SuitabookRaven's Ribbons
Tasha Spillett
- Reading
- Read it aloud slowly, letting the repeated rhythm and illustrations carry the round-dance atmosphere. Pause to notice the skirts and ask what clothing, music or traditions can mean to people without turning the discussion into a test.
- Themes
- Gender self-expression: For discussion, focus on how the story presents clothing, participation in tradition and self-expression, while recognising that some details of the treatment remain unclear. The situation is framed as loving self-expression and inclusion within Indigenous community and tradition.
- Indigenous tradition and belonging: Raven attends round dances with his grandmother and watches ribbon skirts; the book presents these practices as part of communal and intergenerational life. The book presents this favourably.
- Worth knowing
- Consider preparing to discuss ribbon skirts as meaningful regalia, alongside the book’s themes of gender expression and cultural belonging.