"To this day, when Cherokee people eat strawberries, they are reminded to always be kind to each other, to remember that friendship and respect are as sweet as the taste of ripe red berries."

With sincerity and genuineness, Joseph Bruchac presents readers with a heartwarming Cherokee tale that focuses on friendship and kindness. After a quarrel, a married couple separate. As his wife briskly walks away, the husband feels remorseful and receives help catching up with her from the sun. The sun makes several unsuccessful attempts to capture the wife's attention. It brightened its light and grew raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. All attempts went unnoticed to the woman until strawberries appear. The beautiful glow of the strawberries mesmerizes the woman and reminds her of how sweet her life is with her husband.

Vojtech's illustrations help create the warmth and sincerity of the story. The husband and wife are featured with smooth distinctive brownish skin tones and dark hair. The illustrations feature the characters in traditional accessories and attire that are accentuated with Native American designs. The scenic illustrations of mountains, trees and sunsets are not overbearing and complement the simple yet profound text. While this story features a heartwarming lesson, it may not be the best choice for sharing with children as a single reading selection. The illustrations contain stereotypes that should not be shared with children without discussing modern Native American culture.