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jingle dancer

Jingle Dancer

The cone-shaped jingles sewn to Grandma Wolfe's dress sing tink, tink, tink, tink…Jenna loves the tradition of jingle dancing that has been shared by generations of women in her family and intertribal community. She hopes to dance at the next powwow. But with the day quickly approaching, she has a problem—how will her dress sing if it has no jingles? The warm, evocative watercolors of Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu complement author Cynthia Leitich Smith's lyrical text, in this beloved picture book that was first published in 2000.
Age Groups: Big Kids, Little Kids
Skills: Culture, friendship
Author: Written by Cynthia L. Smith, Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu

Discussion Questions

  • Describe the problem Jenna faces.
  • How does Jenna feel?
  • Have you ever felt like Jenna feels when the powwow is approaching?
  • What happens, and what lessons can you learn from the story?

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Eligible Teachers: Find it on the First Book Marketplace.
Parents/Caregivers: Find it at First Book's Bookshop.org shop.