 | Afloat Author: Saunders, Kirli | |
| Price: $14.24 | ||
Summary:
Against a backdrop of a changed environment, an Elder leads a child along the waterways, sharing her People’s knowledge and gathering community along the way.
Reviews:
Booklist (03/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/01/2025 In spare text, Saunders, a member of the Gunai people of Australia, tells the gentle story of an Elder teaching a child about gathering and weaving practices. Paying homage to Indigenous cultures all over the planet, the story follows the Elder and child along waterways, and a community of people joins them as they collect materials together and simultaneously build intertwining connection to one another as they “weld oneness” and “unite.” The delicate earth-tone watercolor illustrations capture the story’s nods to Indigenous cultures, traditions, and wisdom, as they zoom out to reveal that the rushes they’re gathering are surrounded by encroaching development. As the story’s messaging widens with hope, so does the lens of the artwork, expanding to capture more and more of the community members and their surroundings, emphasizing the importance of community-building now and for the future. While the metaphors and symbolism may be a bit advanced for some young readers, the overall message and emotion of the story shine through and are enhanced by endnotes from the author and illustrator. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
