Stitches of Tradition (Gashkigwaaso Tradition)  by Marcie Rendon

"Noozhishenh, mino-bimaadiziwin," Nookomis says. "My granddaughter, live a good life". 

I absolutely adore this picture book about a young girl, Tatiana, and her Nookomis (Grandmother). The story opens with Tatiana telling her Nookomis about her baby cousin's naming ceremony. Nookomis tells her that she will need a special turquoise and green ribbon skirt for the ceremony and begins to take her measurements! As Tatiana falls asleep, she hears Nookomis crafting the skirt, the whirr, whirr, whirr of the sewing machine humming in the background. In the morning, she tries on the skirt, and it fits just perfectly. "Miigwech", she says, which means "Thank you" in the Ojibwe language. Tatiana feels gratitude for the skirt as she attends the ceremony.

The book then goes on to follow Tatiana as she is growing up. Each time an important life event arises, her Nookomis is ready and excited to create a brand-new ribbon skirt with colors to suit the occasion. As Nookomis makes her measurements in preparation for sewing each skirt, she says, "You're growing so tall". I loved how familiar and comforting this book is. Each new skirt is crafted in just the same way, and Tatiana always feels so  grateful for the gift. Rendon uses the same words and phrases each time Nookomis crafts a new skirt, so the story has an almost poetic repetition to it.

 At the end of the story, Tatiana tells her Nookomis that her coming-of-age ceremony will be tomorrow. Nookomis makes her the most stunning ribbon skirt yet: a purple skirt with strawberries and flowers, turquoise and green ribbon trim, and an applique makwa, or bear, to represent their clan. When Tatiana tries it on, she glows. She stares into the mirror and sees generations and generations of the women of her family standing behind her. 

Surrounded by her aunties, cousins, and grandmother, she celebrates the beginning of her womanhood with music, family, and gifts. 

Stitches of tradition, stitches of love. Traditions and gratidude are stitches that connect generations.

This phrase was repeated in different ways throughout the book, but hearing it at the end really filled my heart. She is handed a handmade quilt with images of her in each ribbon skirt, standing with her Nookomis.