We Are One at the Falling of the Sun
A Multicultural Children's Book
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ShopWe Are One Card set of 3 (Blank) - 6.00 (USD)We Are One Kiros Print - 15.00 (USD)We Are One at the Falling of the Sun - 19.95 (USD)We Are One World Print - 15.00 (USD)We Are One Sunsets Print - 15.00 (USD)Sunbeam Print - 17.00 (USD)We Are One at the Falling of the Sun - 19.95 (USD)We Are One Paperback - 11.95 (USD)wild flower - 24.00 (USD)Stalagmite - 199.00 (USD)Bamboo Cuff (black) - 3d-printed nylon bracelet - 45.00 (USD)Knitted lace cardigan - marengo grey - 60.00 (USD)Little Owl Box Set - Set of 3 - 21.00 (USD)Art Deco Meets Mid Century Blanket Chair - 0.00 (USD)Made to order - You make me happy when skies are gray. - 40.00 (USD)Clover Leaf Freckles - unisex tee - size M/L - 16.00 (USD)Black Denim Coat - 145.00 (GBP)Dark silver stacking rings for men - 115.00 (USD)antique military binoculars - 0.00 (USD)Mens Hand Knitted Cowl Hood Hat - 65.00 (USD)Blizzard textured post earrings - 0.00 (USD)hoody scarf - 35.00 (USD)Butterfly in Love (40 x 30 inches) Original painting - 395.00 (USD)Green Fingerless and Button Hand Knitted - 0.00 (USD)Black Foulard, Pink and Dusty Rose Flowers, Beadwork - 32.99 (USD)Christmas Spring Green Shawl - 0.00 (USD)Classy Green Mohair Crochet Capelet - 30.00 (USD)Turquoise Art Abstract Paintings Original Triptych - 165.00 (USD)Crescent Necklace-- Large - 48.00 (USD)long kimono-cut dress - 145.00 (USD)african print baby-doll dress - 125.00 (USD)sage green banded sundress - 125.00 (USD)cowl neck halter dress - 125.00 (USD)deep halter dress with strappy tie in black - 115.00 (USD)RESERVED-- Ocean jasper crescent necklace - 0.00 (USD)Onyx talisman earrings - 169.00 (USD)Harvest necklace - 132.00 (USD)Tiny Trio of Leather Journals - 0.00 (USD)Crochet Triangle Jabot in Verdigris Green - 79.00 (USD)FLASH SALE The Canopy Lounge in Yellow - 379.00 (USD)Bicycle skirt guard: The Femme Fatale - 33.00 (USD)Wrap Bonnet, Heavy Gauze Cotton Sun Hat - 0.00 (USD)SALE - Large Ruby Bezel Set Gold Earrings - 0.00 (USD)Gray Mini Dress with Bat Sleeve - 0.00 (USD)Light Pink,Short Sleeve,Women,Party Dress - 89.00 (USD)
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- Feb 07, 12
About the Book & Author:
We Are One at the Falling of the Sun has been on my mind since I was a young girl…..
I grew up in a multicultural household with two teachers for parents. I have always had a passion for learning and have been an avid reader. My parents would take me to libraries and most times I would come out with books stacked so high I could barely carry them. I loved reading but slowly started realizing that no books represented me, and few represented the multicultural relationships I witnessed growing up. As a response to that, I wanted to create a children’s book that I and several other youth could relate to.
My close family friend, who is a First Nation’s healer from Mission, Canada, would come to our home and tell me stories of the mountains, the plants, and animals. Each story had a moral lesson behind it and those stories have stuck with me throughout my life.
So, for this book, I used a traditional Native American storytelling format as a tool to explain reality. There is also a heavy learning component. We Are One at the Falling of the Sun has Algonquin Native American, Chinese, and Northern African names, with translations in the back of the book so everyone can learn about cultural origins. The book has three different families: those of the sea, those of the sky, and those of the earth.
It is not only a love story about why the sun rises and sets, it also opens up a discussion about diversity, race, cross-cultural connection, change, unity and love. This book is intended to be a gateway for children from all different backgrounds into cross-cultural connections and the discussion of diversity, race, and multiculturalism.
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Wall
- Listening to students read at Pt. Defiance Elementary School. So wonderful!
- Yes. I support!!!
- Love Ms. Shilo Shiv Suleman and the amazing work she is doing!
- Yesssss
- Did a shoutout on Fab-5 radio about We Are One! Fun evening with amazing artists, DJs (a.k.a. Mr.Melanin), and hung with Ms. Walidah Imarisha (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh3wkfCQRBo) for the evening. It was a beautiful night.
