture book and Rodgers' voice and easy telling make it great for storytime/classroom reading. (See Debbie Reese's review and notes on sharing this book on the American Indians in Children's Literature blog)
July 11, 2018
loved it! PERFECT for reading aloud to littles. great message about helping out and being honest, with the inclusion of Choctaw words (it's based on a Choctaw story). recommended for any children's collection in the home or public library.
January 29, 2019
I am 100% behind picutre books of Choctaw stories written by Choctaw authors with a sampling of Choctaw words. I find myself wishing they;d gone all the way and done a bilingual printing, but I'm happy as is.
March 9, 2024
A folk tale about a naughty rabbit who fills his belly with food he shouldn't and he gets a belly ache and learns his lesson. I liked the lesson this story teaches, and I liked the illustrations.
July 11, 2014
Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache - a Trickster Tale, told by Greg Rodgers
Illustrated by Leslie Stall Widener
Cinco Puntos Press
978-1-935955-27-6
$7.95, 40 pgs
Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache - a Trickster Tale is the engaging Choctaw parable of lazy Chukfi Rabbit, the lengths he will go to in order to avoid work, and the consequences, too. Ms. Shukata Possum needed a new house. All of her friends have readily offered to help build her new home. But not Chukfi Rabbit, who cagily tries to get out of this chore for his friend until she tells him that she is making dinner for everyone who helps, including her famous, fresh homemade butter.
Well this changes Chukfi Rabbit's mind in a hurry and he eagerly agrees to help. When the day arrives everyone shows up to help and Chukfi Rabbit is there, too, but he pretends to be sick. While everyone else is working hard for their friend, Chukfi Rabbit has found the tub of fresh butter keeping cool in the creek. When Shukata Possum discovers that the butter is gone, Chukfi Rabbit discovers that selfishness, among other things, can separate you, literally and figuratively, from your friends.
Leslie Stall Widener's illustrations are classic and good-humored. The emotional eloquence of the animals' faces is a delight. Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache - a Trickster Tale is a retelling of a Choctaw fable and as such doesn't have an author, but rather a narrator. Greg Rodgers is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and frequently travels the country sharing stories at schools, libraries, festivals, and tribal events.
Chukfi Rabbit is the perfect tale to inspire the virtues, and teach the satisfactions, of community and teamwork in your little ones. Now I'm going to head for the post office and send my copy to my brand-new grandson.
Illustrated by Leslie Stall Widener
Cinco Puntos Press
978-1-935955-27-6
$7.95, 40 pgs
Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache - a Trickster Tale is the engaging Choctaw parable of lazy Chukfi Rabbit, the lengths he will go to in order to avoid work, and the consequences, too. Ms. Shukata Possum needed a new house. All of her friends have readily offered to help build her new home. But not Chukfi Rabbit, who cagily tries to get out of this chore for his friend until she tells him that she is making dinner for everyone who helps, including her famous, fresh homemade butter.
Well this changes Chukfi Rabbit's mind in a hurry and he eagerly agrees to help. When the day arrives everyone shows up to help and Chukfi Rabbit is there, too, but he pretends to be sick. While everyone else is working hard for their friend, Chukfi Rabbit has found the tub of fresh butter keeping cool in the creek. When Shukata Possum discovers that the butter is gone, Chukfi Rabbit discovers that selfishness, among other things, can separate you, literally and figuratively, from your friends.
Leslie Stall Widener's illustrations are classic and good-humored. The emotional eloquence of the animals' faces is a delight. Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache - a Trickster Tale is a retelling of a Choctaw fable and as such doesn't have an author, but rather a narrator. Greg Rodgers is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and frequently travels the country sharing stories at schools, libraries, festivals, and tribal events.
Chukfi Rabbit is the perfect tale to inspire the virtues, and teach the satisfactions, of community and teamwork in your little ones. Now I'm going to head for the post office and send my copy to my brand-new grandson.
