The folktale I read was called The Sun Mother. This folktale was about how the world came to be. Mother Sun woke up in the sky and went down to Earth to awaken all of Earth's creatures.

This story was lovely, and had beautiful illustrations. It showed how Aboriginal Australians thought the world was created. The theme of this story is to protect nature and the environment. It is important for children to see how harmonious the wold is and to cherish it.

This book held numerous folktales from around the world and tell about life lessons. Recipes and activities are included in each story.

I love that this book is interactive and has activities for children to try. This is a great way to integrate lessons about other cultures, and also keep reluctant readers engaged.

I enjoyed this tale as well as the others in the book. They told good lessons about living in harmony with the earth, The illustrations were very fitting for each tale and culture.

Seven traditional stories from around the world are gathered in The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales, each with an environmental theme, each presented with an accompanying craft or project that allows the young reader to become more involved with the narrative. Some of the selections here - like the Aboriginal myth of The Sun Mother, from Australia - are creation stories, explaining how the world came to be, and what humanity's relationship to the earth (and its creatures) ought to look like. Others, like the Nigerian tale, Why the Sky Is Far Away, are pourquoi tale and cautionary fable in one, warning against greed and over-consumption, while explaining a natural phenomenon. Grumpy Gecko, a cumulative tale from Bali, highlights the interdependency of all life, while the Comanche legend, She Who Is Alone, points to the need for balance, for both giving and taking, when it comes to our relationship with the natural world.

Rounding out the selections are The Magic Garden, a Kazakh story in which two unselfish friends use an unexpected windfall to create a beautiful garden that will be of benefit to future generations; Amrita's Tree, a historical legend from the Bishnoi people of India, in which a young girl's brave actions save the forest that is so important to the survival of her people; and Stink Water, a Welsh tale in which a human and fairy couple must work out a plan for waste disposal that is mutually satisfactory. An engaging collection, well worth the time of young folktale lovers and environmentalists, The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales is illustrated in vividly colorful folk-motif style by Anne Wilson, who also collaborated with Dawn Casey on The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac. All in all, a recommended title! ( )