Musicians of the Sun
Kindergarten-Grade 4.  A retelling of an Aztec myth fragment in which the deity Tezcatlipoca, Lord of the Night, sends Wind to bring the musicians of the Sun to Earth, thus making all things joyful and colorful. McDermott has made several additions such as the weapons of thunder and lightning with which Wind bests the Sun, and he changes the clothing of one of the musicians to blue; the rainbow thus created brings color, as well as music, to the gray world. The language is spare and formal, almost like an invocation, full of dignity and drama. The illustrations, in McDermott's signature cinematic style, are wonderful, with the texture of the handmade paper evoking pre-Columbian codices, and the portrayal of the deities showing a knowledge of Aztec art. The colors, created with fabric paint, opaque inks, and oil pastels, are brilliant and intense. A note gives the history of the myth. The story, "How Music Was Made," appears in Irene Nicholson's adult book Mexican and Central American Mythology (Original Artworks, 1967; o.p.), which may be in some YA collections; a truncated version of it appears in John Bierhorst's The Hungry Woman (Morrow, 1993). Picture-book versions of Aztec myths suitable for sharing with classes are scarce, however, and this one should be welcome, especially since it is dignified enough to use with older children.?Pam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.