Exploring Navajo Nation or Dine Nation -- Global Learning for Kids & Multicultural Mathematics

Last week we shared some books we used to explore a bit about Arizona from Massachusetts. I even shared some of the pictures my family took in Arizona on our trip across the country when I was young. While flipping through the pictures I noticed pictures labeled near the Navajo Monument and thought it would be fun to learn more about Navajo Nation. I remember fondly stopping to look at the beautiful jewelry made by the Navajo and getting to pick out a bracelet. I wore that bracelet all the time until it broke. So we went off to find some books about the Navajo.

Learning about Indigenous Women with Map and Poster from Tribal Nations Maps

 

Disclosure: Aaron Carapella gave me permission to use his copyrighted photos. They are all copyrighted by his company Tribal Nations Maps.

Although some people still celebrate the holiday as Columbus Day, many are changing it to Indigenous Peoples' Day. I shared years ago about how I feel about Columbus Day. For more reasons to change the day to Indigenous Peoples' Day check out here. To celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day, I turned to my friend Aaron Carapella of Tribal Nations Maps. Years ago I had the pleasure of sharing my prize with you of one of his amazing maps. Since then he has added so many different maps and products. He has added maps Indigenous Peoples of regions of North America as well as Central and South America. 

Books to Celebrate Indigenous People's Day, Native American Heritage Month & More!

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to provide honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Monday is Indigenous People's Day. A great way to celebrate is to learn more about indigenous cultures. Today we are sharing three fun books that share indigenous stories and reading them is a wonderful way to learn about the cultures as well as celebrate. They are great for any time of the year and also for people who want to celebrate in November, Native American Heritage Month. I get really excited about Native American stories and always have and these three are no different. The first book is First Fire: An Algonkian Story retold by Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac and illustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Ultimate Wrap Bracelets -- Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing gave me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation. 

Tonight I am going to share a fun new book and kit called Ultimate Wrap Bracelets by Patrizia Valsecchi and photographer Antonio Attini. This kit comes with beads, buttons, cords, and some charms as well as a cardboard work surface.

Therese Makes a Tapestry

Disclosure: I was sent me a copy of this product free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Today we get to share with you a beautiful new book that is fictional but based on some facts and real people. It is set in France during the reign of King Louis XIV in the Gobelin Manufactory. Therese Makes a Tapestry written by Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs and illustrated by Rennee Graef shares the tale of a young girl, Therese, who lives with her family in the grounds of Gobelin.

Fairy Tales in Different Cultures--Little Gold Star

Make sure you enter my current giveaway for two wonderful children's books!!

Source

With this week being Holy Week, I thought I would share a Cinderella story that has a Christian twist. (With Passover starting this week I considered doing a second Jewish one, but decided to put that off until next week.) I found two versions of today's story. One is told in Spanish and English, however it does not have the Christian twist. Both are called Little Gold Star and take place in the American Southwest--New Mexico to be more precise. Now my experience with New Mexico is very limited. My family traveled across country when I was young and I remember stopping at the Four Corners so we could stand in four states at one time. This was my only time to New Mexico. For those that do not know United States geography well, New Mexico is one of the four states that meet at one point (this is the only place in the US that it happens). The four states are Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.

Sharing Saturday 15-46

Sorry for the delay. Both my Linky Tools subscription and Blogger were giving me issues yesterday. But everything seems to be working today!!

Anyway, thank you to everyone who shared with us last week!! There were many fun ideas shared!! Our features are just a sampling of the wonderful things shared, so if you haven't checked out the rest you should!! The features for this week include Thanksgiving, Educational and Crafts and Gift Ideas. I have also started a new craft link party (the crafts just have to be family appropriate and not kid related) and it is a place to share crafts, reviews of patterns, craft books, etc. and patterns. I hope you will come check it out tomorrow. This past week we also began the new month for Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop--so be sure to stop by to share your multicultural posts and ideas and recipes there.

