Independent Reading Level: 1st to 3rd

Awards: None

Musicians of the Sun is similar to many of Caldecott Medalist and honoree Gerald McDermott's other traditional literature books. This book retells Axtec folklore. The Lord of the Night (the Aztec god Tezcatlipoca), sends the Wind god (Ehecatl) to bring the prisoners of the Sun god (Tonatiuh) - four musicians named Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green, to the "gray and joyless," dark and silent earth. In his author's note, McDermott said "the story became for me a metaphor for the author's journey," and that the illustrations are "in acrylic fabric paint, opaque ink, and oil pastel on paper handmade in Mexico." ( )

I enjoyed reading the tale of the sun, wind and moon. The illustrations are very stricking.

I love this book! I envision each character having a sound and the children can listen to the story by being one of the characters and playing their instrument as they hear the name in the book. Not only would that make the book visually exciting, but turn it into a listening skill practice as well. ( )