Pages: 32
Age range: 2-5
Publisher: Groundwood Books (March 2008)
Source of book: Review copy from publisher
Niwechihaw/I Help by Caitlin Dale Nicholson w/ Leona Morin-Neilson
I'm always on the lookout for books that celebrate different cultures, help children feel a sense of pride in their heritage, and encourage children to develop an understanding and appreciation of a culture that may be different from their own. In just 24 beautifully-illustrated pages, Niwechihaw/I Help, Caitlin Dale Nicholson's bilingual picture book in Cree and English achieves this.
In the book, a young Tahltan* boy follows his "kôhkom," or grandmother through the bush picking rosehips. He observes and imitates her as she walks, listens, prays, etc., and along the way, learns more about his culture.
Written in simple repetitive phrases, the Cree word is followed by the English word.
"Kôhkom pimohtew./ Kôhkom walks./Nipimohtan./I walk."
Nicholson's soft acrylic-on-canvas illustrations give the book a feeling of reverence and awe and focus on the beauty of the earth and the loving relationship between the boy and his Kôhkom.
At the end of book is a recipe for rosehip tea, again written in both Cree and English. My only wish is that the book had a pronunciation key for the Cree words or an accompanying CD so children could hear the beauty of the language spoken by a native Cree speaker.
This is a special book that Tahltan children will cherish. Nicholson's message to her children at the end of the book sums it up: "I hope you stay strong and proud of who are you as Tahltan people with good minds and hearts. This book reflects the education that the elders are giving you...."
Even if you're not Tahltan, Niwechihaw/I Help, is a great introduction to Native American cultures and will help your child develop an interest in and respect for different cultures.
*The Taltan are a Native American people located in the northern British Columbia area. .
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Blog: The Well-Read Child (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Blog: OUPblog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Geography, A-Featured, Ben's Place of the Week, owls, prypiat, ukraine, egrets—just, cranes, bison, harmfully, boars, Add a tag
Coordinates: 51 20 N 30 15 E
Former Population: 49,000
It’s not altogether uncommon to come across ghost towns around the world, and in fact, in the western United States, some of these former settlements have become tourist attractions. The abandoned city of Prypiat, a short distance from Ukraine’s capital in Eastern Europe, is a different story. Evacuated in 1986 following the Chernobyl disaster, it remains deserted due to radiation levels that will stay at harmfully high levels for the foreseeable future. (more…)
This snowy owl - I do love the arctic climes - is my contribution to the Keene State Festival Owl Project. Its taken me a while to get this together, but it's in the mail this afternoon. Enjoy!
Blog: Needle Book (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: home, house, owls, Add a tag
Today we're closing on the purchase of our new house. And for some reason I felt like saying goodbye from our old home. I can't wait to show you our new house - especially the new arts & crafts "studio" (which will still have to be a corner of another room). The old sewing corner is now completely dismantled and in boxes. It's chaos here right now!
For the last few weeks I've been trying to clear things out, and sort through all our things, rethinking things I've been holding on to for years. We also acquired a few new bits and pieces, some different furniture, and things we never used to need such as chairs for our backyard. It's been so much fun imagining how we want our home to be, with a fresh start and a bit of extra room. But mainly it's been about letting things go.
So it doesn't make any sense that I bought this mug recently at Goodwill. I didn't need it but when I tried to put it down it kept sitting on the shelf looking like something I already own and should remember to take home with me. I've added it to my secretary desk which is the last thing I have left to pack up, since it's full of the things I use every day. I love the brown layers of glaze at the bottom, the pretty oak leaves and acorns but most of all those two sweet owls. I hope they like the new house!
best of luck in your new home.
we are house hunting at the moment so all that packing is in my future as well.
So excited for you!!! Can't wait to see pictures about all the decorating! Bye old place and hello new!
I hope that your move goes well, and that you find everything when you unpack.
This is the first time I've seen your blog, I'm exploring the links on Bella Dia, but anyway, you would have been insane to leave that mug at goodwill. Maybe that's my crazy obsession with vintage owls talking, I don't know, but I can't help but think that there's always room for a treasure like that one.
changes are always good! best of luck ! hope to hear from you soon :) loving the new house i bet! :D