Te Ata: Oklahoma Cultural Treasure by Pati Hailey absolutely gives me goosebumps.
I can imagine the beautiful child who would become Te Ata hiding under her bed at boarding school to do bead work. It delights me to learn that child was saved by a teacher who understood and fanned the girl’s passion.
The pictures in this book are perfect. Some, like the girls playing basketball in long skirts and Te Ata with the family’s first automobile, made me smile. Others, like the girl in her native dress and the old, old woman with beauty in every wrinkle, made me suck in my breath. This remarkable story ends with another thrill—the poem, “My Feet Are Dancing,” written by Te Ata and distributed at her funeral. Kids and adults need to read this bbook! Te Ata was named the first Oklahoma Cultural Treasure, and Pati Hailey’s book is a treasure too.
Anna Myers
Author of 20 books for young people
annamyersauthor.com
Te Ata
Oklahoma Cultural Treasure
Te Ata: Oklahoma Cultural Treasure is one of the biographies about notable Oklahomans in the I Am Oklahoma Children's Series published by Oklahoma Heritage Association Publishing, the publishing arm of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. The books are designed for students at the elementary level to learn more about the Oklahomans who have made our state great. Teachers and librarians are also using Te Ata: Oklahoma Cultural Treasure in middle and high school classes.