May 26, 2015
Grade Level: Primary and Intermediate
Comments: Children will love reading Chukfi Rabbit’s Big, Bad Bellyache: A Trickster Tale told by Greg Rodgers. The story is hilarious and the illustrations accurately portray the Choctaw culture. Debbie Reese’s review states, “They [the illustrations] provide the visual clues that this is a Choctaw story. The clothes the characters wear accurately depict the sorts of items Choctaw's wear, from tops like the one Chukfi wears to the baseball cap that Kinta wears.” (http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...). The author’s note tells how Greg Rodger’s, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, discovered the story in old Choctaw interviews in the Oral History Archives dating back to 1930s. The story also introduces children to the Choctaw language spoken by 8,000 Choctaws today. While reading the story, children learn the Choctaw words for Rabbit, Fox, Bear, Turtle, Beaver, and Possum (Chukfi, Chula, Nita, Luksi Kinta, and Shukata).
Curriculum Connections: Chukfi Rabbit’s Big, Bad Bellyache: A Trickster Tale is an excellent example of traditional literature, specifically folktales. McGraw Hill Wonders Connections: Grade 1, Unit 3, Week 3, What is a folktale?; Grade 2, Unit 2, Week 3, What can animals in stories teach us?; Grade 3, Unit 1, Week 1, What can stories teach you? (folklore, fantasy), Grade 4, Unit 2, Week 1; Grade 5, Unit 4, Week 1, What kinds of stories do we tell? Why do we tell them?
Comments: Children will love reading Chukfi Rabbit’s Big, Bad Bellyache: A Trickster Tale told by Greg Rodgers. The story is hilarious and the illustrations accurately portray the Choctaw culture. Debbie Reese’s review states, “They [the illustrations] provide the visual clues that this is a Choctaw story. The clothes the characters wear accurately depict the sorts of items Choctaw's wear, from tops like the one Chukfi wears to the baseball cap that Kinta wears.” (http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...). The author’s note tells how Greg Rodger’s, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, discovered the story in old Choctaw interviews in the Oral History Archives dating back to 1930s. The story also introduces children to the Choctaw language spoken by 8,000 Choctaws today. While reading the story, children learn the Choctaw words for Rabbit, Fox, Bear, Turtle, Beaver, and Possum (Chukfi, Chula, Nita, Luksi Kinta, and Shukata).
Curriculum Connections: Chukfi Rabbit’s Big, Bad Bellyache: A Trickster Tale is an excellent example of traditional literature, specifically folktales. McGraw Hill Wonders Connections: Grade 1, Unit 3, Week 3, What is a folktale?; Grade 2, Unit 2, Week 3, What can animals in stories teach us?; Grade 3, Unit 1, Week 1, What can stories teach you? (folklore, fantasy), Grade 4, Unit 2, Week 1; Grade 5, Unit 4, Week 1, What kinds of stories do we tell? Why do we tell them?
September 17, 2014
Chukfi Rabbit is lazy. When Shukata Possum asks him to help build her a new house along with the other animals, Chufki says he's busy until he realizes that food will be available, especially butter. Astonishingly Chufki Rabbit agrees to help when he hears about the food. When the building day comes Chufki Rabbit announces that he doesn't feel very good. But he tells everyone he'll feel better in a little bit. While everyone else begins building, Chufki Rabbit steals the freshly churned butter and eats it all, bit by bit.
When everyone is done building and it's time to eat they are distressed to find all of the butter gone. Chufki Rabbit tries to pin it on Nita Bear but when he burps a big buttery burp, his dishonesty is given away.
A Native tale by a Native writer. Fantastic.
When everyone is done building and it's time to eat they are distressed to find all of the butter gone. Chufki Rabbit tries to pin it on Nita Bear but when he burps a big buttery burp, his dishonesty is given away.
A Native tale by a Native writer. Fantastic.
April 15, 2015
When Shukata Possum needs a new house her friends decide to have an everybody-work-together day to build it for her, except for lazy Chukfi Rabbit, who claims he’s too busy that day, but he changes his mind suddenly when he hears there will be a big feed following the work. But when it’s the day to work, and all the other animals are digging and sawing and hammering, Chukfi pretends to be sick and sneaks off to have a little snack, and soon he’s eaten up all the butter for the feast.
