Nickommoh!: A Thanksgiving Celebration [Hardcover]

Jackie French Koller (Author), Marcia Sewall (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999

It is Taqountikeeswush,
the Moon of the Falling Leaves.
The Creator's gifts have been harvested, dried, and tucked away
in auqunnash [storage bins] in the bosom of Earth Mother. They will
provide for the People all through the
long, cold months to come, the long, cold months of Papone. It is time,
now. Time for the People to come
together, together to give thanks.

NICKOMMOH!

Long before the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving at Plymouth, the Native Americans of the area celebrated the harvest during a feast called "Nickommoh," meaning "give away" or "exchange." The Pilgrims' Thanksgiving was actually more similar to this traditional Native American celebration than to the holiday as we celebrate it today. Jackie French Koller's festive prose poem brings to life the weaving rhythms of this harvest celebration, as the People come together from villages near and far to construct sweat lodges, eat turkey and sweet cakes, play games, and dance and sing beneath the star blanket that Moon Sister has drawn across the sky. Marcia Sewall uses her considerable knowledge of the Narragansett people to portray in striking pictures the ancient patterns of our first purely American holiday.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Long before the days of microwavable turkey, cranberry sauce from a can, and digestion in front of TV football, the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. And long before this, the Native Americans of the area celebrated the harvest during a feast called Nickommoh, which means "give away" or "exchange." This handsome book depicts the Nickommoh festivities of the Narragansett people of what is now Rhode Island. Every autumn they would have a giveaway dance during which the sachem (leader) distributed gifts such as donated food, clothing, and furs among widows, orphans, or anyone in need. But this was only one part of the festival. People feasted, played games, danced, prayed, sang, sweated in sweat lodges, and generally had a grand old time.

Jackie French Koller's solemn, rhythmic, almost chant-like writing is accompanied by the earthy browns, reds, and yellows of Marcia Sewall's striking illustrations to create a mood that feels just right for the subject. Koller first explored early New England history in The Primrose Way, and is well established as author of over two dozen books for children and young adults, including the delightful One Monkey Too Many. A glossary of the Narragansett words used in the book is included. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

If Squanto (reviewed above) offers background to the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving, Koller (The Promise, reviewed p. 62) demonstrates that a celebratory gathering to commemorate the harvest, Nickommoh, had long been the custom on these shores. In prose with the cadence of a drumbeat, the author reveals the rhythms of Narragansett life, devoted to the Creator, Kautantawwitt, and punctuated by praise: "They come together, together to give thanks. Nickommoh!" In marked contrast to her usual style, Sewall's (The Pilgrims of Plimoth) scratchboard and gouache illustrations convey both simplicity and complexity. Even as she portrays individualsAmen cutting poles for the great lodge, women covering the poles with bark, children playing tug-of-warAher compositions build a unity among the characters. Almost hypnotic in their power, art and text are infused with the communal spirit of Thanksgiving. Ages 6-9. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1ST edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689810946
• ISBN-13: 978-0689810947
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,012,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book..., January 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Nickommoh!: A Thanksgiving Celebration (Hardcover)

What a fascinating and beautiful look at a traditional Native American celebration. Both my young son and I enjoyed it very much. I learned something, and it gave him a good start at appreciating and understanding cultures different from our own.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rites of Thanksgiving, the Native American way!, January 7, 2010

By 

Z Hayes (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Nickommoh! A Thanksgiving Celebration

"Nickommoh! A Thanksgiving Celebration" is a unique book because it provides young (and adult) readers a fascinating glimpse into the Thanksgiving celebrations of Native Americans who held large celebrations 13 times a year (one for each lunar month). The term Nickommoh is the term used by the Narragansett Indian Tribe in New England in referring to these celebrations. Author Jackie French Koller captures the celebratory spirit of these Native Americans through her vivid prose - "With joyful greetings they come together, together to give thanks. Nickommoh!"

The illustrations by artist Marcia Sewall are striking and detailed, taking us step-by-step through the celebrations, from the initial preparations to the actual festivities. Throughout, the great sense of community that is so much a part of the Native American way of life is conveyed - communal cooking, games, the costumes, people helping each other dress and painting faces, etc - and finally moving in circles around the fire as they invoke the blessings of Kautantawwitt or the Creator. This makes for a perfect read-aloud and makes for an interactive reading experience in classrooms (as the children can be called upon to chorus or re-enact parts of the story). This is a beautifully-illustrated book which provides wonderful insights into the Native American culture and their celebration of Thanksgiving.