You’ve probably heard of the popular fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare,” where the two animals race, and slow-and-steady~ aka the tortoise~ wins the race. But, why did the tortoise agree to race hare in the first place? Was tortoise really trying to defend his own honor and pride, and prove his speed? Or was there another reason why he accepted the challenge? In this Cherolachian Tortoise and Hare Tale, “Otter’s Coat,” prepare to discover the real reason turtle raced rabbit on that fateful day!

Who are the Cherolachian?

After the American Revolution, white settlers were granted war bounty land grants that enabled them to claim large tracts of “unclaimed” land as payment for their military services. As a result, many white settlers migrated into Appalachia after the war. However, Appalachia was far from “unclaimed,” as Native Americans, many of whom were Cherokee, had already lived there. For decades, the white settlers and Native Americans cohabited the land~ with some settlers even marrying Cherokee men and women, and starting families that blended both traditions and cultures.

Then in the 1830s, the Cherokee were forcibly removed from their homeland, walking the Trail of Tears to live on reservations. However, Cherokee who had married white settlers, and their children, escaped the soldiers and were able to stay in their homes in Appalachia. The children of these people who stayed in the mountains were a mix of Cherokee, Irish, Scottish, and Appalachian~ they are the Cherolachian.

About the Book

Split into 5 mini chapters, this Cherolachian retelling of the popular *Tortoise and the Hare* fable reveals the back story behind the famous race. Long ago, when the world was created, each animal was given a special gift. Rabbit was blessed with intelligence~ but unfortunately he would often use his gift to trick the other animals. And this is what would lead Rabbit to stealing Otter’s Coat, and losing the race against Turtle.

The real reason Turtle raced Rabbit: To get Otter’s Coat Back. Together, the animals formulated a plan to trick the Rabbit and help their friend Otter get his coat back. Turtle would race overly-confident Rabbit, and with some clever planning~ would win! But this turtle wasn’t slow-and-steady, he was always ahead of Rabbit the entire race! How exactly did this slow creature manage to outpace a speedy rabbit? Read along to find out!

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I love reading twists on the classics~ and littles are always drawn to the familiarity, and delighted when the story strays or adds on to what they already know. This beautifully illustrated version will captivate them as they track Rabbit’s tricks, and puzzle over the workings of Turtle and the animals’ clever plan. Plus, little will enjoy the interactive element of finding the hidden  chipmunk in the illustrations on each page. Read along with your own copy, or check out MaiStoryBook’s Interactive Read Aloud video featuring “Otter’s Coat” for a reading adventure full of conversation, activity, and fun!

Interactive Read Aloud Video

Read along with MaiStoryBook YouTube for an interactive, shared-reading read aloud of *Otter’s Coat*~ where I ask questions throughout the story, point out main themes and ideas, and introduce vocabulary to keep little learns engaged and participating throughout the story.

About the Author

Also by Cordellya Smith: Kawoni’s Journey Across the Mountain: A Cherokee Little Red Riding Hood.

To learn more about Cordellya visit her website: www.cordeyllasmith.com

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I’d love to  see and hear about your own reading adventures you are having with your little learners, so please share your story times below in the comments ~ Or Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary , FaceBook , find me on TikTok, or contact me via email . I’d love to hear from you!~*