Grandma's Tipi: A Present-Day Lakota Story by S. D. Nelson

Abstract

Reviewed by: Grandma's Tipi: A Present-Day Lakota Story by S. D. Nelson Kara Forde Nelson, S. D. Grandma's Tipi: A Present-Day Lakota Story; written and illus. by S.D. Nelson. Abrams, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781419731921 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9798887070599 $15.54 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. 1-4 Clara is finally old enough to spend the summer on the Standing Rock Reservation with her unci (grandma) and her cousin Juniper. After Clara arrives, her Uncle Louie brings a special surprise in his pickup truck: the family tipi. Unci's mother was the tipi's first keeper, and unci says someday it will belong to the two girls. Unci sends a prayer upwards, asking for a blessing for the tipi to stand strong, and then together they assemble the tipi's poles and wrap around the canvas-cloth that is adorned with colorful drawings from generations of family members. Representations of contemporary Native American life are sorely needed on children's literature shelves, and this extended picture book lovingly chronicles daily life on the reservation as it follows one family's summer of activities, all centered around the sacred cultural space of a tipi. A scene in which the girls paint symbols of their desired future occupations (Juniper on a basketball team and Clara as a jet pilot) on the tipi's canvas powerfully emphasizes the continuity of indigenous peoples and traditions. Nelson's art is exquisite, balancing smooth and speckled textures with multilayered pastel hues, which makes the spreads feel both enduring and alive. Ethereal endpapers introduce the glowing tipi in all its glory, contrasted by the shimmering blue night sky filled with constellations of stars and Native art motifs. An author's note briefly outlines the role of the tipi within the context of Native American Indian history, shares information about two of Nelson's notable ancestors who share the name Flying Cloud, and states his enrollment as a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois