Muskrat Will Be Swimming

Paperback - *Notable Books For Children - Smithsonian**Skipping Stones Book Award for Exceptional Multicultural and Nature/Ecology Books**Wordcraft Circle Writer of the Year (Prose - Children's Literature)**Wordcraft Circle Mentor of the Year*Although Jeannie loves her lakeside neighborhood, her feelings are hurt by her schoolmates who live in fancier homes and call her a Lake Rat.When she confides her troubles to her grandfather, he tells her about his own childhood experiences with teasing. As the story unfolds, the grandfather shares a traditional Seneca story that helps Jeannie to find strength in her Native identity and a new appreciation for the different roles that animals play in nature. This is a quiet book that celebrates family and place and the teachings of Native people. Muskrat Will Be Swimming is based on a real incident in Cheryl Savageau's life.Muskrat Will Be Swimming will help inspire classroom conversations about:Teasing and bullyingStorytelling traditions and customs in Native and non-Native familiesThe Seneca creation story and creation stories in generalTraditions of the Sky Woman in Native storiesContemporary Native American families and building connections to tribal identityNative identity and mixed-blood ancestrySignificance of dreams in Native cultureThe role of animals as teachers in Abenaki cultureAnimals of the forestThe Abenaki view towards the natural environmentThe value of experiences in the natural world for children's growth

Age Range: 8 - 12