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Chooch Helped
“This is the baby. We call him Chooch. … everyone just calls me Sissy.” Sissy explains that Chooch is two, so not really a baby anymore, but because he’s usdi (young), he “just gets away with everything.” Everyone else lets Chooch help with whatever they’re doing, even though he often makes a mess. But when Chooch tries to help Sissy make a clay pot, she shouts at him and he cries. “Shouting is no help!” Sissy’s parents yell, which makes Sissy cry. Chooch wipes away her tears. An apology from their parents is followed by a story about how Sissy “helped” when she was little just like Chooch does now. But it’s the reminder that she is one of Chooch’s most important teachers that encourages Sissy to embrace a different approach with her little brother as she offers to help him learn to make a clay pot. A universal story of sibling tension is beautifully grounded in the specifics of a Cherokee family and their culture. Cherokee words integrated into the narrative include phonetic pronunciation beneath, and definitions in a glossary at story’s end. Oranges and russets predominate in the gorgeous mixed-media illustrations incorporating Cherokee motifs and symbols. Highly Commended, 2025 Charlotte Zolotow Award ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 3-8
Age Range:
Babies/Toddlers (birth – 3)
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Cherokee People
First/Native Nations
Frustration
Patience
Siblings
Diversity subject:
Indigenous
Publisher:
Levine Querido
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 40
ISBN: 9781646144549
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Rogers