When We Gather (Ostadahlisiha): A Cherokee Tribal Feast
CCBC Review:
“Nothing welcomes spring like a wild onion dinner!” A Cherokee girl describes a seasonal ritual as she and her family help prepare a community feast to welcome spring. But first, her Uncle Fish takes her and her younger brother to the spot where they’ll harvest wild green onions. Other family members join them; they each have their favorite tool for digging, from stick to shovel to spoon. They leave most of the onions behind so more will be waiting next spring. When it’s time to cook at the community center, the menu includes corn soup, grape dumplings stew, wild onions and eggs, and more. Following a prayer to thank the Creator, it's time to eat! A lovely, lengthy author’s note about the importance she places on history and culture, including food and language, closes this cheerfully illustrated, buoyant story. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 4-8
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Celebrations, Holidays, and Observances
Cherokee People
Community
Families
First/Native Nations
Food and Cooking
Gardens and Gardening
Diversity subject:
Indigenous
Publishers:
HarperCollins, Heartdrum
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780063076792
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Rogers