Author Visit with Traci Sorell Recap + Resources
Posted October 14th, 2021
We were honored to host a collaborative author visit with Evanston Public Library to virtually welcome Cherokee Nation citizen and award-winning author Traci Sorell to our libraries! Traci shared an informative and insightful talk about her works such as We Are Grateful: Ostaliheliga and We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know, her writing process, where she gets her ideas, and inspiration. I love how Tracy began our evening by asking our audience for their words to describe books for kids, which sparked an excellent discussion about how books can be “life-changing, eye-opening, formative, good, awesome, and great,” which is especially affirming to hear from young people attending. Traci shared how books for children now are “simply the best writing that’s out there” – and we couldn’t agree more, especially about Traci’s books
It was fascinating to learn about the background process of creating each of her books and why she wrote them. We especially appreciated learning more about Native Sovereignty. As Traci shared, “everyone in this country needs to know this information to be informed community members.”
Traci answered our many questions and we all learned so much from our time with her. I loved learning about Traci’s experience casting the narrators and producing the brilliant audiobook of We are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know, which you can even buy from the Cherokee Nation shop! You can also borrow our copy that includes the CD with the book!
We were so engaged in our conversation, we didn’t want our visit to end!
Please purchase Traci’s books from Booked in Evanston or your local independent bookstore.
Check out this booklist of books that Traci has written, anthologies she has contributed to, and readalikes. You can place holds at our libraries or stop by to check them out.
We are eager to learn more, so make sure to sign up for this incredible webinar on November 3 at 12:00 PM: Rethinking Thanksgiving: History, Holidays, and Gratitude – A Virtual Author Visit with Kate Messner & Traci Sorell.This webinar is designed for readers in grades 3-7 learning with teachers at school or with caregivers at home. We’re really excited to attend this webinar here at the library.
Thank you so much to Traci Sorell for visiting our virtual library and sharing your stories, knowledge, and heart! We loved hosting you! Traci also graciously sent us several giveaway books including the We Are Grateful: Ostaliheliga board book, Wonderful Women of the World, and One Land: Many Nations: Vol 1, to raffle off to our participants – so thank you for these amazing books! We also raffled off a copy of Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer and a copy of We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should audiobook.
We provided Grab & Go Kits for this program that could be picked up at Lincolnwood Library. Based on popular demand, I’m also sharing the resources we included in the physical kit, so you can print them out and access these incredible resources.
Listen to the readalong audiobook from Live Oak Media of We Are Grateful Otsaliheliga on Hoopla with your library card.
Traci shared the data and infographic of Diversity in Children’s Books in 2018. You can stop by the library for a print postcard with this infographic.
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga Teacher’s Guide
We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know Educator Resources
At The Mountain’s Base Poster in Cherokee & Educator Resources, created by Disrupt Texts
Indian No More Teacher’s Guide
Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer Educator’s Guide
Listen to the Dial a Story recording of Classified, read by Eti by calling our Dial-a-Story line at 847-999-7600 and press 5.
Check out the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Toolkit from Illuminative.
A huge thank you to Mr. Brian from Evanston Public Library for collaborating with us for this visit. Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for this wonderful author visit with Traci Sorell! We hope you will join us for future events are our libraries. Please feel free to share your feedback about this experience – we love hearing from you! Feel free to fill out our evaluation form here and get entered to our monthly prize drawing.