Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams: Inspired by Navajo Culture and Folklore by Gwen Jackson and Lissa Calvert
| Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams: Inspired by Navajo Culture and Folklore by Gwen Jackson and Lissa Calvert | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: A delightful, magical story about the making of the blanket of dreams which will keep Lump Lump and his mother warm as they sleep through the winter. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 24 | Date: September 2016 |
| Publisher: Friesen Press | |
| ISBN: 978-1460299296 | |
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In the fir tree in the forest there were two holes: in the small hole at the top Blue Bird lived, but the big hole, in the ground below the fir tree was the home of Mother Bear and her little bear, Lump Lump. It was coming to the time when bears should be hibernating, but Lump Lump wanted to run in the forest and eat more honey. Somehow he didn't think that sleeping could be that much fun. Blue Bird sang him a song about a blanket of dreams and Lump Lump had to have one. There was a snag though - before the blanket could be woven Lump Lump had to collect the white light of morning, the red light of evening, the falling rain and the rainbow for Spider Woman to weave into his blanket.
Some books for children are put together very simply - it's almost as though children won't know any better. You could never say that about Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams. Sixth generation Navajo weaver Barbara Teller Ornelas was the consultant for the story and the making of Lump Lump's blanket has a real feeling of authenticity. (You can find our more about Navajo rug weaving here) Further advice has been taken on Navajo culture and folklore as well as on large carnivores. There's another extreme in children's books - where every bit of research is shoehorned in, regardless of how relevant it is, but Gwen Jackson has trodden the fine line between the two extremes well: knowledge has informed her story, but not dominated it. It's gently educational too: you'll learn that bears hibernate in winter, but that birds migrate, but it's all done with great subtlety. I liked too the emphasis on cooperation which helped Lump Lump to get all that he needed for the blanket - and I smiled at Mother Bear's lack of subtlety as she flattered other animals into doing what she wanted and her cub needed.
The illustrations are gorgeous. I loved the one where Lump Lump is eating honeycomb and you can see the honey dripping from his chin. As I looked I could taste the sweetness. But my favourite picture is the double-page spread featuring the blanket of dreams. The colours of the blanket sing out and it's easy to believe that incorporated in the blanket are all the items which Lump Lump collected. Lissa Calvert is good on the facial expressions on the bears: as they're settling down to sleep (with Blue Bird tucking the soft blanket around Lump Lump) Mother Bear's face tells the onlookers not to even think about messing with them. When her cub went out to play in the rain, there was a watchful, concerned expression on her face. Gorgeous stuff!
It's a book which will be read time and time again: the pictures yield something new every time you look and the story is perfect for a winding down space at bedtime. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
We've some other picture books for bedtime.
You can by Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams here
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You can read more book reviews or buy Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams: Inspired by Navajo Culture and Folklore by Gwen Jackson and Lissa Calvert at Amazon.com.
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