Publisher's Weekly Review
In this gracefully narrated, arrestingly illustrated myth originating from the Karuk people of Northwest California, the animals have no fire to keep them warm. Wise old Coyote devises a plan to steal the fire that the miserly Yellow Jacket sisters guard in their mountaintop home. Using his renowned skill as trickster, Coyote manages to purloin a burning piece of oak. Though the evil sisters follow in pursuit, Coyote and the other animals execute a flawless relay, transporting the ember back to their home ground, where a willow tree swallows it. Clever Coyote once again solves the dilemma, showing how to get fire from the willow by rubbing two of its branches together. London's tale unravels seamlessly, subtly revealing the diverse personalities of the animals and the merits of working together. As in other books she has illustrated ( Ten Little Rabbits ; The Most Timid in the Land ), Long creates impressively realistic animal characters with an inventive measure of whimsy: Mountain Lion and Bear sport traditional Karuk necklaces and Coyote wears a woven cap and bearskin. This spirited Native American legend is in good hands. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Tired of the winter cold, Coyote and seven other animals steal fire from the fierce, selfish Yellow Jacket sisters. London's text, written in consultation with a Native-American storyteller and a Karuk tribal scholar, provides a lively version of the Northern Californian myth. Native-American motifs enhance Long's illustrations, which offer eye-catching views of the animals and their habitat. Bib. From HORN BOOK 1993, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The Yellow Jackets are known to keep fire on top of their snowy mountain; boldly, Coyote offers to ``make them pretty'' if they close their eyes. With a coal, he marks them in black, then seizes a burning brand from them and dashes away. When the pursuing Yellow Jackets catch up, Coyote passes the fire to Eagle, who gives it to Mountain Lion, and so on until Frog, after hiding it in his mouth, spits it into a willow. It's not lost: Coyote shows the animals how to make fire by rubbing willow sticks together. Written with the help of Lanny Pinola, a Pomo/Miwok storyteller, London's relaxed version of this tale from northwest California has a pleasantly conversational style. Long's lively illustrations depict the animals and their habitat in intriguing detail; the text, lightly bordered with Native American motifs, is nicely integrated into the design. An attractive addition. Afterword by Julian Lang, a member of the Karuk tribe; bibliography. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-8)
Booklist Review
Ages 5-8. "Long ago, the animal people had no fire. . . . In the winter they were so cold, icicles hung from their fur. Oh, they were miserable!" Wise Coyote devises a trick to get fire from the Yellow Jacket sisters, who guard it high atop a snowy mountain. With the help of Eagle, Mountain Lion, Fox, Bear, Turtle, and Frog, he is successful in bringing fire to the people. Poet London's text is quick, controlled, and dramatically paced, and Long's watercolors are rich in detail and full of movement and energy. The pictorial anthropomorphism is understated, and the terrain in which the action takes place is realistic and evocative. London, who worked with Lanny Pinola, a Pomo/Miwok storyteller, states that this retelling is based on various versions of the Karuk Indian myth but does not give specific sources. An afterword by Julian Lang, a member of the Karuk tribe, discusses the importance of storytelling and the idea of balance in the natural world, and a bibliography cites 10 sources of Karuk and other Native American tales. A beautiful combination of text and pictures, the book is suitable for reading aloud (especially to older picture book audiences) and for transitional readers moving out of vocabulary-controlled materials. ~--Janice Del Negro