- Thank you for sharing this Bev!
- Time to push the limits! What are your goals and dreams? Think big!
- Went to a wonderful lecture which I felt privileged to sit and witness. If you haven't heard of this lady, check her out!
- !!!
- All about education!
- What is your calling?
- Though I talk about multiculturalism, there is a word that is very fitting when I think of my background and where I am from: MULTICENTRIC Having multiple centers of origin (a multicentric person has multiple origins all equally important) —mul·ti·cen·tri·cal·ly (audio pronunciation) adverb —mul·ti·cen·tric·i·ty (audio pronunciation) noun, plural ; mul·ti·cen·tric·i·ties
- How are people treating you?
- Just sayin.
- Be you! I am a nerd and proud of it.
- I love when something hits close to home.
- Poem by Davon White.
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Posts
- May 10, 13
- Oct 04, 12
Review from the Intrepid Museum’s Amadella Clarke (Brooklyn, NY)
At the Intrepid Museum in New York City, young children 5-7 years old, gathered for a reading of We Are One at the Falling of the Sun, by Tasha Ina Church. They were instantly mesmerized by the vibrant pictures that illuminate the artful storytelling. The children seemed to feel the sorrows and joys of the characters as the characters discovered and perused what matters: love. The children asked questions like: “Why can’t he be up there?” And: “Why can’t she be down there?” I loved their curiosity! They explored the otherworldly creatures that are all too human: mermen and mermaids, guppies, the sun princess. Later, we created our own sea creatures from clay!
During the story, I interjected, asking the children what was the same about the creatures and what was different. Comparisons are a fun, simple way to open young minds. It can allow them to think about other classmates and about themselves.
At the end of the story the children were in awe of the explanation of why the sun meets the ocean. One boy, a seven year old, stated, “Well, it doesn’t mean that that’s why the sun actually meets the ocean; it’s more to show that they can live together, at least some of the times.” At least some of the time…Cultures are beautiful and indeed this book is a celebration of that beauty. It is also beautiful when we can come together, at least some of the time. The realization that we are one enables us to celebrate our uniqueness and see ourselves in the big picture.
Later, Mathew, a 14 year old who has attended the museum’s summer program for many years but now helps out, stated:
“As I was reading the book, I began to piece the story together. Like most people, the protagonist is searching for more, that most believe he will never find. When he meets his love and sees that others disapprove, he sees that he is being denied access to the one he loves simply because they are different. At this point I saw that the leading motive of the story is diversity and tolerance. This book gives children a good look at the world and one of it’s common problems, intolerance. Beautifully written, beautiful pictures, and a great story.”
We Are One at the Falling of the Sun is a teacher’s dream- an invitation to the imagination, to the limitless of the mind, to our uniqueness and similarities. While perhaps intended for an audience somewhere in the middle, the group of 5-7 year olds, and the 14 year old reader, gained a great deal from this book. The book is a tool and opens the door to serious discussions…and seriously cool art projects! It meets you, the reader, where you are and takes you someplace you might not have expected.
Amadella Clarke
Head Councilor
Summer Program
- Aug 04, 12
By Camp Reporter Trevin Ferguson and Volunteer Jody Gropp
Mythology is the study of stories. When cultures pass stories down from one generation to the next, those stories become myths. Usually, specific myths come from specific cultures.
In the case of We Are One at the Falling of the Sun, many cultures come together: Northern African, Chinese and Native American (Algonquin). The beautiful dress and appearance of these cultures are brought to life by the author’s colorful illustrations. In the words of write@253 camper Trevin: “I hadn’t seen that kind of illustration before.”
The words and pictures of the story tell the events of a girl named MeiFai, who comes from the sky and meets Kiros, a merman who lives in a kingdom beneath the sea. Because they are different, their families did not want them to be together.
But they learned that things had to “change” because the love of MeiFai and Kiros was so strong. So the leaders of the two cultures compromised so that the sun and the sea, and MeiFai and Kiros, could meet and be together.
Trevin liked the ending because Kiros “wished the right way, and it came true.”
The weighty outcome brings life to the characters and readers alike. A camp volunteer Jody Gropp said, the book contained “Important messages that made me think of my own life.”
These are the qualities of myth that bring culture to life!
Write@253 is a free community writing center. Their summer writing camp, has students ages 4-12 who have been working on plays, newspaper stories and fairy tales.
