Woven of the World, by Katey Howes/Illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova, (Feb. 2023, Chronicle Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781452178066
Ages 5-8
A young girl learns to weave and ponders the tradition of the art, lulled by the clack and swish of the loom. Howes creates a loving celebration of an ancient art, told in rhyme and illustrated in breathtaking gouache artwork. The song of the loom speaks of tradition, generations, and how weaving unites people across the world: “We are all tapestries, / woven of the world. / We are lifelines interlacing, / yarn of many sources swirled”. Mirtalipova’s stunning illustration moves back and forth between the girl and the elder and moments in time; from steaming pots with Asian artwork, a silkworm lifecycle sketched in white against a black background to a vibrant bridal outfit, a family separated, two generations coming together. Endpapers feature the tools of the hobby; back matter includes an illustrated glossary of weaving terms, a more detailed glimpse into the history of weaving, and author’s and illustrator’s notes. An excellent first purchase that will make a delightful readaloud.
Woven of the World has a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
Introduce weaving to middle graders! You can make looms with cardboard from cereal boxes or cardboard boxes on the cheap. Visit Happy Hooligans to see how. Colors of Lily on TeachersPayTeachers has a free handout on cardboard loom weaving that you can hand out; Parisa Rezapour has a PowerPoint on the history of weaving available for free, and Art from Chaos has a weaving lesson plan and simple exercise for younger learners.
Mom Read It 