It's time to shout-out a book birthday! My curiosity for today's read heads into the nonfiction direction. My curiosity was hit when I saw that it centers around aunts. There are plenty of books out there surrounding parents, grandparents, and siblings...but aunts? These are a little rarer. So, let's take a peek, shall we?
FIERCE AUNTIES!
by Laurel Goodluck
Illustrated by Steph Littlebird
Simon & Schuster
Picture Book
40 pages
ages 4 to 8
A joyful and vibrant celebration of what makes aunties so special, from Indigenous author and illustrator team Laurel Goodluck and Steph Littlebird inviting all kids to connect with the fierce aunties in their lives.
Who do you go to for advice and support? Or when you want an adventure and a little extra courage? Or when you need to find that warrior spirit inside you? Fierce aunties!
Aunties come in different shapes, sizes, and ages. They all have different laughs, skills, and stories. They might be your parents’ sisters, your older cousins, or even family friends. But there’s something they all have in They’re fierce, they love you, and they’ll help make everything better.
Who do you go to for advice and support? Or when you want an adventure and a little extra courage? Or when you need to find that warrior spirit inside you? Fierce aunties!
Aunties come in different shapes, sizes, and ages. They all have different laughs, skills, and stories. They might be your parents’ sisters, your older cousins, or even family friends. But there’s something they all have in They’re fierce, they love you, and they’ll help make everything better.
MY TIDBITS
These pages celebrate aunts in all forms and remind readers how important they are.
With vibrancy and energy, this read follows a young girl as she introduces the various aunts in her life and how they support and influence her. It covers a large variety. Quiet aunts, sportive aunts, cooking aunts, and even non-blood-related aunts. This isn't so much a story, bur rather, it carries a more poetic feel and simply discusses the importance of aunts in a person's life. So, it's more of an atmospheric, inspirational book, which stretches across a broad range of possibilities.
The artwork is bright and cheerful, displaying scenes to ring a tone of familiarity while adding inspiration. These flow nicely with the lyrical text to create a lovely read-aloud. As said, this isn't a book which hits with exact moments, and instead, creates a light, inspiring mood to dance with emotions. And it is a warming read. There is also a lean toward native American culture, which gives it a nice twist. I'm not sure more reluctant listeners will enjoy this one as much, but it does make a lovely tale for those calmer moments...or to share with a favorite aunt. And if the later happens, it could end with a snuggle and smiles.
And here they are...
The Author...
Laurel Goodluck writes picture books with modern Native 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, and Fierce Aunties!. Laurel was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, coming from an intertribal background of Mandan and Hidatsa from the prairies of North Dakota and Tsimshian from a rainforest in Alaska. 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 children who are also bent on storytelling. Please follow her on @LaurieGoodluck on Instagram.
The Illustrator...
Steph Littlebird is an enrolled member of Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and earned her BFA in painting and printmaking from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in Portland, Oregon. She is the illustrator of My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom and Fierce Aunties! by Laurel Goodluck. Littlebird is known for her vibrant imagery that combines traditional styles of her Indigenous ancestors with contemporary illustration aesthetics. Her work often examines issues related to Native identity, cultural resilience, and responsible land stewardship. She currently lives and works in Las Vegas.
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