Art Coulson

This small but important collection includes two illustrated stories and a third section called "Cherokee Life Today," with information and photos.

In "The Reluctant Storyteller," Maurice Tenkiller resists the perceived expectation that he become an oral storyteller like many others in his family, but his family actually encourages him to be his own person - which in his case, means expressing himself through cooking ("Helping to feed his family was part of a larger family tradition he had show more never really thought much about").

"His mother once told him that her father, his grandfather, had talked the quills off an angry porcupine in their backyard in Oklahoma.
'That's how we got possums,' she said."

In the second story, "The Energy of the Thunder Beings," young Saloli ventures up a mountain called Standing Man, in search of hickory wood to make sticks to play anetsodi. His mother warns him not to go up there, but although he disregards this warning, he takes into account the stories she has told about the mountain and the Thunder Beings and the Little People who live there. In this way, Saloli is able to make the trip safely and return successfully ("You didn't take what wasn't yours. And you knew the right words to say").

In the third section, Traci Sorell presents facts about Cherokee life today, including a map of the Cherokee Nation, a few words and a pronunciation guide, and photographs. show less

Through investigation, Bo discovers the perfect container to display his marble collection at the Cherokee National Holiday festival.

For months, Bo has worked hard on painting round stones to make homemade marbles. He is finally old enough to sell them at his family’s craft booth. His grandma, Elisi, says there is only so much space at the table so he will need to find something to hold the marbles. She sends him to “look around. Just don’t make a big ol’ mess!” Bo hunts through show more the boxes in his room, but nothing is big enough. When he finds a large tray, Elisi says, “Tla.…Our booth is small. Your container needs to fit on this mat.” Bo carries the mat around the house, experimenting with containers of different shapes and sizes. He dumps out the contents of a ribbon box, a tool crate, and a tall vase, but nothing works. He is about to give up and ask for help when he empties the contents of a basket. His marbles fit perfectly! Elisi’s house is a mess, but Bo has found just the right container to show and sell his homemade marbles. Incorporating snatches of Cherokee, Coulson’s (Cherokee) tale conveys the challenges of estimating volume even as it develops three-dimensional characters and their affectionate relationship. Goodnight’s (Chickasaw) illustrations are lively and full of details specific to Cherokee culture.

This fun, math-inspired story will empower children to keep trying until they succeed. (author’s note, glossary, math activities) (Picture book. 3-6)

-Kirkus Review show less

With care and warmth, the importance of every person is embraced.

There's only one more week of school, and Clay has yet to be the Star of the week. So, he asks his grandmother, elisi, for advice. Instead of actions he can take, she questions the entire thought of being the star. While this confuses Clay, at first, his elisi leads him through an explanation, which broadens his horizons in the best ways.

The second I saw the cover, I was intrigued. The watercolor gives off a lovely, gentle show more atmosphere while the bead work adds unique and beautiful details. This style continues through the entire book. It's worth flipping through the pages and getting lost in this finely placed artwork. Plus, I bet more than a few readers/ listeners wouldn't mind filtering this idea into an art project.

As for the story, it flows well. It's more atmospheric and holds words of wisdom for thought and digestion. It is well-suited to the audience level and works as a nice read-aloud, especially leading into themes such as working together, respecting others, humility, and community. The setting makes it a nice fit to classroom and group settings, since it illustrates how everyone is important, no one more than anyone else.

This is a lovely read with tons of goodness. show less

This is an odd little book -- more of a collection of short stories than a linear narrative. Almost feels like a magazine, and the illustrations are compelling. I am deeply amused at Chooch's loathsome teenager attitude and delighted at how his uncles manage to connect with him anyway.