Read about it at Cynsations, where Cynthia Leitich Smith has an interview with the illustrator, Ellen Beier.
What I find intriguing about the cover is the children in traditional clothing looking at the Christmas tree. If you were at my mom and dad's home at Nambe Pueblo on Christmas Eve, you'd see something like that.... Those of us who were dancing that night would be in traditional clothes, and, there'd be a Christmas tree there, too.
Definitely looking forward to reading it!
2 comments:
Looking forward to this bicultural Christmas story.
I was fortunate enough to find a copy of this new picture-book recently, Debbie, and enjoyed reading it! Despite some differences in background (I am not native at all), I found that I really identified with some aspects of the story. Like the author, I too was the daughter of a minister, and have childhood memories of boxes of hand-me-downs arriving at my home. I also recall that feeling of being set apart, because of my father's position.
The three little boys in Plains regalia, that you mention in your post, are meant to be the Three Wise Men, in the Nativity play put on by the church's children. Their appearance in this dress causes a stir (a positive one) in the story, and provides a lovely depiction, I thought, of the adaptation of religious stories to fit the cultural needs of the audience.
Abigail
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