This traditional tale was found by Choctaw storyteller Rogers in transcripts of oral history interviews in the Oklahoma History Center. With the help of Widener’s illustrations he reintroduces this trickster tale with its moral to twenty-first century readers.
This traditional tale was found by Choctaw storyteller Rogers in transcripts of oral history interviews in the Oklahoma History Center. With the help of Widener’s illustrations he reintroduces this trickster tale with its moral to twenty-first century readers.
July 6, 2017
All the animals agreed on an everybody-work-together day to help Ms. Shukata Possum build a new house. Everyone except Chukfi Rabbit. Chukfi rabbit says he is sick but enjoys all the butter from Ms. Shukata's pot that was supposed to be for dinner. Even worse, when the missing butter is discovered, Chukfi Rabbit tries to frame Nita Bear for the crime. But he is discovered and must run away to avoid the wrath of the other animals. But at least Chukfi rabbit ended up with a belly ache.
The other animals, though they didn't get any of the butter, felt happy because
"helping others is always more joyful than even the best butter ever."
The other animals, though they didn't get any of the butter, felt happy because
"helping others is always more joyful than even the best butter ever."
December 12, 2014
This was an entertaining Choctaw Native American fable about a lazy rabbit that tries to trick his way into a free meal. The greedy charlatan hopefully learned his lesson in the end, although to me the furry scoundrel still appeared rather clueless. So possibly the lesson learned goes to his “friends” about being careful with giving him their trust in the future. This would be a fun read aloud to share with elementary age students, particularly when sharing about its origins which are covered in the author’s note in the afterward.
January 1, 2015
Noted Native American, Debbie Reese, tribally enrolled at Nambe Pueblo in northern New Mexico, blogs at American Indians in Children's Literature. One of the titles she reviewed and selected for her AICL's Best Books of 2014 is Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache: A Trickster Tale (Cinco Puntos Press, June 24, 2014) told by Greg Rodgers with illustrations by Leslie Stall Widener. Rabbit's healthy appetite for good food makes him regret several choices.
My full recommendation: http://bit.ly/1toQYsY
My full recommendation: http://bit.ly/1toQYsY
August 10, 2014
I really enjoyed this Choctaw tale and think it would be fun to read it next to something like the Little Red Hen. I must say that I didn't find the ending of this tale particularly satisfying. But that might be fun to debate with kids -- I can certainly see them having an opinion! After all, little kids really care about things being fair!
December 26, 2014
The late Greg Rodgers was a national treasure, and his storytelling shines through in the written word as charmingly as it did in real life. The illustrations are bright, lovely, and fun. The book is a little text-heavy but is a perfect read-aloud for little ones and caregivers.
December 2, 2015
Chukfi Rabbit’s Big, Bad Bellyache – A Trickster Tale by Greg Rodgers, illustrated by Leslie Stall Widener – Good trickster tale with distinct dialect for Choctaw language… It’s always fun to read a trickster story…. the rabbit in this book is doing everything he can to avoid work…
May 29, 2014
Each animal in this story pops out of the book, so big so fluffy, a special story from the Choctaw culture shows the trickster trying to get away with not working.
June 16, 2014
Choctaw trickster tale meets Little Red Hen, sort of. Beautiful artwork!
July 24, 2014
Great pictures, but too many words on each page to be used in Storytime. Would be helpful to a more advanced reader.
January 28, 2015
Bit of a trickster tale with Little Red Hen flavor for good measure in this tale from the Choctaw nation.
February 10, 2015
Great story; very nice animal illustrations, large enough to use with a group. Good for 4 years old and older.
November 27, 2015
Chukfi Rabbit is a trickster, and the story shows how he got that reputation! Illustrations could have been less cartoon/more Native American.
June 17, 2019
I received access to a digital galley of this book through Edelweiss, but actually wound up reading a library copy before I got to reading the galley anyway.
September 30, 2020
It was very good. Great illustrations
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews