Why the Sun and Moon live in the Sky

Retold by: Elphinstone Dayrell
Illustrator: Blair Lent
Award: Caldecott Honor Book
Grades: Pre K-3rd

Summary:
     An African folktale about how the Sun is friends with the Water and used to always visit him but was upset that Water would never come visit him. Water said it was because his house was not big enough to keep all of his friends in, so Sun and his wife, Moon, build a larger house for Water to come visit them. Well Water and all of his friends came and overfilled the house pushing both the Sun and Moon into the sky where they stay watching over the Water.

Evaluation:
     I loved this folktale because it has a unique explanation about the relationship between the Sun, Moon and Water. I would use this in my class to teach that folktales are found in different cultures. I can also use this in a science lesson leading up to topics around the Sun, Moon and Water and ask the students what they already know about them and read them this folktale for fun, explaining that it is just a story that is not true but still fun to read and learn about another culture.