num_pages: 32
description: Young Kunu wants to make a pack basket on his own. He's watched his dad and his grandfather make baskets on Indian Island, but now that he's trying to make one for himself, it's not as easy as he thought it would be. Kunu isn't a quitter, but he gets so frustrated that he has to go outside to cool off. When his grandfather asks Kunu to help him with some basket-making tasks, Kunu comes to understand that it is the tradition in his family for one generation to help the next. He also learns that it might take several tries before he gets it right. Can he be patient enough to try again and again? His grandfather shows him the way, and at last Kunu's first basket is something to celebrate.There aren't many picture books about contemporary Native American children. Lee Francis has shaped a story that gives Native children a mirror that reflects their modern life but also explores themes common to all children: difficulty attempting a new task; wanting to do something "by myself"; and having to be patient to try again and again before getting it right. Susan Drucker's gentle illustrations pair beautifully with this family story set on Indian Island.Lee DeCora Francis (Penobscot/HoChunk) comes from both the Penobscot Indian Nation in Maine and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. She is a teacher at the tribal elementary school located at the Penobscot Nation. She lives on Indian Island in Maine with her husband, two beautiful sons, and their cat.Susan Drucker has loved drawing and painting since she was a child. She has been a freelance and staff illustrator for several magazines and newspapers, and has shown her artwork in galleries throughout Maine. She lives with her husband in Bowdoinham, Maine, and has two grown children. She is thankful to have had the opportunity to learn about the Penobscot Indians while working on this book. More of her artwork can be seen at www.susandrucker.mosaicglobe.com
language: English
title: Kunu's Basket: A Story from Indian Island
publisher: Tilbury House Publishers