Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. Jingle Dancer. Ill. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publisher. ISBN: 0-8307-2852-2.
Plot Summary:
Jenna wants nothing more than to participate in the tribe's powwow and jingle dance, so she begins practicing the traditional dance by watching video tapes of her grandmother's past performances. She has a problem though, she does not have a dress that "sings" to wear in the performance. She eventually has enough jingles for her dress and she is able to dance in the family powwow.
Critical Analysis:
This is a wonderful story of family traditions and how family members can work together to support and encourage each other and pass down traditons. It is also a great demonstration of how older and younger family members can come together and create strong relationships as well as memories and traditions to carry on. Although this story involves todays Native American family, any child could relate to the story of family members loving and encouraging one another. There are various Native American terms used throughout the story giving it an authentic feel and introducing readers to those terms. The illustrations are amazing and full of detail and color. They intertwine modern American life in the illustrations but also include a variety of Native American artifacts in the pictures as well. This would be a wonderful springboard for classroom discussions.
Review Excerpts:
School Library Journal: "a welcome addition to stories about traditions passed down by woman of culture."
Connections:
www.cynthialeitichsmith.com Cynthia Leitich Smith, Official author site and home of CHILDREN'S & YA LITERATURE RESOURCES. This site includes teachers' guides for her books.
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