Ten Suns

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kimmel, Eric. 1998. Ten Suns: A Chinese Legend. Ill. by Yongsheng Xuan. New York, NY: Holiday House, Inc.  ISBN 0823413179

PLOT SUMMARY

In this Chinese legend retold by Eric Kimmel, Di Jun and his wife, Xi He, have ten sons (ten suns).  Di Jun is the god who rules the part of the sky where the sun comes up.  Every morning before dawn one of the sons would walk across the sky starting on the eastern horizon and finishing in the west bringing warmth and light to the earth.  The sons complain that walking across the sky day after day and all alone is boring.  They all decide that they will enjoy their task a lot more if they walk across the sky together.  The people of earth wake up to see ten suns in the sky, crops dying, forests on fire, lakes and rivers dried up, and the sea boiling due to the excessive heat.  The heat was too much for the people and animals to bear and they eventually would die.  The people's cries to Di Jun awoke he and his wife and they realized what their sons had done.  The suns defied their father's orders to come out of the sky, so he called on the Archer of Heaven to use a magic bow and arrow to shoot down the ten suns.  Nine of the sons were shot with the arrows, leaving one still in the sky.  As they were shot, they each fell to earth and became a crow.  In their new lives as crows, they greet their brother every morning, "Gua! Gua!" as he begins his walk across the sky.   

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Eric Kimmel's retelling of one of the oldest Chinese myths, Ten Suns, seeks to explain why there is only one sun in the sky.  The superhuman skills of the characters in the story combined with the explanation of how the sun came to be in the sky will fascinate young readers.  The use of traditional Chinese names throughout the book adds to the authenticity of the tale.  Respecting your elders, understanding the consequences of your actions, and following directions are themes that are present within this story.  Kimmel's descriptive details capture the reader and will keep kids interested in finding out how the story will end.

Yongsheng Xuan uses beautiful, bold illustrations that are filled with bright colors that captivate the audience.  He used a "dry painting method" where watercolor is used with lines drawn by watercolor pens, pencils, and crayons in Ten Suns.  Because the illustrations are so detailed and correlate so well with the text, they add another dimension to the story.  The use of traditional Chinese symbols and dress within the illustrations throughout the book remind the reader that this is a Chinese legend with deep cultural roots.  

AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPTS

"Master storyteller Kimmel takes a traditional Chinese legend and gives it a fresh retelling." "Kimmel's narrative and the dramatic illustrations by Chinese artist Xuan work wonderfully together to create a beautiful tale of Chinese gods, misuse of power, and heroism that restores the faith of a people." Booklist (Vol. 94, No. 17 (May 1, 1998))

"The varied vibrant colors, shapes, and textures are a feast: Sinews pop from trees, muscles bulge on the archer, garments roil and flow from the gods. Combined with Kimmel's simple yet captivating retelling, these evocative illustrations will appeal to readers and listeners alike."  Kirkus Reviews (1998)

CONNECTIONS

-Listen to Eric Kimmel read some of his latest stories http://ericakimmel.com/hear-a-story/

-Read Eric's answers to kid's questions and ask one of your own!  http://ericakimmel.com/ask-eric/

Sun Folktales:

-Grandmother Spider brings the sun : a Cherokee story by Geri Keams ; illustrated by James Bernardin  ISBN: 0-87358-694-8

-The archer and the sun : a tale from China by Rob Cleveland ; illustrated by Baird Hoffmire. ISBN: 0-87483-878-9

-Anansi and the Sky Kingdom  by Bobby & Sherry Norfolk ; illustrated by Baird Hoffmire ISBN: 0-87483-881-9

Chinese Folktales:

- Lon Po Po : a Red-Riding Hood story from China  by Ed Young. ISBN: 0-399-21619-7

-Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel; illustrated by Blair Lent. ISBN: 0-8050-0662-1

-Yeh-Shen : a Cinderella story from China by Ai-Ling Louie;  illustrated by Ed Young. ISBN: 0-399-20900-X