Review by Booklist Review
Widener (a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) relates the emotional kinship between the Irish and the Choctaw, joined in their historical mistreatment, desperation, and kindness. In the 1840s, many Irish families scraped by on little potato farms, so when a fungus attacked the crop, the populace was devastated. The Choctaw sent Ireland $170, equivalent today to $5,000--a fortune for a people then recovering from the Trail of Tears, the misery of which is also described. When Native residents of the U.S. Southwest were badly hit by COVID-19, Irish people sent more than $3 million to the Navajo and Hopi in memory of the long-ago gift, and a related sculpture was built in Ireland. In this accessible, affecting book, large-font verse tells the tale of the gifts while smaller asides add context. Yazzie's vivid artwork shows the two peoples' lives, lands, and histories in what appears to be colored chalk on textured paper. Back matter includes a time line and sources. A compelling nonfiction read-aloud and a wonderful resource for history classes and SEL units.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
This informative picture book on the theme of "paying it forward" highlights the decades-long relationship between the Irish people and Indigenous communities in the United States. It opens with an acrylic painting of a young girl in a yellow dress running through a field of potato plants turning from healthy and green to wilted and brown. Readers learn that this is the start of the potato famine that plagued Ireland for five years beginning in 1845, during which millions of people died and two million immigrated to the United States, Britain, and Canada. When the Choctaw Nation, "still healing from their own hardships," heard of the Irish people's plight, they donated money to help send aid to Ireland. They felt like kindred spirits, or shilombish ittibachvffa, having lost lands and thousands of lives during the Trail of Tears from 1831-1834. Then in 2020, when COVID-19 threatened the Hopi and Navajo nations, the Irish people in turn sent aid. Yazzie's bold, vigorous illustrations reflect both the suffering and the strength of the afflicted communities. He also includes depictions of the Kindred Spirits statue the Irish government built to commemorate the support given by the Choctaw during the famine. Back matter provides greater detail about the Trail of Tears, the Great Famine, and the ongoing relationship between the Irish and the Choctaw. Nicholl Denice MontgomerySeptember/October 2024 p.107 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A single act of kindness has a ripple effect over generations. In 1845, a young Irish girl pulls a rotting potato from the ground: "It is the beginning of the great hunger that changed Ireland." This devastating news travels across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1847, the Choctaw people connect the dire situation in Ireland to their own plight during the Trail of Tears and decide to help by sending money. The Irish people don't forget their generosity; in 2017, they honor the special friendship with a sculpture titledKindred Spirits, created by Alex Pentek. During the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the Irish reciprocate by collecting donations to aid the Choctaw, Navajo, and Hopi Nations. Widener (Choctaw Nation) vividly sets the stage with lyrical writing that appeals to the senses. Choctaw phrases such as "shilombish ittibachvffa" ("kindred spirits") are sprinkled throughout. The author breaks up the narrative with illuminating sidebars that offer additional information about each crisis. Yazzie's (Navajo Nation) folk art--esque illustrations pop with emotion and come alive from his vibrant use of color. No matter their historical background, readers will come away with a strong understanding of these topics--and deeply moved by the compassion demonstrated by the Irish and Choctaw communities. Backmatter, including a timeline, provides more historical context. A richly detailed, phenomenally told true story about paying it forward through history. (author's and illustrator's notes, glossary, further reading)(Informational picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
