Discovering the Metate: Vee F. Browne Tells the Tale of The Stone Cutter & Navajo Maiden
October 12, 2009 by Brittany Tabor
Familiar stones peek out from beneath the earth as if their intention was to be found. Perhaps the history associated with the stones broke the earth itself with hope a story would be found. Vee F. Browne unearths an old and broken metate that hadn't been used for a while. The discovery of the metate inspired Vee to write the children's book The Stone Cutter and The Navajo Maiden.
The story follows Cinnibah, a young Navajo girl who sets out on a journey to find someone who can mend her mother's broken metate. A metate is a large grinding stone used to grind corn and grain into flour or meal.
Vee said the discovery of the metate inspired her to write the story about Cinnibah and her journey to mend her family heirloom. She began writing the story in winter 2008, and approached Salina Bookshelf for the publication of her story. Vee said, "I really liked that Salina believed in Multicultural learning and education."
Vee, who stresses the importance of Navajo language, said it was important to make the book bilingual. The book is written in English and in Navajo. "I just want to preserve the (Navajo) language, I love my language" said Vee, "I don't want the youth to forget the language." Vee explained the inspiration of making the book bilingual came from the Navajo radio station KTNN's "Navajo Word of the Day." The radio station provides listeners with a Navajo word each day and its meaning.
The Stonecutter and the Navajo Maiden is Vee's fifth book. She has written Monster Slayer, Monster Birds, Animal Lore and Legends: Owl, and Modern Curriculum. Her writings include fiction and non-fiction stories, but she primarily writes fiction stories.
Vee, who received her degree in Education from Northern Arizona University and her master's degree in Education Counseling from Western New Mexico University , said she utilizes the six traits of writing when writing stories. The six traits include ideas/content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency and conventions.
The Stone Cutter and the Navajo Maiden displays various themes such as strength, courage and perseverance explains Vee, who hopes the book will inspire children to read.
The Stone Cutter and the Navajo Maiden is nominated for the Arizona State Library's OneBookAZ children's book award. Arizona residents voted for their favorite book online at www.onebookaz.org before September 30, 2009 . The Stone Cutter and the Navajo Maiden is nominated along with three other finalists in the children's book category. For more information visit the website www.onebookaz.org/kids. Results of the OneBookAZ winners will be announced on October 15, 2009 .
Navajo Illustrator Johnson Yazzie Brings Story To Life
October 12, 2009 by Brittany Tabor
The sun softly sets behind the Flagstaff landscape. The relaxing colors of yellow, orange, red and blue fill the sky as Johnson Yazzie begins to talk about the illustrations he created for The Stone Cutter and The Navajo Maiden written by Vee F. Browne.
Johnson, who resides in Heber, Ariz. , was first approached in fall 2006 by Salina Bookshelf's Art Director Buddy Bahe Whitethorne Jr. to work on the illustrations for the books. Johnson was hesitant to commit to the project because of his current commitment to his paintings which would appear at the Santa Fe Indian Market later that year.
Johnson said he wanted to see the story and get an idea of the illustrations before he fully committed. "I wanted to get involved in a story that I could relate to," said Johnson. The Stone Cutter and The Navajo Maiden is the first book Johnson illustrated for and said he would like to continue doing illustrations for future books.
While working on the illustrations, Johnson said he had to envision the story in reality, a scene from the story required Johnson to take a closer look at what he would portray when drawing with pastels, "I envisioned and imagined the background when the sun came up, and I had to make it affective because as an artist you have to be inventive." Johnson warns the drawings may look easy, but were in fact challenging because "You have to make it effective and you have to put emotion into the character's face and body." While creating the drawings, Johnson had in mind different landscapes across the Navajo reservation that would serve as inspiration for the different landscapes seen in the book.
Johnson admitted the project served as a history lesson because he, the editor and art director researched the time period in which the book took place. Clothing, housing, art, rug weaving, transportation and the animals were researched to add authenticity to the story. "It was a refresher course. It was a history lesson for me," said Johnson.
The story particularly hit close to home as Johnson said he could relate to the story because he grew up on the reservation in Pinon, Ariz. and his mother and grandmother utilized the metate. He said the metate is "part of the culture and tradition" of the Navajo people. Johnson explains how the stone is important to the Navajo way of life and it was essential to survive because of the food it made as well as it other uses. Johnson said the metate is more than just a stone, but it goes back in history to the time when his ancestors used it.
