I Sang You Down from the Stars

by Tasha Spillett-Sumner, Michaela Goade (Illustrator)

As she waits for the arrival of her new baby, a Native mother-to-be gathers gifts to create a sacred bundle. A white feather, cedar and sage, a stone from the river...

Each addition to the bundle will offer the new baby strength and connection to tradition, family, and community. As they grow together, mother and baby will each have gifts to offer each other.

Genres: Picture Books, Indigenous, Childrens, Family, Native American, Nature, Fiction

26 pages, Hardcover

First published April 6, 2021

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a wonderful insight to the traditions of the Inniniwak nation in celebration of the arrival of a new baby. This would be a great addition to any library whether public or personal.

Honestly, I didn't really know much about I Sang You Down from the Stars until I began to explore more about the illustrator Michaela Goade. I read We Are Water Protectors earlier this year and I fell in the love with the art and decided to check out Goade's website. It was there that I found this title and decided to check it out from the library. The story itself is from the perspective of a soon to be mother as she collects different items for the baby's medicine bundle. The journey that she goes on to collect these items is filled with reverence to traditions that the author finds within her own nation. Love and the connection between the medicine bundle and the "bundle of joy" on the way was beautiful. While this may speak to specific traditions of the Inniniwak nation, it is a universal story that would be a great gift to share with any family expecting a little one. Goade does a wonderful job incorporating artwork that literally spreads from page to page. If you haven't read this one, I would definitely check it out.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anticipating the birth of her child, and the welcome she will give this beloved newcomer, a mother gathers various items for a medicine bundle, each of which has spiritual significance. A white feather found after seeing the beauty of a shooting star, cedar and sage to keep the spirit strong, a pebble from the banks of a rushing river that recalls a sense of place—each item will serve to tie the baby to their world and to who they are...

I Sang You Down from the Stars is a lovely picture-book, one I sought out chiefly because I am an admirer of Tlingit illustrator Michaela Goade's work. I was certainly not disappointed on that score, finding the artwork here—created using watercolor and mixed media—simply gorgeous! That being said, the narrative from Inniniwak (Cree) author Tasha Spillett-Sumner was also appealing, capturing the keen sense of joyful anticipation experienced by the mother, as well as the world of wonder waiting for her baby. Although this kind of book focuses more on the parental viewpoint, I think it can still serve as a wonderful reassurance tale for young children, letting them know how much they were wanted, and how welcome they are in their families and in the world. Recommended primarily to picture-book readers seeking this kind of narrative, as well as to those looking for titles with a Native American cultural outlook.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this sweet and stunning picture book. The art is beautiful and the message is both loving and empowering. Both the author and the illustrator are the Indigenous artists, and the text tells of some of the ways the author prepares to welcome her baby. While these are Inniniwak customs, the love and the messages are universal for parents welcoming any new child. The art is really beautiful and this would be a really lovely gift for a new parent and a sweet bedtime book.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite 2021 release. A must have for new parents. The illustrator, Michaela Goade won the 2021 Caldecott gold for We Are Water Protectors. I Sang You Down from the Stars is every bit as good. I may like this title even more. It is a beauty.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gleams with love and intention and good wishes for a baby as a mother gathers a sacred medicine bundle to share with them.

[Martha andrade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una carta de amor de una madre nativa a americana a su bebé con unas ilustraciones preciosas que me impresionaron por el uso de perspectivas diferentes, no todos pueden dibujar tan bien y que se vea tan estético.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mother-to-be gathers gifts from her surroundings to create a sacred bundle for the baby in her heart and in her womb.

A soothingly illustrated tribute to the Inninwak and other indigenous peoples' understanding of conception and childbearing: that babies choose their parents. A gorgeous baby shower present for all the new moms in your life.

Reviewed by: Miss Kelsey, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanksgiving family read-aloud picture book binge.

I'm not a fan of picture books that are just mothers' odes to their infants, so I was groaning inside as I opened the book, but the indigenous person perspective caught my attention right away with its spirituality and traditions and gave fresh life to the genre. Very nice.

After reading, I realized I have also been enjoying the author's Surviving the City graphic novel series.

[Jaime M · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book. It’s as much for parents as it is for our little bundles. It captured my son’s attention throughout the entire book. It supports parents with ways of knowing (bundles), and the words are so simple and so meaningful. It was a good reminder for me that this little cutie I have is a bundle too.
This book is wonderful for any which way a child came into the world

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and well written! This was a fantastic story of a mother preparing for her new baby.

[Nadia L. Hohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gorgeous story perfect for bedtime, embedded with the Indigenous traditions of the author. I appreciated the rhythm of the words and how the words repeat. Lovely illustrations.

[Renn · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s so much love in this, it’s alive on the pages and reaches every corner. I’m crying a little, knowing that this is what unconditional love means.

“With care in my hands, I sewed your first star blanket. With each stitch I whispered a prayer for you and thought about wrapping you up warm and safe, just like you are now in my belly.”

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many baby books out there, but this one is uinuqe in that it not only wishes love to the baby, but tells how the mother collected items for the babies medicine pouch, and why each item is important.

