Many thanks to Tanglewood Press for the opportunity to review this book.
In Ginger Churchill’s Wild Rose’s Weaving, Wild Rose would much rather run and play outside than have a weaving lesson with her grandmother. But when Wild Rose comes in from her play, she finds that her grandmother has woven all the elements of nature into her rug. Rose is suddenly eager to learn, but this time it is her grandmother that wants to go outside and explore. She brings Wild Rose along and they dance under a rainbow. The next day, Wild Rose gets her first weaving lesson.
I really loved this book. I thought it was a sweet story, and I loved Nicole Wong’s illustrations. I am a big fan of all things handmade, and I liked that Wild Rose was able to find beauty in something that her grandmother had created. I learned things like cross stitch and crochet from my mother at a young age, so this story brought back fond memories for me.
I read this with my two year old son, and while he enjoyed it, I think he is a little too young to fully appreciate it. He didn’t understand exactly what weaving was, or what the different parts of the loom were. However, he really liked the illustrations, and enjoyed seeing Wild Rose dance with the sheep and play in the thunderstorm. I think older preschoolers and young elementary students would be able to appreciate the story more. I would love to do this book with my preschool class, and make it part of a larger unit on weaving and handmade items. Wild Rose’s Weaving is a great jumping off point for further discussion and education for kids.
For those that are crafty, or who want to pass on a love of things created by hand to their children, Wild Rose’s Weaving is a great choice. It shows children that taking time from play to sit down and create something can be just as rewarding as running and playing outside. It teaches that peace and contentment can be found in making something by hand.
Wild Rose’s Weaving is published by Tanglewood Press and is 32 pages long. It’s available for the Kindle!
I received a digital copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
