Fifteen traditional tales follow the adventures of Rabbit, the Cherokee trickster Kindergarten-Grade 6-Fifteen short, action-oriented tales about Rabbit, the Cherokee trickster hero. In the title story, Rabbit cheats Otter out of his beautiful fur coat, but then loses the wonderful tail that was his rightful gift from the Creator. Each subsequent story relates to those that precede it, much as they would in an informal story-telling session, yet each also stands alone as a small, humorous teaching tale. Traditional manners and morals, culture, and spirituality are lightly woven into the selections. Rabbit's exploits come to life in language that is as natural as conversation and as easy to listen to. The author, herself Cherokee, is steeped in her culture, yet has the freshness of voice and connection with her audience that make the material come alive for contemporary young readers. The detailed, primitive-style acrylic paintings by a Kentucky-Cherokee artist portray the animals, traditional clothing, and environment with accuracy as well as spontaneity. Some of the pictures appear to be out of place with the text, but otherwise the book design is quite pleasing with its bordered pages and hand-lettered titles. Several of the stories will be familiar to young readers in other forms. "Tar Wolf" is known to many through "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby." "Rabbit Races with Turtle" begins like Aesop's "The Tortoise and the Hare" but takes an unexpected twist at the end. Although the stories are a bit repetitive, all in all this is a sweet offering that will be an enjoyable addition to any collection. Carolyn Polese, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. Ages 5-8. Wilma Mankiller, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, notes the importance of storytelling among Native Americans as she introduces this collection of 15 stories from the Cherokee oral tradition. The highly readable stories feature the Cherokee trickster figure Rabbit, a multidimensional character whose antics often result in trouble. Each story has five to six pages of bordered, large-type text and one full-page, color illustration. The dark-colored paintings create striking visual images for their respective tales. Although each story can stand alone, youngsters' appreciation and understanding of the tales will increase if the logical progression of the book is followed. With stories told and illustrated by individuals of Cherokee descent, this collection is an excellent source for story hours and folktale units. Karen Hutt Fifteen adventures of the vain, clever mischief-maker who is a central figure in Cherokee animal stories, including several pourquoi tales, a cognate of ``Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby,'' and a delightful ``Rabbit Races with Turtle'' in which, for once, Rabbit is bested not by plodding determination but by guile. Each has a full-page illustration enclosed in a patterned border, in deep, intense colors on a dark ground. Both Ross and Jacob are of Cherokee descent. Excellent for telling or reading aloud, to accompany Native American studies, or to compare with rabbit tales from other traditions, this is an entry in the Parabola Storytime Series, which presents stories and myths by leading storytellers, artists, and musicians of Native American tribes, vetted by tribal elders; print versions include illustrations ``from artists authentic to the tradition''; audio versions are available from HarperAudio. (Folklore. 6+) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.