Jingle Dancer Book

Jenna, a contemporary Muscogee (Creek) girl in Oklahoma, wants to honor a family tradition by jingle dancing at the next powwow. But where will she find enough jingles for her dress? An unusual, warm family story, beautifully evoked in Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu's watercolor art.

Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2001, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council

Children's Literature

Jenna dreams of having a dress with jingles for the upcoming powwow, but as her grandmother notes, there aren't any extras and there isn't enough time to make them. Jenna is undeterred; she only needs four rows of jingles to make the proper sound. First she visits Great-aunt Sis and when she spies a dress that has not seen recent use, she asks to borrow a row of jingles. Jenna succeeds and with her Great-aunts warm wishes she promises to dance for her. Great-aunt Sis also tells Jenna a story about the bat overcoming obstacles and winning the great ball game, and it inspires Jenna. She visits family and friends and finally gets enough jingles to complete her regalia for the dance. Van Wright and Hu, in the finals pictures, show Jenna in all her finery dancing for her friends and family. An author's note provides background about Jenna's tribe and the story that Jenna's Great-aunt Sis relates. 2000, Morrow/HarperCollins, Ages 5 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot—Children's Literature