Shi-shi-etko -- Book Review and Native Residential Schools

Disclosure: Groundwood Books gave me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Imagine being a young girl and being forced to go away from your home and family to go to a boarding school. You have never left your neighborhood, but if you do not go your parents will be arrested. At the school they will not let you keep your name, religion or language. They will try to take away everything about your culture in your life. This is how life was for many Native Americans from around 1876 until the 1990's. Shi-shi-etko by Nicola I. Campbell and illustrated by Kim LaFave tells such a story about a young Native American girl named Shi-shi-etko. 

Fry Bread -- Book Review & More

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today we are going to explore Native American fry bread and share a picture book about it. Fry bread is a bit controversial in the Native American society. Some love it and others hate it due to its history. When Native Americans were forced away from their ancestral lands, they took everything they owned and could carry and walked to new lands which were nothing like their original homelands. One such "walk" is known as the Trail of Tears. Thousands of people died on the long walk. After this displacement, some of which is still occurring, the Native people could not live the way they always had. They could not get the food they knew or even grow the food they usually grew. The United States Government subsidized some basic foods and it is said the Navajos were the first to create fry bread with flour, baking powder, salt and water. 

Books About Kindness, Culture, School, Family, & Friends

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to provide honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

As spring goes on and the school year gets closer to its end, there are some fun new books that are great for teacher gifts, story time at home and so much more! Today we are sharing three books -- a board book and two picture books -- that share kindness, culture, family, friends and school. We will start with the board book. It is ABCs of Kindness at School by Patricia Hegarty and illustrated by Summer Macon. It is recommended for ages 0 to 3 and is part of the Books of Kindness Collection. 

Native American Legends and Picture Books

Today I thought I would share some Native American picture books and legends with you. Hazel and I have been enjoying reading them and I find it such a wonderful way to share the Native American culture with Hazel as well as learn more about it myself. Some of these books we have had a chance to read and others we have not yet. However I wanted to give you a pretty comprehensive list. Also below is the blog hop and giveaway with a newly added bonus prize!! Make sure you enter this week!!

Fun Facts about the Tooth Fairy & Lost Tooth Traditions from Around the World

Did you know that August 22nd (and February 28) is National Tooth Fairy Day? In honor of this fun holiday I am sharing some fun facts about the mysterious Tooth Fairy. No one knows what the Tooth Fairy looks like, but often the Tooth Fairy is betrayed as a female with wings.

Metacomet (aka. King Philip) -- Native American Heritage Month Blog Series and Giveaway

For one of my posts in this year's Native American Heritage Month Blog Series and Giveaway, I thought it was about time I learned more about Metacomet. After all I went to a middle school named in his honor with his English name--King Philip. I knew King Philip was an Native American who had fought a big war, but that was about all I knew. I'm a little sad I didn't learn more about him while at a school named in his honor. Anyway we of course turned to the library.

Wampanoag's Cranberry Day -- Native American Heritage Series & Giveaway

I have a confession to make. Until recently, I did not understand why the Native American mascots were so offensive. I went to a high school where our mascot was a warrior and being a child of the 80's the song, The Warrior, was very popular at our school. Our cross town rival's mascot was a chieftan. I saw these as a way to honor Native Americans and not to insult or hurt them. This fall I have read several articles on-line (Huffington Post and The Guardian) that made me understand why they are hurtful. For some people these are the only images they have of Native Americans. This had not occurred to me since I have always had a fascination with Native American lifestyles, stories and such. I also understand why many Native Americans consider Thanksgiving the National Day of Mourning (see Huffington Post for more on this). Although Native Americans have always held days to honor and be thankful for the harvest, it is hard to watch the country celebrate and reenact a day that lead to so many of their own people's death and the loss of their land. I have written about the Wampanoag, a bit on Squanto and this year we explored Metacomet (King Philip) and I wrote even more about Squanto over at All Done Monkey. To honor the Wampanoag and to learn more about them as part of our Thanksgiving I thought we would explore one of their harvest holidays. I should also refer you to our post on cranberries since the holiday is Cranberry Day.  Our first discovery of this holiday was the book Cranberry Day by Jannette Vanderhoop.