As the book makes its way through the Navajo Nation and the state, Johnson hopes the children grasp the importance of the Navajo language and understand that language can build a foundation, "I hope they understand that they have a powerful language because it has history," said Johnson as he begins to give an example of the Navajo Code Talkers utilizing the Navajo language which resulted in a victory for the United States in World War II. Johnson said the greatest satisfaction would be to see a young Navajo child read the book a load in Navajo, "I would feel honored. I made this effort with the illustrations and now children are reading about it in Navajo."
Publishing 101: Discovering the In's and Out's of a Publishing Company
October 12, 2009 by Brittany Tabor
She had never worked for a publishing company before and she had found the publishing jargon to be far too foreign as she sat in on her first meeting with the Salina Bookshelf team. Mary Taylor raised her hand and said, "Can you put this in words I can understand?" She said she had no experience in publishing, but was ready to learn.
Mary, who has been working with Salina for a year, worked prior with Navajo Housing Authority in Dilcon , Ariz. She had earned her bachelor's degree in social work at Northern Arizona University . Before receiving her degree, Mary took courses in business and accounting, which she admits has helped her with the business aspect at Salina . Mary contributes to the Salina team by handling invoice, accounting, shipping and sales. Eric Lockard , President of Salina Bookshelf, said Mary pretty much has a hand in everything and could not think of a specific job title to give her.
When she is not multitasking at Salina , Mary and her husband travel to art shows throughout the region displaying their silversmith (ask Mary) skills in Native designed jewelry. The mother of two and grandmother of two said getting ready for art shows can be a little draining but she enjoys it. The couple acts as a tag team while Mary handles the business and her husband handles the sliversmithing.
Mary, whose first language was Navajo, said she is thankful for the ability to speak, read and write in the Navajo language. She has been a help in editing and translating Navajo for forthcoming books. Mary said some of her favorite books published by Salina Bookshelf are Bidii by Marjorie W. Thomas, illustrations by Patrick S. Begay and Zinnia: How the Corn Was Saved by Patricia Hruby Powell, illustrations by Kendrick Benally.
Author To Know: Author Finds Niche in the Southwest
October 12, 2009 by Brittany Tabor
Seth Muller has always had a passion for writing. In third grade, he told his mother he wanted to write books. Never did he imagine he would be writing stories about a young Navajo girl finding magical books that enabled her to speak with birds.
Seth said he has always expressed himself through language and found writing stories was his creative outlet. Later in life, Seth decided journalism would be a "stable career" and would allow him to continue to write. He attended Western Virginia University in Morgantown , West Virginia and received his bachelor's degree in journalism. Seth has written for his university's daily newspaper and did freelance writing for a magazine. Seth said he needed to get the creative energy out of him so he began writing a collection of short stories and poems.
He moved out to Page, Ariz. in 2001 and began working with Lake Powell Chronicles as a reporter. There he met many individuals from the Navajo community and gathered inspiration from their history and the landscape they resided on. "Living in Page inspired me boundlessly. It threw the door right open as I began writing about the Arizona landscape, people, culture and history," said Seth. He later moved to Flagstaff where he now resides with his wife and daughter. He works as an editor at Mountain Living Magazine.
Seth said he was "always asking questions about the Navajo." He said he found the language to be very beautiful and complex. This added inspiration to his stories he would begin to write.
The Mockingbird Manuel is Seth's first children's book of the Keepers of the Windclaw Chronicles that has been published. He will be working on the second book next spring.
Since becoming a father in May 2008, Seth said the thought of being a father inspired him to write a children's book which he could later share with his daughter, Grace. The idea of the book came from an experience he had when he observed two black ravens that "appeared to be in an argument." Seth said he stood there trying to imagine what the two birds were "arguing" about. The idea of his first children's book was created: a child finds a manual which gives her the power to understand birds.
The setting of the book takes place on the Navajo reservation and follows a young, Navajo girl named Ellie Tsosie who discovers The Mockingbird's Manuel which enables her to understand birds and learn from them. Seth said the themes of the book include: respecting and connecting with the natural world and respecting and celebrating diversity.