Illustrated by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley
4 stars
A sweet, gentle story of tradition, family, and ceremony.
As Tatiana grows, her grandmother makes her different ribbon skirts to celebrate important events. Each skirt portrays meaning through the colors and symbols used.
Sweet and lyrical. A touching story of quality time spent with grandparents, the accomplishments of women and girls, and the power of tradition to connect generations. The story is a bit text-heavy but the repetition throughout helps provide balance.
The lovely, bright illustrations help bring the story to life.
The backmatter includes an Author’s Note with additional information about ribbon skirts including their original creation, spiritual and political significance, famous women who have worn them to important events, and how appliqué is used to highlight symbols. There is also information about manoomin, a glossary of Ojibwe words used in the book, and a note from Cynthia Leitich Smith.
A lovely story perfect for celebrating Ojibwe culture and tradition, and for learning more about ribbon skirts.