A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hawk, S. V. (2019). The Christmas coat: Memories of my Sioux childhood. (illus. by E. Beier). Pierre: South Dakota Historical Society Press.
B. PLOT SUMMARY
The Christmas Coat is a story about a particular Christmas in the life of author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. As Virginia and her siblings are walking to school one day in the cold, South Dakota winter, she realizes that her coat has gotten too small for her. As her father is the priest at the local church, Virginia and her family are often in charge of organizing a clothing drive for the other families on the reservation. Oftentimes, boxes arrive from the East containing donated clothing and other goods, so Virginia and her family sort the clothes and watch the children while the mothers look for new shoes, pants, and other items of clothing.
As Virginia is sorting out clothes from one of the boxes, she sees a beautiful fur coat that fits her. All day she keeps and eye on it, hoping that no one else will take it before she can get it. But a mean girl from her school comes to try on the coat, and it fits her perfectly. Virginia is devastated as she learns that she will have to settle for an uglier brown coat instead. The mean girl wears the coat to school the next day, but everyone soon discovers that the coat has a very bad smell to it. When Virginia gets home, her mother tells her that the mother of the mean girl said that the fur coat isn't going to workout for them, and Virginia is then forced to give her the brown coat that she had originally received.
As Christmas arrives, Virginia and her family help organize a Christmas pageant with a nativity scene. After the pageant, Santa Claus comes and delivers presents to all of the children. Virginia's mother also gives her and her brother some gifts that arrived with the boxes of clothes. Virginia's brother receives a pair of cowboy boots, which he had been wanting since getting his shoes stuck in some mud. As Virginia opens her present, she sees that there is a brand new coat inside waiting for her. She tries it on with tears in her eyes, and she thanks her mother.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve allows readers a glimpse into what her childhood was like as the daughter of an episcopal priest growing up on a Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota. Readers learn an invaluable lesson about patience and kindness, as Virgina receives the coat of her dreams after watching a snobby classmate claim, and then abruptly return, a jacket that Virginia had once desired. We get a glimpse at how the Sioux celebrate Christmas, keeping many of the same traditions as non-Native people. We see a Santa Claus and gifts being exchanged around Christmas time, and we even see some of the food that is traditionally eaten as a holiday meal.
I also found it interesting that the Sioux received clothing and gifts from places back East, and I wonder how common of an event this was. I am also curious to know if those donations arrive through the church itself or if it was due to the fact that they lived on the reservation. The clothing worn by the children throughout the book do not look as though they are traditional Native American attire, but this may be due to the fact that they are wearing clothes donated by non-Native people. Either way, Virginia is able to grow up inside a family that places the needs of others before themselves - a valuable lesson for someone of any culture.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Virginia's personality shines through in this poignant story that entertains and informs.
--Kirkus Reviews
With its authentic portrait of a Sioux childhood and Christmas traditions and its eventual happy ending, this is a quiet but affecting picture book.
--Horn Book
This richly descriptive narrative is well matched by detailed and expressive watercolors.
--School Library Journal
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