From School Library Journal
Grade 3-7. In this photo-essay, a young Maya girl learns to prepare, spin, and dye wool; assemble a backstrap loom (shown in a diagram); and begins weaving. The myths of the Maya help her to remember the seven sacred designs of her village, but she must wait for a dream to tell her how to combine them in her own work. When her sampler is finally complete, she enters it in a village competition and wins the prize, and then gives the cloth to the weavers' patron saint. Wonderful, clear, full-color photographs show an attractive young woman, the other people of her highland village in southern Mexico, and close-ups of the brocaded patterns she learns. Each of the seven designs is highlighted in a smaller drawing along with the story connected to it. Maps show the Maya territory and the location of Angela's village. More than just another cultural diversity title, this book shows a deep appreciation for the importance of this art form and a respect for the hard work it involves. Ronnie Cummins's Guatemala (Gareth Stevens, 1990) also follows a young Maya girl through photographs and text but with a wider focus and longer narrative that includes political background.?Pam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4^-6. Angela, a young weaver, lives in a place that is apart from and yet a part of today's world, where much is still made by hand, including clothes woven in traditional designs passed down by generations of ancestors. Her story is told alongside the story of the role of weaving in the culture of a small village in the Mexican state of Chiapas. Readers see the carding, spinning, and dyeing of wool, the early steps in producing a finished product. They come to care about Angela through color photographs of her and her family and Mayan daily life, as well as close-up views of typical weaving designs and color sketches of specific sacred designs. Since her story is placed in a larger context of traditional Mayan values, readers learn stories of the Mayan gods, the weaving saint, prayers, and the people's dependence on nature. Love for her grandparents helps motivate Angela as she prepares for her first weaving contest. Enhanced by maps, a glossary, and notes from both author and photographer, this is a strong choice for the multicultural classroom.
Karen Morgan
