Weaving a California Tradition: A Native American Basketmaker (We Are Still Here)

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6. Text and photographs combine to explain the tradition of basket weaving as carried on among the Native American tribes of California. Readers follow Carly Tex, an 11-year-old Western Mono, to school, to lessons in traditional basket weaving, and to many stops along the way. Carly and her relatives are shown to be very much a part of modern America, as well as a continuing bridge between their own cultural past and the future. Although basket weaving, from the gathering and preparing of materials to the final product, is the main focus of the book, many other traditions are touched upon?even some that have been newly adopted from other native tribes. Clear, bright full-color photographs appear on every page, filled with warmth and showing the pride Carly and her family feel about difficult tasks done well. A few black-and-white drawings supplement the photographs. Unfortunately, some of the technical aspects of preparing the weaving materials are too complicated for young non-weavers to follow from the text alone, and illustrations of these techniques are not included.?Darcy Schild, Schwegler Elementary School, Lawrence, KS
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

TITLR A Native American Basketmaker.YAmane, Linda. Gr. 3^-6. The latest photo-essay in the We Are Still Here series (another is Susan Braine's Drumbeat--Heartbeat: A Celebration of the Powwow, 1995) introduces 11-year-old Western Mono Indian Carly Tex as she learns the ancient art of basket weaving from her mother and aunts. Yamane recounts the Tex family's expeditions to gather natural materials such as redbud and sedge, shows typical decorations used in California Indian weaving, and explains two techniques--coiling and twining. She emphasizes the time and effort involved, which allows most weavers to complete only one or two baskets per year. She also describes Carly's home, school, and family, pointing out that her life is similar to other American girls her age. Frequent, clear full-color photographs add interest, and several black-and-white drawings clarify the weaving process. Appended with a glossary and a bibliography, this will be useful for multicultural units and a treat for browsers.