Songs of Shiprock Fair

Luci Tapahonso

Grade 2-4-The oldest fair in the Navajo Nation is held annually in Shiprock, NM. This story follows young Nezbah through the event, from the excitement of waking on the first morning to the last moment of the festivities when her father carries her, tired and happy, into the house. All of the elements that make the fair special are described: preparations, traditional food, the parade and carnival, the powwow, and the Y?ibicheii dance on the last night. The illustrations are done in a lively folk-art style in vibrant colors (shades of teal, purple, and fuchsia), evocative of the Southwest. The text, a combination of narrative and poetry, presents an adequate picture of the event, but it's too long for a read-aloud. While good second-grade readers could handle it on their own, it's unlikely to hold their attention unless they are particularly interested in the subject. An attractive, serviceable supplement to books on Navajo culture, but one that will have a limited audience.Carolyn Stacey, Jefferson County Public Library, Golden, CO Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.