Children of Clay: A Family of Pueblo Potters

by Rina Swentzell, Bill Steen (Photographer)

Overview

Like their Pueblo ancestors, Gia Rose and her family treat the clay with respect. They believe that Clay-Old-Woman, the spirit of clay, watches over their work and that she lives and breathes within each piece of pottery. Many things have changed at Santa Clara Pueblo, but the making of pottery remains the same. It is still done completely by hand, using clay taken from the earth and other natural materials. Follow one family as they carry on the age-old Pueblo tradition of pottery-making.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780822596271
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/1992
Series:	We Are Still Here: Native Americans Today
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,092,842
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 8.38(h) x 0.13(d)
Lexile:	870L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 11 Years

Editorial Reviews

Gr 3-5-- A beautifully illustrated short work on the life of a family of potters from Santa Clara Pueblo. The book follows Gia Rose as she and her relatives drive to the mountains to dig for clay; prepare it for working; and fashion pieces that are then polished, sanded, and fired. In addition to the many large, full-color photographs, there are maps of the area and of the 19 pueblos in New Mexico, and designs decorating the large-print text. Swentzell does a good job of demonstrating the family's closeness to nature and to other members in the village. Although the author provides readers with only a glimpse of tradition, there is a list of books for further reading. While the subject will be of special interest to those studying pueblos or New Mexico, and to those interested in pottery, this book also offers a very personal view of what it is like to live today as part of a Native American community. --Yvonne Frey, Peoria Public Schools, IL

School Library Journal