From the smooth stone in the river, to the star quilt that she will wrap the child in, to the egle feather she finds while seeing a shooting star in the sky, these are all things that will be special to the child, because the mother found them while looking for the child's spirit .

The author said that it follows the traditions of her Nation, the Inniniwak, and many other Indigenous peoples.

The pictures are lovely, and this would be a good book for a new mother, as a story about the gifts that are from and to the baby.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lyrical story told from the view of an expectant mother. While the mother is preparing for the baby she collects several items to put into the baby's medicine bundle that will help connect the baby to the Earth and their culture.

The main thing that attracted me to this book was the illustration on the cover. I think it’s absolutely gorgeous and I loved that it continued throughout the book. Each page felt connected just like how the baby is connected to their culture. The illustrations were done using watercolor and I think it was an excellent choice.

I really liked reading the author's note at the end where she told us more about her Nation, the Inniniwak, and explained what a medicine bundle was.

I think this would be a cute gift for expectant mothers. It feels like a book you would read to your child as they grow.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is interesting because it gives the read a view into traditions of a indigenous peoples, in this case the Nation of Inniniwak. It’s a different type of story about how heritage and traditions are passed from family member to family member, and how stars chose their family to become babies. And lets not forget about the amazing illustrations also done by an indigenous person of the Tlingit Nation, also known as People of the Tides.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy this for your friends who are welcoming a new baby!

[Ariana Cruz]

This more recently published book is a beautiful story of a new mother preparing for the arrival of her baby. Made by two indigenous creators, this book is basically a love letter to the child. As the woman is preparing for the baby’s arrival, she picks up pieces of the earth to create a medicine bundle for her baby. She gathers and makes items significant to Native American culture; a fluffy white feather she finds in the wind, sage and cedar to use for medicine, a star blanket to wrap the baby up in, and a stone from a river to connect the baby to the earth. Once the baby comes, she wraps the baby in the hand made blanket for them to have throughout their life. The feather is a remind of the white flowing wind around. The woman tells the baby how she will teach them to make medicine using the tools the earth has given them. The rock is a reminder of the place they are from and ground them to the land around them.

This is so beautifully written with gorgeous art to accompany the story. It’s written almost like a lullaby, lulling you as you read it. This is definitely a book I would want to read to my own children and gives such a beautiful perspective on Native American culture. I adored this book and honestly could’ve looked at the art alone for hours.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tasha Spillett-Sumner’s I Sang You Down from the Stars is “a reminder that there is beauty all around us; we just have to look and see.” The gorgeous watercolor illustrations and text illuminate the Indigenous origin story--babies choose their parents--and pay tribute to the author’s Inniniwak Nation--the People of the Stars--as well as the artist’s Tlingit Nation--the People of the Tides. It also showcases the traditional medicine bundle, a collection of sacred items “to create something that the child can carry and lean on through their life journey.” The perfect gift for a baby shower or Mother’s Day.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it possible to give something six stars? This book is nothing short of stunning. The story and illustrations are both so moving and powerful, more than the sum of their parts. This is an #ownvoices book, woven throughout with Native culture (the author is a Cree and Trinidadian writer, the illustrator is a Tlingit artist) and at the same time speaks to a universal experience of a mother's love for her child. Tears in my eyes.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisite treasure, this book caused me to tear up. The message and the tradition it’s representing are so beautiful - what lucky children to have such a welcome! And the illustrations...seriously stunning. I didn’t realize they were done by the same illustrator of another recent favorite book of mine (We are Water Protectors), but I’m glad to have found this out! I will be reading anything she has a hand in!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this from the very first lines:

"I loved you before I met you
Before I held you in my arms,
I sang you down from the stars."

I wish I'd had this book to read to my children when they were little. It is gorgeous!!! The mother gathers gifts for her unborn child as she prepares for the birth of her child.

I appreciated the author's note at the end giving more details about the traditions of the Inniniwak in preparing a medicine bundle for their soon-to-be born child.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful! The text is poetic yet very simple and readable. I think I might order a reference copy for us to use in our Pajama Story Time rotation. Michaela Goade's illustrations are absolutely stunning. This and We Are Water Protectors are certainly establishing her as one to watch!

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. The art is absolutely stunning, especially how the illustrator depicts the different seasons! Not only is it a heartwarming story about mother and child, but the author and illustrator also incorporate indigenous cultural traditions.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not being a parent myself, I typically don't connect as much to the "mother & baby" books, but this one is phenomenally well done. The care with which both the author & illustrator imbued a sense of love and their Native cultures within the pages is touching. A gorgeous book in both images and words and sentiment.

[Margaret Boling]

Publishers' Weekly Starred Review: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...

[Robynne Burrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story. The words are like a lullaby and the illustrations are beautiful. It's also a great insight into how other cultures prepare for and celebrate babies.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much love for this one! The story and the art are wonderful. I recommend this one to everyone, especially mothers.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

An expectant Native American mother gathers welcoming gifts for her baby, and when she finally holds her baby realizes her baby is a sacred bundle to0.

[Crystal ✬ Lost in Storyland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story. More thoughts to come.

[Dax · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a work of art. Every page breathes life and hope into a better world where a child chooses it's family and what a truly great gift to bestow to help guide your child into the world!