From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-The oldest fair in the Navajo Nation is held annually in Shiprock, NM. This story follows young Nezbah through the event, from the excitement of waking on the first morning to the last moment of the festivities when her father carries her, tired and happy, into the house. All of the elements that make the fair special are described: preparations, traditional food, the parade and carnival, the powwow, and the Y?ibicheii dance on the last night. The illustrations are done in a lively folk-art style in vibrant colors (shades of teal, purple, and fuchsia), evocative of the Southwest. The text, a combination of narrative and poetry, presents an adequate picture of the event, but it's too long for a read-aloud. While good second-grade readers could handle it on their own, it's unlikely to hold their attention unless they are particularly interested in the subject. An attractive, serviceable supplement to books on Navajo culture, but one that will have a limited audience.Carolyn Stacey, Jefferson County Public Library, Golden, CO Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
Seen through the eyes of Nezbah, a young Navajo girl, the Shiprock Fair is a magical time with family and friends. Award-winning poet Luci Tapahonso's poetry captures the anticipation and exhilaration of Nezbah's experience, and Anthony Chee Emerson's illustrations bring the color and excitement of the fair to life. For young readers, ages four to ten.

About the Author
Luci Tapahonso is originally from Shiprock, New Mexico and is a professor of English and American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona. She is the author of three children's books and five books of poetry, including Blue Horses Rush In, which was awarded the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association's 1998 Poetry Award. Other honors include the 1998 Kansas Governor's Arts Award and "Distinguished Woman" awards from the National Association of Women in Education and the Girl Scout Council. Tapahonso was featured on Thino Records' CD "In Their Own Voices: A Century of American Poetry" and in three films, "The Desert Is No Lady," "Art of the Wild," and "Woven by the Grandmothers: An Exhibition of 19th Century Navajo Textiles, which were released on PBS stations. Illustrator Anthony Chee Emerson lives in Kirtland, New Mexico. His mother and brother are also artists, and his children have recently begun to paint. He has recently opened his own art gallery, Emerson Gallery, in Farmington, New Mexico. He divides his time between his commercial painting business and fine art. His paintings, which have won numerous awards, have been purchased for major museum collections as well as by prominent collectors. He has also illustrated another children's book, How the Rattlesnake Got Its Rattle.