Coyote Places the Stars

by Harriet Peck Taylor, Harriet Peck Taylor (Illustrator)

Overview

A joyfully retold and vibrantly illustrated story about the origin of the constellations, based on a Wasco Indian legend.

One evening, crafty Coyote climbs the moon to discover the secrets of the heavens. Instead, he finds a way to make the most wonderful pictures for all the world to see. The next night, the other animals of the canyon look up to the sky, where they see a big surprise!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689815355
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	05/01/1997
Series:	Aladdin Picture Books Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	488,170
Product dimensions:	8.75(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.10(d)
Lexile:	840L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Harriet Peck Taylor is an award-winning author, illustrator, and artist who lives in Boulder, Colorado. She received a BFA in Fine Art and a BA in Education from the University of Colorado in 1977. She began her career in fine art and continues to work as a professional artist. Her work is in public and private collections throughout the world. You can visit her at HarrietPeckTaylor.com.

Harriet Peck Taylor is an award-winning author, illustrator, and artist who lives in Boulder, Colorado. She received a BFA in Fine Art and a BA in Education from the University of Colorado in 1977. She began her career in fine art and continues to work as a professional artist. Her work is in public and private collections throughout the world. You can visit her at HarrietPeckTaylor.com.

Editorial Reviews

Based on a Wasco Indian story, this arresting picture book debut posits how star constellations came to be. One night Coyote climbs to the moon on a ladder made of arrows in order to discover the secrets of the heavens. There he rearranges the stars ``to make pictures in the sky.'' Afterwards he invites his animal friends to see his creations, and all search for their likenesses in the night air. Taylor's down-to-earth presentation of this magical story adds to its charm. Coyote is a likable fellow, and the arrogance underlying his desire to meddle with the stars is easily forgiven. Striking, batik-like illustrations, on cotton fabric painted with dyes, show violet skies sprinkled with stars, and layered landscapes scenically detailed. This book pulses with the effervescent joy of color and creation, and children will love being swirled into its center. Ages 4-7. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 1-5-Based on a Wasco Native American legend, this dramatically illustrated pourquoi tale explains the designs of the constellations. It is the curious coyote who decides to discover the secrets of the heavens by creating a ladder of arrows he shoots into the sky. Once in the heavens, he moves the stars around forming the shapes of his animal friends, and he calls them all together to enjoy his handiwork. The simple, quickly moving text is luminously illustrated with colorful border designs around some of the text as well as full-and double-page spreads of the constellations, Southwestern landscape, and animals, created by painting dyes on cotton fabric and detailing with the wax-resist batik method. This technique affords an effective white outline of important objects. The onomatopoetic language makes this a natural tale for classroom reading, but the artwork can be best appreciated by independent readers.-Yvonne Frey, Peoria Public Schools, IL

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