Kid Review

Kid Review – Wisdom Weavers – picture book

Posted on by mouttet.menagerie

Kaagegaabaw, James Vukelich. Wisdom Weavers: Explore the Ojibwe Language and the Meaning of Dream Catchers. Illustrated by Marcus Trujillo. New York: The Quarto Group, 2024.

Guide to categories: Kid Review – review of books for elementary-aged and younger children

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Summary

Follow a day in the life of a young, mixed heritage Ojibwe child and learn key words and phrases from the Ojibwe language in this enchantingly illustrated children’s book.

*2024 Midwest Independent Booksellers Association Holiday Selection*

The Ojibwe people are the largest Indigenous group of Turtle Island, now known as North America, and live around the present-day Great Lakes. After their land was taken by Europeans, many Ojibwe children were placed in boarding schools that forbid them to use their native language. Though this led to a decline in fluent speakers, there is a growing movement to restore the strength of the Ojibwe language.

In Ojibwe culture, adream catcher (izhi’on) protects people, especially children, from harm by catching bad dreams in its web and allowing good dreams to pass through the feathers hanging at the bottom.

Wisdom Weavers introduces children to the Ojibwe language from an Indigenous perspective. International speaker, author, and creator of Ojibwe Word of the Day, James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw, presents a selection of words and phrases throughout the day while his son learns about the Ojibwe tradition of the dream catcher. Created with children ages 6 to 11 (beginner- to mid-level readers) in mind, Wisdom Weavers is an engaging and accessible way for children to discover the Ojibwe language and learn key phrases and words like:

  • How to welcome the morning – Mino-giizhigad 
  • How to say I love you – Gizhawenimin
  • How to be grateful – Miigwech
  • How to make an offering – Biindaakoojige
  • School – Gikinoo’amaadiiwigamig
  • Tree – Mitig
  • Backpack –Bimiwanaan
  • Sun – Giizis
  • And more!

This inspiring story features a total of 73 words and phrases to learn in Ojibwe, introduced throughout the visually captivating and representative scenes showing an average day in an Ojibwe family from illustrator Marcus Trujillo, a tribal member with the Pueblo of Laguna in affiliation with the Village of Paraje. Also featuring a brief history of the Ojibwe people and language and a culturally accurate how-to guide for making a dream catcher at home, Wisdom Weavers immerses young people in a vibrant traditional culture while helping to keep the Ojibwe language and customs alive.

Purchase Wisdom Weaver on Amazon – https://amzn.to/4h0z7Hh

My Kid Review

Learning about Native Cultures is a passion I developed during my 20 years on the Navajo Reservation. Wisdom Weavers is a book written by an Ojibwe and explores the Ojibwe language in a way that children can understand. Each page has a QR code that takes readers to a website where they can hear the word in question pronounced. There is also a list of 60 additional Ojibwe words with QR Codes at the back of the book. This could be a great teaching tool for learning some words in Ojibwe.

The words are introduced in the context of a modern Ojibwe boy’s daily activities and interactions with his father. Woven into the story is the history of dream catchers, their use, and how to make them. Detailed instructions are included at the back of the book. The story is a bit stilted and doesn’t flow smoothly but the information is good. 

Author James Kaagegaabaw is an Ojibwe who played a part in the Ojibwe Language Dictionary Project making him well-qualified to write this story. Illustrator Marcus Trujillo is a member of the Laguna Pueblo who focuses on illustrating children’s books that teach about indigenous people. 

Because dream catchers have spiritual significance, librarians should consider the demographics of their school and their school’s policies. Wisdom Weavers could be a great teaching tool when teaching about the Ojibwe. 

Wisdom Weavers is a helpful tool. I encourage Christian school librarians to carefully consider the dream catcher aspect of this story before deciding to place it in their K-12 Christian school library.

I received a complimentary copy of Wisdom Weavers. This is my honest review.

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