About This Book
Reach for this book when your child finds a smooth stone or a broken shell and asks, Who had this before me? It is the perfect choice for nurturing a sense of continuity and respect for those who walked the earth long ago. Byrd Baylor transforms archaeological study into a lyrical meditation, using the designs on ancient pottery shards to reconstruct the daily lives, songs, and spirits of prehistoric Southwest Indian tribes. Through rhythmic prose and stark, evocative illustrations, the book explores themes of historical curiosity, creative legacy, and the sacredness of the land. It is an ideal read for children ages 6 to 10 who are starting to grasp the concept of deep time and their own place in a long human history. Parents will appreciate how it encourages children to look at the world with a historian's eye and a poet's heart.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book deals with the concept of people who are no longer here, but it does so through a secular, respectful, and highly metaphorical lens. There is no mention of death in a clinical or scary way; instead, it focuses on the persistence of their spirit through art. It is a deeply hopeful look at human legacy.