This writing center grew out of conversations between high school and college writing teachers, counselors and staff at an annual writing workshop one Saturday afternoon in May 2011 at Tacoma Community College. To find out more about Write@253 or how to get involved check out this link: http://write253.wordpress.com
- Apr 03, 12
American
- The Giving Tree written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein
African American
- The Girl Who Spun Gold by Viginia Hamilton Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon (little-man tale, also variant of Rumpelstilskin)
- The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales by Virginia Hamilton and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
- The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
- The Stolen Ones and How They Were Missed written by Marcia Tate Arunga and illustrated by Isaiah Townsend
- Lull and His Ladybugs by Lull Mengesha
Books with Animals- Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
- Can You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell
British- Beauty and the Beast Translated by Richard Howard and Illustrated by Hilary Knight
Chinese
- Shibumi and the Kitemaker by Marilee Heyer
- The Weaving of a Dream by Marilee Heyer
- The Zephyr-Love stories of the Royal Manchu in the Forbidden City: the Illustrated Collection of the Ancient Chinese People by Der Jen
- Lost in the Silvery Land of Miao: the Illustrated Collection of the Ancient Chinese People by Der Jen
- The Beauty of Brocade: the Illustrated Collection of the Ancient Chinese People by Der Jen
European (nonspecific)- Phantom of the Opera adapted from the novel by Gaston Leroux Illustrated by Greg Hildenrandt
- The Canary Prince by Eric Jon Nones
- The Random House Book of Fairy Tales adapted by Amy Ehrlich & Illustrated by Dianne Goode
- The Lady & the Lion retold by Laurel Long & Jacqueline K. Ogburn (variation of Beauty and the Beast)
- Dear Mili by Wilhelmina Grimm & Maurice Sendak
French- White Cat retold by Robert D. San Souci & Illustrated by Gennady Spirin
Gaelic- Tam Lin written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak
- East O’ the Sun and West O’ the Moon by P.J. Lynch
- The Pirate Queen by Emily Arnold McCully
- The Silver Arm by Jim Fitspatrick (elementary age appropriate)
German- Hansel and Gretel by The Brother’s Grimm and illustrations by Susan Jeffers
Korean- The Princess and the Beggar adapted & Illustrated by Anne Sibley O’Brien
Multicultural
- Mermaid Tales from Around the World retold by Mary Pope Osborne & Illustrated by Troy Howell
- Am I a Color Too? By Heidi Cole & Nancy Vogl
Native American
- The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
- High as a Hawk: A Brave Girl’s Historic Climb by T.A. Barron
- Spirit Walker poems by Nancy Wood paintings by Frank Howell
- How The World was Saved & Other Native American Tales retold & Illustrated by Piers Harper
- Dreambirds by David Ogden
- Mama, Do You Love Me? By Barbara M. Joosse Illustrated by Barbara Lavallee
Persian
- The Magic Horse retold and Illustrated by Sally Scott
Roman
- Myths and Civilization of the Ancient Romans by John Malam
Russian/Ukrainian- The Enchanted Book: A Tale from Krakow by Janina Porazinska translated by Bozena Smith
- Vassilisa the Wise by Joseph Sherman
Keep checking in for continuous updated on this page!
- Feb 16, 12
I need to start by saying thank you for writing such a wonderful children’s book. As a tutor, and as a mother finding a book that is truly engaging to the youth today is a rare find and a treasure I will share from here on out. I brought your book We Are One at the Falling of the Sun to my 3/4th grade tutoring class not really knowing what to expect. It was amazing! These 7 kids were enthralled, eyes were on me the entire time! No one spoke other than to see the pictures. I couldn’t have imagined a better experience. Emmonie ran up and asked if she could have the book. She said it was “the best story she ever heard” and she loved the pictures. She wanted to know all about you and if you had more stories. The boys were busy trying to decide which dominion they lived on and every one was sad to hear you didn’t have more books in print for them.
My daughter Saije received this book as a Christmas gift and proudly took it to school to share with her friends.
Its hard to believe that a children’s book could be in my top ten best books of all time, however this book is so special in its ability to draw in the audience, the fact that there is no bad guy and communities are represented so well. I can, in all truthfulness, say it is one of my all time favorites.–
Amy Tiemeyer
A Better U
www.abutacoma.com
- Oct 06, 11
Here’s a review of We Are One by N.R. Montgomery of ThePomPom.org
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When was the last time you flipped through a children’s book?If you can remember, what did you see? What questions did you ask?
For some children, flipping through vivid pages of whimsical storytelling instantly sends them to a far-off place. Some of these children flip and then stare, captivated, without question for where the line between reality and fantasy lay….
And why should they question, right? They have their whole lives to inquire.
