Sun Songs

And if the whirling spindle of the fates
Threats from the starry webs pernicion dire,
Thy sounding shafts with force resistless send,
And vanquish ere it fall th' impending ill.

(Proclus, Hymn to Helios, as translated by Thomas Taylor)

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What it all comes down to
 Is that everything's gonna be fine, fine, fine—!
'Cause I've got one hand in my pocket
 And the other one is giving a high five!

(Alanis Morisette, One Hand in my Pocket)

Planetary Picture Books

My eldest daughter was born on a Wednesday, and she lives up to a Mercurial nature: she loves to read, and we go through many books every evening. (The library has a program called "1000 Books Before Kindergarten" and we go through that many in a couple months, easy.) Surely, though, I am not the only parent around here, and I thought it might be fun to pick out and share some of her favorites in case others are hunting around for good stories for their children.

And, because I'm a nerd, I figured I'd pick one for each planet.

The Sun: Iktomi Loses His Eyes, from Iktomi (series), Paul Goble

Everyone loves "trickster tales:" Anansi, Br'er Rabbit, Coyote, and the like. Iktomi is the Lakota variant of this character, whose ego and hubris are matched only by how he always seems to come out on top of all the trouble he gets himself into. My daughter loves the entire series, but says that "Iktomi Loses His Eyes" is her favorite: in it, Iktomi learns a magic spell which goes awry (of course).

The Moon: Burger Boy, Alan Durant

This is a tale of gluttony and metamorphosis, both lunar themes. My daughter cackles in glee at the wackiness of the fable, but I liked how the author didn't stoop to teach a cheap moral, but properly completed the story arc with a sophisticated one.

Mars: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, from Aladdin (Great Fairy Tale Classics), Peter Holeinone

I found this collection of stories retold from the Arabian Nights at a thrift store, I think, and it was perhaps one of the best finds we've ever had: we've read it a dozen or more times. It has some very familiar stories, like Aladdin, and some less familiar ones, like the Parrot Shah or the Weeping Princess, but my daughter is as morbid as I am, and her favorite is Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Full of gods, spirits, and magic.

Mercury: The Boy of the Three Year Nap, Dianne Snyder

This is a mischief story and no mistake, where a player gets played at his own game. Notably for this blog, the story prominently features a genii loci as well (well, sort of).

Jupiter: Dear Mili, Wilhelm Karl Grimm

This is a story of prayer, beneficence, and guardian angels. I was very proud that as I read it to my daughter the first time, she correctly identified every single spiritual theme: one of those moments where one pauses to themselves and says, "Wow, she really has been listening!" (Until at least, she points at the book and says, "Keep reading, daddy.")

Venus: Chirri and Chirra, from Chirri and Chirra (series), Kaya Doi

Two little girls go and play in the forest with the animals. No grown ups, no morals, just fun. (I wish we had a forest cafe to go hang out at.)

Saturn: Farmer Boy, from The Little House on the Prarie (series), Laura Ingalls Wilder

My daughter is getting old enough now that we're starting to get into chapter books, but these are hit and miss. The single biggest hit has been Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series: we've read most of them and my daughter is simply fascinated by it all. I asked her which of the series has been her favorite, and she said Farmer Boy, and I think it's my favorite, too: while it purports to tell "a year in the life" of a farmer's child in the 1800's, it possesses a good, clear story arc, and the characters are all relatable and interesting.