Coyote and the Laughing Butterflies
Book Review:
Coyote and the Laughing Butterflies is based on a Tewa Indian
legend and explains the reason butterflies fly the way they do. It is
all because of a joke they played on Coyote. Coyote is asked by his
wife to travel to the salty lake, a days journey from their home, to
gather salt crystals from the shore for cooking. Lazy Coyote gets up
from his nap, takes a sack and heads for the lake. After the journey,
he decides that he deserves a rest for making such a long trip. While
Coyote is sleeping the butterflies that live in the meadow decide to
play a trick on him. They each grab hold of one of his hairs and carry
him all the way back home. The butterflies fly away in crazy patterns,
laughing so hard that they cannot fly straight. When Coyote wakes up
he is confused to be back at home and his wife gets angry with him for
not getting her salt. The next day the butterflies play their trick
on him a second time after he returns to the lake for the salt. On the
third morning Coyote heads to the lake again, but this time fills his
sack full of salt before taking his nap. On this day the butterflies
feel sorry for him and lift both Coyote and his sack full of salt into
the air and carry him all the way home. Coyote's wife is very happy
and cooks enough food for all of their friends. The butterflies remember
the joke that was played on Coyote and they still fly in crazy patterns
because they are laughing so hard.
The illustrations are done by Harriet Peck Taylor and were drawn on
fabric with hot wax, and then color was applied using fabric dyes. The
images are very bright and creative. Harriet Peck Taylor says that her
illustrations are very similar to ones she used to make in grade school.
About the Book |
Book Review | Children's Voices |Lesson
Plan | About the Reviewer