Grandma Maxine Remembers: A Native American Family Story (What Was It Like, Grandma)

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Eight-year-old Shawnee belongs to the Shoshone tribe and lives on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming with her mother and her siblings. Her grandparents live nearby and she and her grandmother share a special bond. As in the earlier titles in this series, Morris explores this relationship while adding information about the history, culture, and daily life of the people. Grandma Maxine, a social worker at a Head Start center, spends time with her granddaughter reading, looking at family photo albums, taking walks, crafting, preparing for powwows, and cooking. A recipe for fry bread and directions for creating a God's Eye are included, as are suggestions on how to do research on family history. This straightforward photo-essay portrays life on a contemporary reservation. It candidly discusses living conditions in the "old days" while quietly dispelling myths about life today. The sepia-toned period photographs of Shawnee's great-grandparents and grandparents add interest and historical flavor while the contemporary color photographs underscore the warmth of the child's relationship with her grandmother. Unfortunately, several of them lack a sharp focus and detract from the overall effectiveness of the presentation. Despite these minor faults, the book will be useful in units about Native Americans, families, and communities.
Dona J. Helmer, College Gate School Library, Anchorage, AK
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.