Aneesa Lee and the Weaver's Gift

From Publishers Weekly In a series of thoughtful, interlocking poems, Grimes (Meet Danitra Brown) skillfully uses the metaphor of weaving to explore the world of a talented girl. The young weaver's strands of black, white and Japanese heritage have "produced a pleasing,/ living, breathing tapestry/ christened Aneesa Lee." The poet reveals Aneesa Lee's life and thoughts through the intricate patterns of her work ("a herringbone of sadness,/ threads of anger and gladness"; "Her yarns express her deepest thoughts/ in variegated tints"). The themes of the bookAfamily, community, artistic vision, dedication to craft and loveAbuild to a resonant climax in the last poem where Grimes suggests that, "From the age of bronze/ To the age of space,/ From Ankara to Zanzibar,/.../ The loom connects us all/ In a community/ Of cloth." Bryan's (Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum) sweeping tempera and gouache illustrations include all the shades of yarn that Aneesa Lee enumerates, as well as a cast of many colors. His paintings reflect the many moods of the poems, each framed in a vibrant textile pattern. A list of terms integral to the craft will aid novices. For adult weavers, the book will be a treasure, and for children, it serves as a glimpse into the intricacies not only of weaving, but the patterns of daily life. Ages 7-up. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Grade 3-6-Thirteen interrelated poems celebrate a girl's love of weaving. Aneesa Lee, herself a tapestry of black, white, and Japanese heritage, pursues the art with an all-consuming passion. The variegated colors of the yarn and the various textures of the woven tapestries express her shifting emotions of sadness, hurt, anger, worry, joy, and love. Each spread features a poem on the left facing a full page of art. Bright, folk-style illustrations in tempera and gouache explode with color. Decorative borders reflect the artistic unity of words and illustrations. A glossary of "Weaving Words" and a picture of a fully labeled loom precede the poems. This sensitive tribute to an ancient art may best be appreciated by those who pursue the craft themselves.