Reviewed by Debbie Reese
Review Source: American Indian’s in Children’s Literature
Book Author: Daniel W. Vandever
Why am I so pleased with this book? It hits all the key points in books I recommend:
- Native author
- Native illustrator
- Set in present day
- Tribally specific content
- Includes Native language(s)
But there’s more to say! As I write, it is baseball season so I’ll use a baseball phrase: It’s a home run! We Weave is a home run. Vandever and Mitchell hit a homer!
Earlier today a friend was telling me about the Native information her child is getting in school. It sounds like the school they go to is not hesitating to teach middle school children about boarding schools. That’s a topic that we ought to see in all educational materials about Native people. I wonder, though, if my friend’s school is also making sure children learn that we’re still here and that we use technology much like the devices they themselves use? A cell phone features prominently in We Weave. I also recommend you read Laurel Goodluck’s picture book, Forever Cousins. In it, two cousins use their phones to stay in touch.
We Weave is one of many picture books that can help with that teaching. (Note here that I encourage everyone to read picture books by Native writers and illustrators, no matter how old you or your child are! Mostly likely, none of the content you received in school depicted us as people of the past and fails to show us as people of the present day who know who we are as citizens or tribal members of our specific, unique nations.)
Let’s start by looking at the cover. That’s a grandmother sitting at a loom. She’s gazing at a child who is holding a phone. See the emoji’s above the phone? Nice touch! Those are first impressions but look closer. See the child’s hairstyle? And moccasins, and the loom the grandmother is weaving on? These are most definitely specific to the Diné people. Continue reading at American Indian’s in Children’s Literature.
See more recommended books on this topic on our American Indians booklist.
We Weave by Daniel W. Vandever
Published by South of Sunrise Creative on April 12, 2025
Genres: American Indians First Nations Metis Inuit
Reading Level: Grade K
ISBN: 9781737496434
Review Source: American Indians in Children's Literature
Also by this author: Fall in Line, Holden!, Behind Every Rug
Publisher's Synopsis: We Weave is an intergenerational tale about a Navajo boy and his grandmother using their creativity to purchase a computer when schools transition to digital learning. It is a story rooted in resilience that uniquely weaves together the traditional and digital worlds. Written by award-winning author Daniel W. Vandever and featuring the artwork of illustrator Deonoveigh Mitchell, We Weave celebrates the intergenerational strength of family and the beauty of weaving.
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