Francis, L. (2011). Kunu's basket. Gardiner: Tilbury House Publishers.
Kunu's Basket is a multicultural book written by Lee DeCora Francis, who is a Native American from the Penobscot Indian Nation in Maine. It is a tale about the tradition of basket weaving that is particular to that culture.
In this story, Kunu is trying to learn the family and tribe tradition of basket weaving but he is having a difficult time getting it right. In his frustration, Kunu runs outside. His grandfather observes his behavior and asks Kunu for his help with pounding the ash; the first step in the basket-making process. Grandfather, or Muhmum, gently walks Kunu through the procedures until finally Kunu finishes his first basket. All the while, Muhmum is explaining the basket-weaving process, he is also teaching Kunu the importance of this tribal/family tradition.
Kunu's Basket is a good book to introduce younger students to the importance of family traditions and a way to begin to recognize traditions within their own families. It could also be a starting point for students to begin researching traditions of other cultures especially forms of art, as are the baskets in the Penobscot culture.
Students could weave simple paper baskets to better understand the process and frustrations that Kunu experiences.
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