Finding My Dance tells the story of a Native American professional dancer, Ria Thundercloud. Ria started dancing at powwows and as her love for dance grew, she explored other types of dancing. While it was challenging to be one of the only Indigenous dancers around, she never gave up.
Recommended age range: 4-8
Strengths:
- Pulls kids into an Indigenous perspective through Ria's own journey from child to adult.
- Provides a good framework for Native American beliefs in a kid-friendly way.
- Adults will learn alongside kids. A great book to read together!
- The illustrations are gorgeous and invite kids into Ria's world.
Weaknesses:
- I don't think the age range is quite right. I think slightly older kids would glean more from this book. The storyline deals with bigger issues than preschoolers and early elementary students can fully track with (but they can certainly read it and benefit from it!) I would suggest ages 7-11.
Additional Notes:
- This is the true story of author and dancer Rio Thudercloud, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and Sandia Pueblo.
- Be sure to discuss how Native American beliefs differ from Christian beliefs with your kids, particularly related to spirits, prayer, and the deceased.
Overall rating: 7 (out of 10)