The book Sky Sisters by Jan Bourdeau Waboose is a book about two sisters, Alex and Allie, following their families’ tradition. The
book discusses the Native American culture and how the Northern Lights are a part of their culture. The book depicts a strong sense of culture and tradition as it’s theme through it’s use of two sisters following the tradition of their mother and aunt; they trudge through the snow on a cold winters night to discover the awe and wonder of the Northern Lights, which to them are the SkySpirits. The books use of text and illustrations help to provide knowledge about the Native American culture and how tradition relates to the culture.
The title of the book Sky Sisters, connects to the theme in a couple ways. The two sisters in the book trudge through the snow to watch the Northern Lights. In their culture the Northern Lights are also referred to as the SkySpirits. At the end of the book the two sisters rename the SkySpirits as the SkySisters when Nimise shouts “Nishiime, they’re SkySisters!” They rename the lights this because the lights in the sky remind them of sisters dancing in the sky. This shows that the title relates to their culture as well as it relates to their families tradition of sisters watching the northern lights as the sisters mother and aunt used to take part in this tradition.
In the book the author uses some different plot events to develop the theme. On every important event in the book is when in the beginning of the book the mother notes the grandmother’s old phrase, “Wisdom comes on silent wings.” This is important because it begins to develop the culture of the family and the background that they come from. As you go a few pages, further into the book the sisters, Alex and Allie, begin to use their Ojibway names that they have given themselves, “Shh Nishiime, whisper when you speak.” “Okay, Nimise.” This further develops the families’ culture by the use of their native names. Later in the book, the younger sister remembers her mothers’ stories of how she used to make this trek with their Aunt; “I remember the stories Mother told me… When she and Aunty were girls Mother was the leader.” This part of the story develops the tradition part of the theme showing many women in the family made this trek. At the end of the book, it develops the culture and background of the family a little more as the sisters watch the Northern Lights or the SkySpirits renaming them SkySisters. This part of the book depicts their culture and shows that the young girls think of the lights as two sisters dancing in the sky, which shows a lot of insight to their culture.
The author also uses the setting of the book to develop the theme. Instead of starting the book with the two sisters outside in the snow walking the author starts it inside the house with the mother who mentions their grandmother and the tradition. The mood is also used to develop theme because the mood is to be calm and quiet as the mother notes in the beginning; “Wisdom comes on silent wings.” The calm and quiet mood shows the importance of this journey and tradition.
In the end of the book the author uses very strong symbolism. The girls talk about the lights in the sky and how they resemble sisters dancing in the sky. The symbolism of the lights and the sisters dancing helps to strongly develop the culture. The imagery does a great job of depicting the northern lights. On one particular page of the book it shows the northern lights and makes it easy to see how the lights could look like two sisters dancing in the sky. The girls talk about how the lights saying “They wave down to us. And we wave back. Over and over.”
The theme in this book can be related to anyone’s’ life. The theme is tradition and culture. Although everyone has a different background, therefore different traditions and different cultures we all have these things in our life. The book not only teaches about the Native American Culture but also provides an opportunity for students to think about their own cultures and traditions. The book may remind students of their own traditions. Students can relate to the book, Sky Sisters, in many ways. They could relate through having a sister, through having a tradition in the winter, or just memories that the students have. The book provides a great opportunity to not only talk about different cultures but also to talk about what makes up that individual students culture and what traditions they have in their families.
book discusses the Native American culture and how the Northern Lights are a part of their culture. The book depicts a strong sense of culture and tradition as it’s theme through it’s use of two sisters following the tradition of their mother and aunt; they trudge through the snow on a cold winters night to discover the awe and wonder of the Northern Lights, which to them are the SkySpirits. The books use of text and illustrations help to provide knowledge about the Native American culture and how tradition relates to the culture.
The title of the book Sky Sisters, connects to the theme in a couple ways. The two sisters in the book trudge through the snow to watch the Northern Lights. In their culture the Northern Lights are also referred to as the SkySpirits. At the end of the book the two sisters rename the SkySpirits as the SkySisters when Nimise shouts “Nishiime, they’re SkySisters!” They rename the lights this because the lights in the sky remind them of sisters dancing in the sky. This shows that the title relates to their culture as well as it relates to their families tradition of sisters watching the northern lights as the sisters mother and aunt used to take part in this tradition.
In the book the author uses some different plot events to develop the theme. On every important event in the book is when in the beginning of the book the mother notes the grandmother’s old phrase, “Wisdom comes on silent wings.” This is important because it begins to develop the culture of the family and the background that they come from. As you go a few pages, further into the book the sisters, Alex and Allie, begin to use their Ojibway names that they have given themselves, “Shh Nishiime, whisper when you speak.” “Okay, Nimise.” This further develops the families’ culture by the use of their native names. Later in the book, the younger sister remembers her mothers’ stories of how she used to make this trek with their Aunt; “I remember the stories Mother told me… When she and Aunty were girls Mother was the leader.” This part of the story develops the tradition part of the theme showing many women in the family made this trek. At the end of the book, it develops the culture and background of the family a little more as the sisters watch the Northern Lights or the SkySpirits renaming them SkySisters. This part of the book depicts their culture and shows that the young girls think of the lights as two sisters dancing in the sky, which shows a lot of insight to their culture.
The author also uses the setting of the book to develop the theme. Instead of starting the book with the two sisters outside in the snow walking the author starts it inside the house with the mother who mentions their grandmother and the tradition. The mood is also used to develop theme because the mood is to be calm and quiet as the mother notes in the beginning; “Wisdom comes on silent wings.” The calm and quiet mood shows the importance of this journey and tradition.
In the end of the book the author uses very strong symbolism. The girls talk about the lights in the sky and how they resemble sisters dancing in the sky. The symbolism of the lights and the sisters dancing helps to strongly develop the culture. The imagery does a great job of depicting the northern lights. On one particular page of the book it shows the northern lights and makes it easy to see how the lights could look like two sisters dancing in the sky. The girls talk about how the lights saying “They wave down to us. And we wave back. Over and over.”
The theme in this book can be related to anyone’s’ life. The theme is tradition and culture. Although everyone has a different background, therefore different traditions and different cultures we all have these things in our life. The book not only teaches about the Native American Culture but also provides an opportunity for students to think about their own cultures and traditions. The book may remind students of their own traditions. Students can relate to the book, Sky Sisters, in many ways. They could relate through having a sister, through having a tradition in the winter, or just memories that the students have. The book provides a great opportunity to not only talk about different cultures but also to talk about what makes up that individual students culture and what traditions they have in their families.