That said…
Some children will question. AND question. AND question–till YOU are blue in the face. Why do the dwarves have such silly names? Why is the wicked witch so mean? Why would anyone eat green eggs and ham? Why?
But why?
WHY??
Parents and caregivers, does any of this resonate with you?
Imagine yourself the caregiver or parent of an interracial child (perhaps you already are). This child of yours is the inquisitive example.
Grandma, why don’t any of the princes have brown skin like I do?
Dad, why don’t the princesses have black hair and dark eyes like me?
No matter the answers you’d conjure up, the identity of this child has been stifled, halted in some way by a TV show, by a movie, and yes, by a children’s book that fails to offer any image bearing resemblance to their mirror’s reflection. Some will look for this validation in all that they see.
As a young girl with a diverse heritage, native features and dark hair, Tasha Ina Church was the inquisitive one. Though her parents wrangled her questions about culture and race the best they could, it took a decade or two for Tasha to develop an outlet for the unresolved tension of the young reader that lived within her: her own multicultural children’s books.
During her interview, Church casually joked about a vendor she spoke to who said that multiculturalism was a new trend. Though this comment was a sign to her that people are finally beginning to acknowledge multiculturalism, it was also clear to her how unaware some remain to the commonplaceness of multiculturalism for those growing up in diverse households and communities. For Church, multiculturalism is a birthright for all, not a dated fad.
Tasha’s first children’s book, We are One at the Falling of the Sun, a love story that tells why the sun rises and sets, is written in the style of traditional Native American folklore. Using cultural depictions and names from Algonquin Native, Chinese, and North African cultural origins, it is the tale of Kiros (“King” in North African), a merman whose movement throughout the sea creates the ocean’s currents, and his love MeiFai (“Beautiful Beginning” in Chinese), a sun princess who sews together sunbeams for the earth below. The two connect and find their union a challenging feat as one lives in the sky and the other in the sea below. The lovers not only live in two vastly separate domains but come from lineages that expect homogeny among their race.
They each are forced to ask for approval from their families to be with one another. To their parents, a union seems impossible. (The language Church uses in this portion of the story is particularly poetic and rich, like her hand drawn illustrations.)
As the story ends, a clever compromise is made that allows Kiros and MeiFai to remain true to their cultural upbringing and be united with one another. The sun sets, bringing MeiFai and Kiros together, and then rises, separating the two again so that they may continue bringing their gifts to their own worlds.
In this tale, there is an underlying commentary about race relations that gives caregivers a unique opportunity to discuss racial and cultural differences. Church states, “it is important to start this discussion early because kids today see what is presented in the media and are unable to appreciate their own multiculturalism and diversity.”
Today, if Church encounters someone who says, “I wish that I had more cultural heritage,” she tells them to research who they are: “the culture is there; they just haven’t acknowledged it yet.” In this way, Tasha hopes that We are One at the Falling of the Sun will be used by caregivers to begin acknowledging culture in their homes, daycares, and schools.
Acknowledging cultural difference was an important part of Church’s reading experience. Because she questioned the lack of diversity in popular children’s texts as a child, Church and her parents found obscure children’s books to read that offered the diversity she longed for not only in regards to race but also in terms of gender dynamics. Church easily called to mind Vassolisa the Wise (unknown author), Mermaid Stories from Around the World by Mary Pope Osborne and Paul Werstine, and her all time favorite, Weaving of a Dream by Marilee Heyer.
These children’s texts helped silence some of the questions Church had about clear representation for one (the mainstream cultural norm) and taught her to value representation for all cultures. This is why she has chosen to honor various cultures in We are One at the Falling of the Sun.
Along with being a first time author, Church is also a student and a community activist for social justice and urban youth empowerment in Tacoma, Washington. She is a contributor to Divine Table 9, a blog that she and a divine group of diverse women created to help people live life to their fullest potential. When she isn’t writing for the blog, she is with the youth of Fab-5 in their new Tacoma space, Fabitat, as they learn the four cornerstone elements of Hip-Hop Culture: breakdancing, MC’ing, DJ’ing, and legal graffiti artwork–multicultural outreach at its best.
On Spetember 9th, 2011, We are One at the Falling of the Sun will be presented to the public for the first time at the Washington State History Museum. Doors open at 5 pm. Admission is free for all who drop in, which includes their ticket to the Museum for the evening. Please come and celebrate the completion of this new important addition to children’s literature and education.
