M Is for Mola: A Kuna Indian Alphabet of Quilted Folk Art

K-Gr 3—This visually pleasing alphabet book pays tribute to the artwork of the Kuna Indians of the San Blas Islands of Panama. Mola refers to the vibrantly colored and imaginatively designed front and back panels stitched by Kuna women on their blouses. Each one is placed against a bright background that makes the predominantly red and orange designs pop. The word for a particular mola is translated into 9 or 10 languages, but, oddly enough, not always into Kuna. The page is completed by a rhyming couplet that frequently descends into doggerel and sometimes has no connection to the Kuna. It's difficult to determine what purpose "Tibet's beast of burden is the Yak,/Who can carry heavy loads on his back" serves. There is little available on the Kuna Indians and this important facet of their culture for this age group, and, except for the unfortunate poetry, it's a worthwhile addition.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