Margot Theis Raven has been a professional writer/journalist for thirty years, working in the fields of radio, television, magazine, newspapers and children’s books. Her picture books include Angels in the Dust, an IRA Teachers' Choice, and Night Boat to Freedom. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina. "Circle Unbroken" was inspired by her Kiawah Island home and her admiration for the enduring Gullah culture and the insights of the 1930s WPA Slave narratives collection.
"Circle Unbroken" is a book about the origins of the intricate technique and art of basket making as preserved by the Africans who were brought to America as slaves and their descendants. A grandmother guides her granddaughter's hands as she teaches her the art of basket sewing. When the child asks her how she came to make baskets, the woman's answer goes back to a time when one of their ancestors, the child's "old-timey grandfather," is being initiated into manhood in a village in Africa. Part of the rite involves being able to make a grass basket woven or coiled so tightly that it can hold water. Soon after this event, the young man is captured, transported to America, and sold as a slave at an auction in Charleston, SC. During the day he works the fields, but by night he makes baskets, and this skill is passed down from one generation to the next. Raven's text masterfully frames several hundred years of African-American history within the picture-book format.
This picture book is accompanied by many different themes including African American heritage, the story behind basket weaving, the importance of family history and tradition and the theme of slavery. I believe that the context of the book gives important information based on historical events and would be a great read for any child acquiring new information on African American culture and tradition!
No comments:
Post a Comment