Preschool Book Review - Navajo ABC

From the Preschool Book

"We call ourselves Taa Dine, which means "The People". We are also called the Navajo. There are about 220,000 Dine today. Our land is in Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. We speak the Dine language, and many of our schools teach children to read and write Dine, as well as English. Our language is very important; because of it we are able to remember and practice many of the old ways that our ancestors taught us." - From the Foreword

About the Preschool Book

Navajo ABC: A Dine Alphabet Book gives preschoolers a glimpse at life as a Navajo. Simple images provide a window to the environment, culture, values, and art of the Navajo people. The Navajo culture is rich with artistic history. The natural environment of their home land plays a large role in their lives.

From the Reviewer

Preschoolers will enjoy learning about the Navajo culture. Navajo ABC is a twist on the basic alphabet book. It doubles as a simple picture of a culture, making it easy for preschoolers to understand what life as a Navajo is like. Beautiful illustrations will captivate preschoolers.

It would be helpful for parents or teachers to read through the glossary before reading the book to preschoolers. Some words from the Dine language are included but no definition is given on the page. The glossary contains definitions of the words as well as wonderful information about each word. The glossary explains the significance of each item in the Navajo culture.

More Information About the Navajo People

During WWII, the Navajo language was used to create a secret code to pass messages that the Japanese could not understand. The Navajo people who helped to create the code were called the Navajo Code Talkers. The Navajo language was one code that the Japanese were never able to break.

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