"For a Girl Becoming" by Joy Harjo with illustrations by Mercedes McDonald, $17.95
About five years ago, when Joy Harjo's granddaughter was blossoming into a teenager, the internationally known writer and poet wrote a piece about life's transformations. When Harjo — who is Mvskoke/Creek and calls Albuquerque home — read it at performances, people loved it. Requested it. So the very personal piece turned into a book.
With mystical illustrations exploding with color and rich, poetic text, "For a Girl Becoming" details the journey through birth, youth and adulthood. The book is part of the UA Press' Sun Tracks series, which focuses on American Indian literature. Despite its designation, the book hits on themes anyone of any race can relate to. And though it's officially classified as a children's book, Harjo believes that it crosses age groups.
"The book is about transformation, the journey of life," says Harjo, who was a teenage mother, as was her daughter. "We all make that journey. It's a reminder — we were all born and came into this world with a promise. To fulfill that promise is a time for rejoicing for everyone. When someone fulfills their gift, their journey, it's a time for rejoicing for everybody. Those gifts contribute to all of us."
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The book has Harjo's daughter thinking about penning her own children's book, which fits in with another purpose of the book, the author says — "passing on the inspiration and encouraging others to add their own stories."
