Read the reviews for Gwen Jackson's Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams:
Inspired by Navajo Culture and Folklore below!
""K-Gr. 3" "Lump Lump, a bear cub, is not keen on hibernation, until he hears Blue Bird's song about "a blanket of dreams." "...There are many sweet, noninsistent lessons gathered into this tale drawn from Navajo tradition..." "Along with the life lessons it contains, this story has an incantatory rhythm that would lend itself beautifully as a wind down to sleep."
-Sandy MacDonald, Booklist (The American Library Association)
-Sandy MacDonald, Booklist (The American Library Association)
"As our lives become more hectic and overscheduled, it’s increasingly crucial to find moments of peace and relaxation, to feel like we’re a part of our environment, instead of like we’re just reacting to it. It’s important, too, to remember why the little things matter—they so often turn out to be the big things in our lives! Children are no exception and can also benefit from mindfulness activities. The books in this annotated bibliography provide examples and suggestions of mindfulness that even youngsters can follow and appreciate."
-Angela Leeper, Booklinks (The American Library Association)
-Angela Leeper, Booklinks (The American Library Association)
"Wonderful story made for young readers about a little black bear called Lump Lump, who isn't quite ready to hibernate for the winter....Drawn from Navajo tradition, you will find many character from The Navajo Creation Story, including bear, fox, hawk and bluebird."
- NavajoPeople.org
- NavajoPeople.org
"Ms. Jackson has done a superb job of tying into the story line Navajo culture, and the Southwestern wildlife. This children’s book with animals, and vivid colors is the perfect bedtime story for little ones that don’t want to go to sleep! My son often fusses about going to bed but when we pull this book out it’s all about him being immersed in Lump Lump’s adventures with lessons in kindness, friendship and team work."
-Discovering The World Through My Son's Eyes blog
-Discovering The World Through My Son's Eyes blog
"There is so much to love about this book. The artwork is stunning, showcasing the spectacular landscape of the American Southwest..the book is based on extensive research of Navajo culture and wildlife biology, so it lends itself easily to lesson plans on either native cultures or hibernating animals."
-All Done Monkey blog
This link has many activities on hibernation.
-All Done Monkey blog
This link has many activities on hibernation.
"Generally , I prefer going through the whole book before giving it to my son but this book was picture perfect .The colorful illustrations by Lissa Calvert are fabulous .Just looking at two pages , I could sense a sweet story. It immediately went into the hands of my 8 year old son who is a crazy book lover . He thought the bears looked great and his favorite character is Lump Lump .We both love the gorgeous blanket on the cover page of the book . In fact , the design and patterns on the blanket look so attractive that it made us explore more about the Navajo Weavers and traditions. We got excited and also made a craft to go along with the book...(link to activity)"
-The Weaving Ideas blog
-The Weaving Ideas blog
"This book captivated me. The written prose painted a rich tapestry of words. The vivid illustrations are an integral part of the story...I appreciated the information that the author provided about who she worked with to make this book accurate.
- Barbara Teller Ornelas, 6th generation Navajo weaver.
- Cathy Notarnicola, Curator Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.
- Dr Paul Apodaca, Associate Professor of Sociology and American Studies at Chapman University
- Darrell and Lorna Smith, longtime biologists and carnivore specialists
As a librarian I believe this book will be a favorite of my students."
-Windows to My Life: Writing to Remember Blog
- Barbara Teller Ornelas, 6th generation Navajo weaver.
- Cathy Notarnicola, Curator Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.
- Dr Paul Apodaca, Associate Professor of Sociology and American Studies at Chapman University
- Darrell and Lorna Smith, longtime biologists and carnivore specialists
As a librarian I believe this book will be a favorite of my students."
-Windows to My Life: Writing to Remember Blog
"Numerous adaptations of folk tales from other cultures appear as children's picture books, yearly; but few are as compelling and highly recommended as is Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams: Inspired by Navajo Culture and Folklore.
Perhaps this is because its full-color illustrations are simply gorgeous, eye-popping productions that truly stand apart from what is normally presented in a picture book to captivate both children and adults reading aloud to their kids.
Or maybe it's because of the story line, which takes certain motifs from Navajo culture and folklore, and weaves them together to create an original tale. Not only did Navajo weaver Barbara Teller Ornelas contribute a blanket to the story line for illustration, but she served as a consultant for the story, helping to fine-tune its Navajo cultural insights. (Ms. Ornelas' weavings are in the Smithsonian, the British Museum, and many other galleries.)
Maybe it's the story line, which tells of a winter's approach and a little bear, Lump Lump, who just can't seem to go to sleep despite all preparations. His task is to gather materials from the forest, with the help of his animal friends, so that Spider Woman can weave him a Blanket of Dreams to help him sleep.
Or maybe it's the evocative, soaring, image-filled language which will attract all ages with stunning metaphors and visual and verbal beauty: "Later that morning, Robin returned with a piece of the white light of morning, and Mother Bear and Lump Lump gave her the grass they had gathered. All the way home, Lump Lump munched on his honeycomb and sang, "The white light of morning, the red light of evening, the falling rain, and the r-aa-iii-nnnnbow."
Yes, parental assistance will be required for the young picture book reader: there are paragraphs of description, dialogue, and many insights that will not only benefit from numerous nights of read-aloud pleasure, but which invite kids and their parents to learn about Navajo culture.
The result is a delightful, very highly recommended story: a 'must have' acquisition that will easily move beyond the category of 'picture book folklore read-aloud' and into the realm of Native American studies (especially as the author intends to support it with lesson plans and ESL materials, produced in conjunction with language arts, wildlife biologist, and Native American cultural specialists)."
-Diane C. Donovan, Senior Reviewer
Donovan's Literary Services