We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

Traci Sorell began writing for young people when she saw a lack of children’s books featuring Native Americans to share with her son. She is an enrolled Cherokee Nation citizen and lives in northeastern Oklahoma where her tribe is located. We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga is her first picture book.

I grew up in a small town on top of the Palisades in New Jersey. From my bedroom window, I could see the famous skyscraper skyline of New York City. In the hot summer months I could hear the shrieks of people riding on the roller coaster at a nearby amusement park. My work has led me on many adventures in numerous countries. Traveling continues to be a major source of inspiration for my work as I render my impression of a country and its way of life in oil and gouache paintings. My greatest ambition is to instill pride and self-esteem in children about their unique heritage and their own ability to capture in it pictures and words.