For new and emerging readers, two books have just hit the shelves: a Mohawk tale reminiscent of ­Aesop’s famous race, this time featuring a bear and a turtle; and another bear and turtle, plus a red-tailed hawk, who help stir a sleeping sun in a story from the Santa Ynez Chumash reservation.

David, Arihhonni. Who Will Win? illus. by author. 32p. (I Like to Read). Holiday House. Apr. 2023. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780823449484.
PreS-Gr 1–Written by a member of the Mohawk Nation, this beginning reader opens with a Native youth asking an elder to tell a story. What follows, based on a Native American tale, features a turtle and a bear racing across a stretch of ice. “Bear has fast legs” and runs over the ice, while Turtle, with his “fast mind,” races beneath. Though Bear speeds along, Turtle is somehow always ahead, popping up through holes in the ice. When Turtle wins, a twist reveals that he had some help along the way, and he shares the prize with Bear. Short, simple sentences and repeated words and phrases make the text accessible to emergent readers. A few Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) words used in the opening and closing are defined on the copyright page. The illustrations, rendered digitally, capture a snowy winter setting in shades of blue, green, and brown, and successfully convey the energy and movement of the race. The bear is particularly expressive. VERDICT This clever tale should find a place in most collections, especially given the lack of Indigenous voices and representation in the beginning reader format.–Lauren Strohecker

Knight, JohnTom. Snoozing Sun: Spirit Rangers. 24p. (Step into Reading). Random. Jan. 2023. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780593571033; pap. $5.99. ISBN 9780593571026.
K-Gr 2–A book based on a groundbreaking Netflix series. The Spirit Rangers are the spirit animal forms of three children: Kodi, Summer, and Eddy, who are Junior Park Rangers at Spirit Park. They transform into a grizzly bear cub, a red-tailed hawk, and a turtle, respectively, to help the park when there is trouble. When the sun doesn’t set on time because it falls asleep, the three children transform into their spirit animal forms to wake it up with the help of a mighty condor. This adventurous story of a sleeping sun and a brave condor is based on a story from the Santa Ynez Chumash reservation, creating an opportunity for young readers to access traditional Indigenous storytelling through fun characters and bright, engaging illustrations. The “Spirit Rangers” Netflix series is created and executive produced by a Santa Ynez Chumash member, while many of the show’s staff are also Indigenous. The result is a story that entertains and informs with cultural authenticity. The text in this early reader is age appropriate, offering young readers the chance to develop their literacy skills. VERDICT An early reader that catches young readers’ attention and becomes a doorway to legendary stories from marginalized communities.–Casey O’Leary