Raven's Ribbons

By Tasha Spillett, Daniel Ramirez (Illustrator)

A boy's wish for a ribbon skirt challenges tradition at a round dance.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 177 ratings

32 pages

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Raven adores the vibrant round dances, where music and movement create magic. His heart yearns for a ribbon skirt, a dream his grandmother finds unusual for a boy. As the next dance approaches, will tradition bend to embrace new expressions of identity? Discover how a community learns that even long-held customs can evolve beautifully, celebrating self-expression and acceptance.

From the publisher

★ “Spillett captures the joy of the round dance, and a feeling of belonging and connection offered in intergenerational Indigenous community.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ “Simple and tender.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review From New York Times bestselling author Tasha Spillett and illustrator Daniel Ramirez comes a joyous intergenerational celebration of gender self-expression and acceptance through an Indigenous lens. Raven loves Round Dances. The drums sing to the people. The people dance to the music. Raven’s favorite part is to watch the ribbon skirts, swirling like a rainbow. He wishes he could have a ribbon skirt of his own, but his grandmother has never seen a boy wearing one. Until the next round dance, when it turns out that even someone who has lived a long time can see wonderful things that they’ve never seen before. In the spirit of beloved books like Julián is a Mermaid, here is a moving intergenerational story celebrating identity, self-expression, and the realization that even within our traditions, there is room for beautiful reinvention.