(4) 4-6 Abalone, barbecue, canoe--the words that Boyden has selected and written about (sometimes for several dense paragraphs) are a nod to the English-language contributions made by "the First Peoples of the Americas--North, South, and Central." Even older readers may find the book inaccessibly esoteric, but Boyden's collages, some masterfully crafted, speak to all ages. Bib.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 "Powwow's coming, hear the beat? / Powwow's coming, dancing feet." A contemporary Native American family prepares for and then participates in a powwow. The simple, rhythmic text describes activities that occur at a powwow (dancing, storytelling, selling crafts). The mixed-media collages incorporate tactile materials that look like feathers, fabric, and beads. An author's note gives more information on the subject.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Amy Cordova. Young Native American Rosalie learns to garden from her grandfather, who can grow everything but the blue roses she yearns for. After he dies, he appears with blue roses in a dream, reminding Rosalie that "we're in different gardens now." This absorbing, lyrical book's only misstep is its clunky, literal ending: Rosalie finds blue roses on her grandfather's headstone. Expressive paintings convey the close intergenerational bond.

Reviewer: Nell Beram