The Chief's Blanket
Grade 1-3AStunning watercolor paintings in brilliant hues glow throughout this tale about giving and receiving. Set in Navajo country during the 1800s, the story focuses on a respected but aging weaver, Mockingbird Song, and her granddaughter, Flower After the Rain. When members of another tribe want to buy a warm and colorful blanket, the girl is chosen to weave it. While the work is progressing, she sees that her grandmother is having difficulty getting around, but the elderly woman refuses her help. When the blanket is finished, the girl decides not to sell it. Instead, with help from a friend, she trades it for a pair of horses to ease her grandmother's travels and plans to make a second blanket. An author's note explains that wealthy members of Plains tribes commissioned Navajo blankets in this manner during this period. The mood, actions, and attitudes all ring true. The younger weaver's excitement, fears, and love for her grandmother are clearly and warmly shown, but it's the illustrations that really shine.ADarcy Schild, Schwegler Elementary School, Lawrence, KSCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.