The Christmas Coat

The Christmas Coat: Memories of my Sioux Childhood

Bibliography

Driving Hawk Sneve, Virginia. 2011. THE CHRISTMAS COAT: MEMORIES OF MY SIOUX CHILDHOOD. Ill. by Ellen Beier. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN 9780823421343

Plot Summary

Based on an experience from the author's childhood, The Christmas Coat is about young Virginia who needs to new coat because hers is too small. Her family has always taught that others are more in need than Virginia's family, so Virginia must watch as coats go to other children. She then receives a huge surprise at the end of the book.

Critical Analysis

It is always inspiring to read books based on the author's own experiences. This book by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve is based on a memory of hers from her childhood. The author keeps the story and language simple for kids to read and enjoy and also to learn from. The idea of putting others before ourselves and looking out for those in our community is a message that should resonate with all and inspire those to help others. We see how young Virginia obeys her mother and father in this regard and shows how she is then rewarded for it. This book also can introduce readers to the idea of the theast boxes and what they meant to the Native American communities that got them.

The illustrator of this book, Ellen Beier, uses soft colors to paint the story which works greatly with the wintery setting. She does a great job of catching the emotions of the characters, such as Evelyn's happiness at her new coat and Virginia's jealously we can see on her face as she sits in the background. Virginia's new red coat pops out of the page and helps the reader to realize its importance in the plot and how meaningful it is to Virginia. 

This book is a wonderful story from a Native American author that weaves a story of how we can show compassion towards others and how good deeds are rewarded.

Review Excerpts

Horn Book Guide: "With its authentic portrait of a Sioux childhood and Christmas traditions (captured in watercolor and gouache illustrations) and its eventual happy ending, this is a quiet but affecting picture book."

School Library Journal: "Based on the author's 1940s childhood on a Sioux reservation in South Dakota, this richly descriptive narrative is well matched by detailed and expressive watercolors."

Publishers Weekly: "Beier’s detailed, pastel-dominated watercolor and gouache paintings affectingly convey Virginia’s swirling emotions as she tries to reconcile her longing for the coat, her jealousy of the girl who gets it, and her obedience to her mother, which is eventually rewarded."

Connections

More by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve: The Trickster and the Troll

                                                                 Lana's Lakota Moons

                                                                Dancing Teepees

More Native American Picture Books: Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child, Jonathan Thunder

                                                               Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Cornelius Van Wright

                                                               Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble

                                                               Maillard, Juana Martinez-Neal

Activity: Talk about ways that you can support your community like in the book.

The Birchbark House

 

Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two

 

Firekeeper's Daughter

 

Yum! MmMm! Que Rico!

Yum! MmMm! Que rico!: America's Sproutings

Bibliography

Mora, Pat. 2007. YUM! MMMM! QUE RICO!: AMERICA'S SPROUTINGS. Illus. by Rafael Lopez. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 9781584302711

Plot Summary

A collection of haikus written about foods native to the Americas. Includes brief paragraphs giving the history of the food and where it originates.

Critical Analysis

Pat Mora's collection of foody haikus is a fun read and a great introduction for kids to haikus. Each haiku has unique and fun vocabulary and bouncy rhythm. Young readers can learn about the origins of these delicious foods from reading the poems and the paragraphs on each page that give background information over where these foods originate and fun facts about them. Mora knows how to write a poem and makes this a hard to put down book.

Paired with Mora's fantastic words are Rafael Lopez's colorful and eye catching artwork. His illustrations are fun to look at and make you hungry for these mouth-watering foods. Lopez uses acrylic in his pictures, which brings life to the words and immerses the reader. 

Pat Mora continues to make fun books that also teach students about food history and language arts. 

Review Excerpts

Texas Bluebonnet Award Shortlist

Kirkus Reviews: "More interesting as social science than as poetry, but visually gorgeous."

Booklist: "This inventive stew of food haiku celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas. Each of the 13 poems appears on a gloriously colorful double-page spread, accompanied by a sidebar that presents information about the origin of the food. . . this will provide lots and lots of lip-smacking fun that teachers can use to supplement social studies and language arts units; they can also share one poem at a time, between other subjects."

Connections

More by Pat Mora: "Tomas and the Library Lady"

                                " Dona Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart"

                                "A Pinata in a Pine Tree: A Latino Twelve Days of Christmas"

More Illustrated by Rafael Lopez: "The Day You Begin" by Jacqueline Woodson

                                                        "Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You" by Sonia Sotomayor

                                                        "Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President                                                          Lincoln by Margarita Engle

Activity: Students will write their own haikus about some of their favorite foods