{"product_id":"kindred-spirits-shilombish-ittibachvffa-isbn-9781623543969","title":"Kindred Spirits: Shilombish Ittibachvffa","description":"\u003cb\u003eA nonfiction picture book about the inspiring true pay-it-forward story that bridges two continents, 175 years, and two events in history--connecting Ireland, Choctaw Nation, Navajo Nation, and the Hopi Tribe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChoctaw author Leslie Stall and Navajo illustrator Johnson Yazzie come together to share the importance of empathy and kindness.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1845. The Potato Famine devastated Ireland. An ocean away, Choctaw people heard and were moved by the similarities to the injustice they had suffered on the Trail of Tears. Though they had little, they gathered money to donate.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2017. Irish people built a statue to remember their connection to the Choctaw Nation--twenty-foot high feathers in the shape of a bowl.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2020. COVID-19 disproportionately ravished the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe. Irish people remembered the Choctaws' kindness and paid it forward by donating.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEmpathy creates kindness that lives well beyond a single act and includes more people the bigger it grows.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e♦ \"A richly detailed, phenomenally told true story about paying it forward through history.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review♦ A single act of kindness has a ripple effect over generations. \u003cbr\u003e In 1845, a young Irish girl pulls a rotting potato from the ground: “It is the beginning of the great hunger that changed Ireland.” This devastating news travels across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1847, the Choctaw people connect the dire situation in Ireland to their own plight during the Trail of Tears and decide to help by sending money. The Irish people don’t forget their generosity; in 2017, they honor the special friendship with a sculpture titled \u003ci\u003eKindred Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e, created by Alex Pentek. During the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the Irish reciprocate by collecting donations to aid the Choctaw, Navajo, and Hopi Nations. Widener (Choctaw Nation) vividly sets the stage with lyrical writing that appeals to the senses. Choctaw phrases such as “shilombish ittibachvffa” (“kindred spirits”) are sprinkled throughout. The author breaks up the narrative with illuminating sidebars that offer additional information about each crisis. Yazzie’s (Navajo Nation) folk art–esque illustrations pop with emotion and come alive from his vibrant use of color. No matter their historical background, readers will come away with a strong understanding of these topics—and deeply moved by the compassion demonstrated by the Irish and Choctaw communities. Backmatter, including a timeline, provides more historical context. \u003cbr\u003e A richly detailed, phenomenally told true story about paying it forward through history.\u003cbr\u003e —\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ♦ Leslie Stall Widener has numerous works to her credit as an illustrator, including \u003ci\u003eChukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache\u003c\/i\u003e; she makes her debut as an author with this uplifting picture book about the power of empathy. Throughout this moving work of nonfiction, acts of compassion crisscross the ocean when people recognize their common humanity in each other's struggles. \u003ci\u003eKindred Spirits \u003c\/i\u003eis a compelling reminder of people's potential to make a difference, regardless of how much or how little they have. Complementing Widener's text is the enchanting acrylic paint artwork of Navajo painter, bronze sculptor, and illustrator Johnson Yazzie (\u003ci\u003eYossel's Journey\u003c\/i\u003e).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Widener here tells a true, pay-it-forward tale through poetry accompanied by sidebars with background details. Starting in Ireland in 1847, she recounts the famine that took the lives of more than a million people: \"Farmers can't explain why\/ fields of healthy-looking plants\/ changed overnight.\/ It is the beginning of the great hunger\/ that changed Ireland.\" Four thousand miles away, the people of the Choctaw Nation learn of the Irish tragedy: \"Wrapped in the warmth of family,\/ each Choctaw man, woman, and child listens.\/ They feel the pain of the Irish people.\" Despite their own troubles, the Choctaw people donate a substantial sum of money to help the Irish farmers \"in honor of the injustice\/ suffered by both Nations.\/ Shilombish ittibachvffa.\/ Those who feel the same.\/ Kindred spirits.\" Widener then brings her readers to the 21st century, as the Covid-19 pandemic ravages the Navajo and Hopi Nations. This time the people of Ireland reach out: \"More than twenty-six thousand Irish people\/ donate--many citing the Choctaw-Irish connection,\/ honoring their ancestors\/ and showing how one act of kindness can grow.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A citizen of the Choctaw Nation herself, Widener relates this inspiring saga with reverence and beauty, constructing an accessible history for young readers that highlights the spectacular results of empathy and compassion. Yazzie's art features striking, sometimes near-fluorescent colors and a multitude of textures. His figures are contained within a thick, black line often outlined by another, lighter color--white, orange, yellow--this acts to bring people forward in each illustration, focusing the eye on the humans.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The book offers additional information in the backmatter, including facts about the Trail of Tears and the Irish Potato Famine, as well as a timeline of events. While \u003ci\u003eKindred Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e is intended for young readers, it is a gift for audiences of all ages and should be a staple in anyone's library.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eShelf Talker:\u003c\/b\u003e A member of the Choctaw Nation and a member of the Navajo Nation join forces in a stunning picture book that shares the uplifting story of how tragedy connected people from across an ocean.\u003cbr\u003e —\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness, \u003c\/i\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Widener (a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) relates the emotional kinship between the Irish and the Choctaw, joined in their historical mistreatment, desperation, and kindness. In the 1840s, many Irish families scraped by on little potato farms, so when a fungus attacked the crop, the populace was devastated. The Choctaw sent Ireland $170, equivalent today to $5,000—a fortune for a people then recovering from the Trail of Tears, the misery of which is also described. When Native residents of the U.S. Southwest were badly hit by COVID-19, Irish people sent more than $3 million to the Navajo and Hopi in memory of the long-ago gift, and a related sculpture was built in Ireland. In this accessible, affecting book, large-font verse tells the tale of the gifts while smaller asides add context. Yazzie’s vivid artwork shows the two peoples’ lives, lands, and histories in what appears to be colored chalk on textured paper. Back matter includes a time line and sources. A compelling nonfiction read-aloud and a wonderful resource for history classes and SEL units.\u003cbr\u003e —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eLeslie Stall Widener\u003c\/b\u003e is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. She has illustrated six Choctaw-related picture books: \u003ci\u003eChukfi Rabbit’s Big, Bad Bellyache\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eThe Turkey Who Liked to Show Off\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eWhy the Turtle Has Cracks on His Back\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eThe Story of Tanchi\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eWhy the Possum Has No Hair on His Tail\u003c\/i\u003e; and \u003ci\u003eWhy Rabbit Has a Short Tail\u003c\/i\u003e. Leslie lives in McKinney, Texas, with her artist husband, Terry Widener.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBorn on the Navajo Nation in Pinon, Arizona, \u003cb\u003eJohnson Yazzie\u003c\/b\u003e's interest in creation began in childhood and led to a lifelong career in fine art as a painter, bronze sculptor, and illustrator. Johnson illustrated \u003ci\u003eYossel's Journey\u003c\/i\u003e by Kathryn Lasky. The Navajo word \u003ci\u003ehózhó\u003c\/i\u003e means balance, harmony, beauty. It is the word by which he lives.","brand":"Charlesbridge","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300369354981,"sku":"NP9781623543969","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781623543969.jpg?v=1767730741","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/kindred-spirits-shilombish-ittibachvffa-isbn-9781623543969","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}