Life Is a Dance - by Violet Duncan (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

National Book Award finalist Violet Duncan's lyrical text celebrates an Indigenous child's deep connection with her mother and with the world around her as she moves through the dance of life.

All around Little Leaf is lovely movement. On her arrival, the tall grasses sway as if to welcome her. When she learns to walk, she loves how the wind whips her hair while her strong legs let her explore. As she grows, surrounded by the wonders of nature, she can't help dancing in honor of a world filled with colorful tumbles of leaves, shimmering stars, and sparkling snowflakes. Buoyed by her mother's love and wisdom, she also dances for the ancestors who guide her on her journey and for those she has yet to meet, and revels in her mother's words: All of life is a glorious dance we share together.

Violet Duncan's uplifting text and Kelsey Mata Foote's gorgeous art bring to life the joy in greeting each day with fresh eyes, and reveling in the moment.

About the Author

Violet Duncan (VioletDuncan.com) is Plains Cree and Taino from Kehewin Cree Nation. She is also the author of the picture book Where the Wind Blows, and her debut middle grade novel, Buffalo Dreamer, was a National Book Award finalist and an American Indian Youth Literature Award winner. In her role as creative director at Young Warriors, Violet is dedicated to cultivating spaces for Indigenous performances and practices.

Kelsey Mata Foote (Jaax̱snée) (KelseyFoote.com) is a Tlingit illustrator, writer, producer, and former director of communications at the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center. She loves creating and collaborating on projects that preserve culture and honor traditional knowledge. Her previous books include Celebration! (by Lily Hope), an American Indian Youth Literature Award Picture Book Honor winner, and Tess's Red Dress (by Carolyn Roberts). Her hometown is Ketchikan, Alaska.