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Posts
- Dec 09, 12
This year I wanted to take We Are One at the Falling of the Sun a step further and have been doing year round multicultural programming at Point Defiance Elementary School. It has been an extremely rewarding process and I have truly enjoyed all that the participants have had to share. I am working with three classes: Mrs. Watts, Mrs. Arnolds, and Mrs. Szentesi. Each teacher has made a commitment to encouraging youth to learn about cultural appreciation and making it a celebration. We have done several activities such as a book reading of We Are One at the Falling of the Sun, the question game (surrounding the assumptions we make on a day-to-day basis and ways to ask vs. assume), family tree (each youth has an opportunity to share their families background be it alternative or old fashioned), journaling about several topics such as race vs. culture (allowing participants to explore what they see as similarities and differences).
I would not have had the opportunity to be there without the wonderful Mrs. Olga Lay, Point Defiance’s Principle. It has been and continues to be a wonderful opportunity! I am loving the feedback from students!
For more consistent update on topics check out my Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/WeAreOneattheFallingoftheSun
- Aug 14, 12
After a wonderful review by Write@253, I have been asked to do a writing workshop at their Hilltop location. I am excited to join them for a multicultural activity.
Write@253 grew out of conversations between high school and college writing teachers, counselors and staff at an annual writing workshop one Saturday afternoon in May 2011 at Tacoma Community College. Many of them were frustrated by the lack of support for innovative and creative writing instruction and experiences in public education, especially in our struggling schools. As writing teachers, they knew that far too many of our students were not excited by writing and its possibilities for academic, personal and professional growth. Their mission is to inspire the writer who lives in everyone, by nurturing creativity and celebrating the tremendous talents of their community.
Write@253 is a free, nonprofit community writing center. Their goal is to help students, from kindergarten through high school, with their homework, especially their writing, and to encourage them to get excited about writing. They believe that creativity and literacy go hand-in-hand.To find out more about Write@253 or how to get involved check out their website: http://write253.wordpress.com/about/
- Aug 01, 12
- Jul 10, 12
- Jun 28, 12
I am very happy to announce that We Are One at the Falling of the Sun is available at King’s Books Store. King’s Books has become the largest used and new independent bookstore in the South Puget Sound area. They are a community-oriented bookstore. King’s Books is a proud member of the Pacific Northwest Bookseller’s Association (PNBA) and the American Booksellers Association (ABA). They are a store with Book Sense, a program of the ABA that prints monthly recommendations from independent booksellers around the country.
For more on King’s Books check out their website: http://www.kingsbookstore.com/
To see more information on We Are One check out my website and Facebook page: www.tashainachurch.com and We Are One at the Falling of the Sun
- Jun 10, 12
Loving Day is this weekend and I am so excited to be apart of this celebration. Loving Day is put on by Mavin a Cultural Arts Center. My workshop will consist of a reading of We Are One at the Falling of the Sun and an interactive cultural appreciation activity. If you would like more information on Loving Day, please go to the link below.
http://www.lovingday.org/celebration/mavins-annual-loving-day-celebration
- May 21, 12
Greetings Everyone!
This has been long awaited for me. I am very excited to be sharing We Are One at the Falling of the Sun will be at The Children’s Museum of Tacoma! Bring your children, family, and friends!Every Saturday the museum has artists and community partners share their spark, providing hands-on activities creating opportunities for families to explore the arts, invent or craft.Date: May 26thTimes: Saturdays 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Cost: Members Free!
$15 per family of 4, $5 per additional siblings.The Museum was established in 1985 by parents, teachers, and community leaders dedicated to creating unique resources for families in Tacoma and the South Sound Region.
Hope you come enjoy the museum!For more on the Children’s Museum of Tacoma: http://www.playtacoma.org/homeFor more on We Are One: www.tashainachurch.com
- May 21, 12
- Apr 25, 12
We Are One has the great opportunity of being one of two authors invited for a book signing at the Native Quest Art Fest 2012 event this year! It will be held April 27th-April 29th.
Native Quest is a non-profit organization supporting Native artists, musicians, and authors. It is the largest Native American book store in the nation and if that isn’t enough for you, they also have great food and refreshments. Hope you can join in on this wonderful event!
For more on Native Quest here is their website: http://nativequest.net/
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- I'm listening to India Arie's "Ready For Love" on Pandora http://t.co/BUWvBop8wy #pandora
- Red Light, Green Light, Yellow Light exercise. "What will you stop doing surrounding #culture?" #culturalawareness http://t.co/iqCSFH7Gm0
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- Neely Fuller on White Supremacy (Racism) http://t.co/I6nxj6dcG3
- "We can teach from experience, but we cannot teach experience." ~ Sasha Azevedo #Education #Quote via @pinterest http://t.co/ncurIf2N7p
