Published by Charlesbridge

Summary:  Waking up on powwow day is usually exciting, but this year River has been sick and has to watch from the sidelines.  She dresses up and goes with her family, watching as her friend gets ready to dance.  She tries to dance the Grand Entry but can’t feel the drumbeat and ends up getting led back to her seat by her older sister.  Finally, it’s time for the jingle dance.  As River watches the girls dance, she starts to feel stronger and is finally able to stand, filled with a sense of certainty that she will be dancing at next year’s powwow.  Includes two pages of information about the powwow, a brief author’s note, and a list of sources.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Another beautiful book by Traci Sorrell who masterfully weaves details about the powwow into River’s story and includes lots more information at the end (the history of the jingle dress dance and its connection to healing was particularly interesting).  The illustrations perfectly capture the colors and movement of the dancers.

Cons:  I can always enjoy a photo or two in the back matter.

February 20, 2022 at 05:03PM Janet Dawson