Additional information
by Laurel Goodluck (Author), Nicole Neidhardt (Illustrator)
Award-winning Indigenous author Laurel Goodluck weaves an intertribal celebration of traditions and stories that help Indigenous children--and all children--understand who they are as they enter and discover the world in this tender picture book.
When we begin our lives, stories help us understand who we are. Drawing on tribal Nations' traditions including Mandan-Hidatsa and Navajo/Diné, this lyrical picture book carries us through the milestones of a beloved child's life, from birth and their first laugh to entering young adulthood and understanding their place in the community and the world. Each ceremony that marks a special moment comes with a story--and each story reminds us of the beauty and responsibility to the land we call home, the powerful ancestors who came before us, and the amazing people we can grow up to be. An Indigenous author-illustrator duo, the award-winning Laurel Goodluck and rising star Nicole Neidhardt, have gorgeously captured the rituals and stories that shape our lives.Author Biography
Award-winning author Laurel Goodluck writes picture books with modern themes that reflect Native children's cultural experiences and everyday life, showing they have a unique and powerful perspective. Her books include Forever Cousins, Rock Your Mocs, She Persisted: Deb Haaland, Too Much, Yáadilá!: Good Grief!, and Fierce Aunties!, a recipient of the American Indian Youth Literature Award Picture Book Honor. Laurel was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She comes from an intertribal background; is an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation; and is an Alaskan Native Citizen of the Tsimshian Tribe. She received a BA in psychology and an MA in community counseling and family studies from the University of New Mexico. Laurel began writing by crafting a curriculum for community advocacy involving Native teen leadership and later for children newly diagnosed with mental health challenges. Laurel lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her Navajo husband, where they raised two sons who are also bent on storytelling. Please follow her on @LaurieGoodluck on Instagram.
Nicole Neidhardt is a Diné (Navajo) multi-disciplinary artist and award-winning illustrator. Nicole's Diné identity is the heart of her practice, and she is continually dreaming for Indigenous futures. Nicole holds an MFA from OCAD University in Toronto and grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has illustrated the books Circle of Love, What Your Ribbon Skirt Means to Me: Deb Haaland's Historic Inauguration, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults, and Stories Are the Heart of the World.
