The Sweetest Review

This week, an acquaintance approached and said his wife coerced him into talking to me...always a good start to a great conversation--but the thing is, it really WAS a great conversation.

"I don't think you know that I'm Navajo," he said. (I didn't.) And he went on to say that the book I'd given his wife for a baby gift, Wild Rose's Weaving, had captured his childhood memories perfectly. He said Wild Rose was now his little boy's favorite book, that it sits on the shelf by his bed, and he picks it out to read first, every night. He said the symbolism, the words, everything just hit the culture right on.

I hugged him. That ups our acquaintanceship to official friends, right?

At any rate, I think it's the sweetest review I've ever received.

Wild Rose was originally written in response to a week I'd spent in the Navajo Nation. My publisher and I didn't want to assume we knew all about a culture we don't belong to, so I made the text a bit more general than it was originally, and the illustrator went for a multicultural feel as well. Still, it's nice to know that I got it right. Nicer to know that I could spark real memories, and foster a connection between father and son (and grandma).

Just really touched--and thankful for wives who make their husband's talk to people!