The Good Rainbow Road

By Simon J. Ortiz

Book Overview

This is the story of two courageous boys and of how they saved their village. Their village is called Haapaahnitse, Oak Place, and it lies at the foot of a mountain. Once there was a lake and a stream nearby, but they have dried up. Once rain and snow came, but no more. Not only did the crops wither and die, even the hardy oak trees have become brittle sticks. The land has become barren and dry. Two brothers, Tsaiyah-dzehshi, whose name means First One, and Hamahshu-dzehshi, Next One, are chosen for an important mission. They are sent on a westward trek to the home of the Shiwana, the Rain and Snow Spirits, to ask them to bring the gift of water to the village again. The brothers cross deserts and mountains on an arduous journey until they are finally stopped short by a treacherous canyon filled with molten lava. The Good Rainbow Road tells how the brothers overcome this last challenge and continue on to their destination. Written in the tradition of Native American oral storytelling and accompanied by colorful illustrations from celebrated Native artist Michael Lacapa, it brings the powers of language, memory, and imagery to a tale that will captivate children ages seven and up. As Simon Ortiz writes, " The Good Rainbow Road is located in the Native American world, but it is not limited to that world. Even considering humankind's many ethnic and racial differences, we are all part of each other as people and the rest of all Creation, and our stories join us together." This is the foundation of The Good Rainbow Road , and on that road young readers will broaden their understanding of humanity's common bonds. The Good Rainbow Road is presented in Keres, the language of Acoma Pueblo and six other Pueblo communities in New Mexico, and in English, with an additional Spanish translation in the back of the book.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816523401
• ISBN13: 9780816523405
• Release Date: May 2004
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 1.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.3" x 0.8" x 11.3"
• Age Range: 5 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 5

Customer Reviews

The Good Rainbow Road: A Western Heritage Award Winner

If you are looking for an award winning book filled with wisdom and culture, then The Good Rainbow Road is for you. It should occupy shelf space in every child's library. The book's message is deceptively simple and the artwork is stunning. Our family will cherish it for generations.

Enthusiastically recommended Native American story

The Good Rainbow Road is a fable written by contemporary Native American author Simon J. Ortiz. Though it is not based upon any traditional Native American legend, it has been deliberately crafted with the inspiration and narrative style of such. It is a tri-lingual storybook, with its adventurous tale presented in English, Spanish, and the Keres language of the Acoma Pueblo Native Americans. Brightly illustrated by Michael Lacapa in a slightly stylistic manner, The Good Rainbow Road tells of two brothers who set out to rescue their village from drought, yet for one brother, fear is a far more dire obstacle than even the most perilous hazard. The Good Rainbow Road is a most enjoyable and enthusiastically recommended Native American story exposing avid young readers to languages and cultures outside of the mainstream.