Traci Sorell

Decorative WOW Currents Banner

Indigenous Stories of Being

By Angeline Hoffman, White Mountain Apache Tribe

A young girl sitting on a rock with her arms held up to the sky.Story is about the unique ways of teaching and learning as reflected through special connections to nature, family, community and ecology. It is understanding and acknowledging the connections and deep knowledge through teaching and learning about how life is.

Indigenous stories involve members of a community or small groups of relatives gathering together to hear stories told, mostly by an elder, to convey information about the specific Indigenous culture of the community. The stories, especially through the Indigenous language, support the maintenance of Native identity. Embedded in these stories is the important knowledge that we, as Native Americans from special tribal cultures, must acquire to survive and to conduct oneself appropriately. Both the narratives and the languages that convey them are place-based in the sense that they are tied to the land – especially the knowledge of where we came from, where we live, how we survive and our way of life. Continue reading →

Authors' Corner

Authors’ Corner: Traci Sorell

By Danelle Jishie, A Student’s Journey Intern with the WOW Center, Tucson, AZ

Photo by Cody Hammer

Traci Sorell brings visibility to the lives of contemporary Native Americans through the characters she writes. Sorell’s most recent book Powwow Day (Charlesbridge Publishing, 2022), is filled with family, community, and the healing powers of Powwow dancing. Vivid illustrations by Madelyn Goodnight also bring life to the story Sorell cultivates themes such as illness, uncertainty and hope. In Powwow Day, the character River, recovering from an unknown illness goes to the local powwow with her family. Although limited by her recovery, River finds strength from her family and community as the songs and the drums lift her spirits. Readers who pick up this book can experience the colorful world of a powwow. Continue reading →

WOW Dozen: Global Picturebooks for the Secondary Classroom

By Celeste L.H. Trimble, St Martin’s University, Lacey, WA

There is a common misperception that picturebooks are only for early elementary students. Secondary students and even students in upper elementary often miss out on the particular artistry and poetry that come through the picturebook form. In this month’s WOW Dozen, I bring together examples of global picturebooks that can be explored and enjoyed in secondary English Language Arts as well as the content areas. Books in this list can be used as models for writing, artworks for practicing analysis, avenues for identity development as well as exploration of the experiences of others, inspiration for creativity, tools to deepen content knowledge, and so much more. Of course, picturebooks are vital additions to the classroom library in any secondary classroom, just for the pleasure of reading. Continue reading →

Decorative WOW Currents Banner

Scientists and Mathematicians in Children’s Literature

By Susan Corapi, Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL


The last fifteen months have been filled with science and math as we have followed the spread of a new virus and disease that rapidly shifted from localized outbreaks to a pandemic. We watched the race to develop mRNA and viral vector vaccines that were effective in protecting against COVID-19. We have been inundated with scientific diagrams, statistics, infection rates, and percentages of people vaccinated in different parts of the world–in other words, we have been immersed in principles of science and math. So, it seemed fitting to focus WOW Currents in July on global and multicultural books that engage with STEM subjects–science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The titles this week portray scientists and mathematicians from around the world who have contributed to our understanding of their fields. Continue reading →