The Christmas Coat

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. 2011. The Christmas coat: Memories of my Sioux childhood. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 9780823421343

PLOT SUMMARY

The daughter of an Episcopal priest, Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve retells an account of how she was gifted a lovely, warm coat for Christmas.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Christmas Coat is based on true events in the author’s childhood. The characters in the story represent culturally accurate Native Americans interacting with one another—their accurate portrayal is due to the real person whom they reflect. The story focuses on young Virginia, daughter of an Episcopal priest, sister to cowboy boot loving Eddie, and daughter to Mama who taught her children to consider the needs of others first. The characters live on a South Dakota reservation, and the children walk to school. Virginia’s parents have a vehicle parked next to their house, but based on the text, people on the reservation walks to where they need to go.

In the school room pictured, the only adornment on the walls is a United States map and a portrait of a Native American man in a headdress. With no knowledge of Sioux traditions, one might assume the picture serves as a stereotype. However, toward the end of the book, the children put on a play. In the place of three Arab wise men going to see the baby Jesus, three children wearing headdresses arrive. The narrator notes that headdresses are only worn by wise leaders and elders of the tribe. With this explanation, the portrait in the school room makes sense.

The clothing worn shows an accurate portrayal of the time as well. The children and adults wear dresses, denim jeans, overalls, and cardigans; the kind the White man might also wear. The men and boys have short, dark hair while the girls’ dark hair is kept longer. Virginia’s hair is the shortest of the girls pictured. She allows hers to flow freely, but most of the girls wear braids. The adult women wear their hair tied up in buns.

The story takes place on a Sioux reservation in South Dakota around Christmastime. Because the story is about the author, readers can assume the reservation is the Rosebud Sioux Reservation where the author spent her childhood. Sneve describes the winter winds on the prairie, and illustrator Ellen Beier captures the gale force winds and frigid temperatures in her watercolor paintings.

Interactions with other cultures are scarcely mentioned. The book describes the Theast box—boxes of clothing donated to the reservation from a church in New England. The families on the reservation count on and are excited about receiving the Theast box.

Some non-Sioux traditions are practiced by this tribe. The practice of Christianity and the traditional telling of the nativity story have already been alluded to. An interesting tradition is a visit from Santa Claus. The reaction from the children is particularly interesting: some were welcoming and surprised while many were frightened. Maybe the families vary in their wavering of family tradition.

Even with the inclusion of the non-traditional events, the community Christmas supper consisted of traditional foods: corn soup, fry bread, and wojape, a chokecherry pudding.

A picture book format with vibrant illustrations well suits this story. Beier adds details in her illustrations such as the specificity in the children’s faces. Readers will know who Virginia, Eddie, Evelyn, and the parents are in each picture because of their features consistently painted on each page. Beier captures the characters’ emotions: from the crying baby on Virginia’s lap to Marty plugging her nose in dissatisfaction of the rank odor from Evelyn’s coat.

Sneve’s retelling of a childhood memory will appeal to the readers’ emotions. However, the transitions from page to page lack a constant flow. For example, after discovering Evelyn’s smelly coat, it seemed that the next page would consist of Evelyn’s reaction to children laughing at her stinky coat. Instead, it jumps to a discussion about Christmas being near and students going to pageant practice. Later on the page, the smelly coat is revisited. As a reader, I struggled with moving from one event to the next.

Even the end of the book seemed to just cut off. While Virginia received the coat she wanted, there was little closure to complete the story. Instead, without using text, Beier includes a final illustration showing Mama walk to the church with Virginia in her new red coat and Eddie in his new cowboy boots.

The moving story will remind readers of a time when they received a special yet unexpected gift. The illustrations and Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve’s memories will provide a small piece of education about the traditions practiced by this Sioux tribe.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

Cooperative Children’s Book Center Best Book, 2012

Kirkus Book Review Stars, Sept. 2011

“…this picture book…offers a realistic look at economic hardship in the context of a warm and loving family. Aspects of Native (Sneve is Sioux) culture are subtle elements of the story, and occasionally stand out in the illustrations.” –Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 2012

“Virginia's personality shines through in this poignant story that entertains and informs without recourse to stereotypes.” –Kirkus Reviews, 2011, starred review

“Although the text does not deal with many difficult issues that faced the Sioux in South Dakota, it does provide a peek into the life of one child.” –Kutztown University Book Review, 2012

CONNECTIONS

Holiday Memories

Write a poem describing a favorite holiday memory. Share with a coffee house style poetry reading. Make it fun—serve hot chocolate and pastries!

Holiday Venn Diagram

Partner up with one other person. Create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast your families’ holiday traditions. While this may include Christmas, other winter holidays are encouraged.—the more diverse, the better!

Native American Living Conditions Comparison

The Christmas Coat describes winter conditions on one Sioux reservation. Study the living areas of another tribe. Include not only the climate but how tribe members adapt to the conditions. Choose one of the following presentation methods: Prezi, Glogster, VoiceThread, or Animoto.