This contemporary because it deals with an issue that many writers have to present. This is the concept of death to children; Miska Miles has done it with this wise story of a Navajo girl and of her grandmother. This book is about a girl, her mother, and her grandmother. Basically when the mother finishes weaving the rug, the grandmother dies. The girl tries to do everything to slow down the quilt making, like staying up late at night. I love this book because it really portrays death in a BEAUTIFUL way. It's not dark at all. It's a solid book so children can learn how to come to terms with it. ( )

This is a story of a young Navajo girl as she processes the reality that her grandmother will soon be dying. Her grandmother has said that she would return to Mother Earth once a rug that Annie's mother was weaving is finished. Annie tries to do several things to prevent her mother from finishing the rug. Annie finally learns that she is not able to slow down time, and she learns that death is all part of something bigger and that her grandmother will always remain with her, even after death. A Newbery Honor book, Christopher Award book, and ALA Notable Children's Book. ( )

Sweet story of a young girl learning to deal with the death of a loved one. Her attempts to prevent it are child-like, and remind me how child conceive the world. It was sweet and heart-breaking. An excellent book for young children, perhaps for those who are struggling to understand death. ( )

This picture book has great literary value because of how constructed the tension is. The reader feels the pain of Annie as she tries to slow the death of her Grandmother. The reader hopes that Annie succeeds because one may empathize with Annie. Tension keeps a story from being bland and allows the reader to become invested. The mood of the story also adds to the literary value of the book because it allows the readers to feel the created depressing atmosphere of the story. The mood and tension of the story complement one another to make the reader feel more connected to the plot and characters within the story. The dramatic question created by the plot is whether Annie will be able to save her grandmother from death if she keeps the rug from being weaved. Students will understand how Annie feels based off the conversations she has with her other family members.

The book could be utilized in a second-grade classroom because of how each page is written with exquisitely, not without too much challenging vocabulary. In most cases when there is a challenging word, the lines following the vocabulary word in question explain the word’s meaning. This book would be utilized when studying the relationships between family members in both a Native American tribe and in the students’ lives. There are many differences between how Annie’s family lives and how the students most likely live. This book is also an appropriate tool to utilize in a second-grade class because it is family based. Younger students tend to be closer to their families and care more about family relationships than some older students. Since the book is all about family relationships, the text is relatable to what second graders are interested in. The book is a great tool to use when teaching the students about the Native American’s life styles and everyone’s roles within a tribe or family. This book could be used as a group text where the teacher reads the book to the class and the students listen and ask questions since the book is somewhat long.

Summary:
Annie and the Old One is about a little girl and he love for her grandmother. They would do many things together. One day grandmother informed the family that it would be soon time for her to return to earth when the new rug is taken from the loom. Annie did not like the news so she tried everything to hold back the time of this event taken place.

Personal Reaction:
This was an interesting read. Reading how the Old One can predict her death and be ready for it has an impact. I also understand where Annie was coming from trying to hold back time to prolong the rug from being completed. It's never easy to accept death.

Extension Ideas:
Have students talk about how they coped with loosing a loved one if any.
Student can write letters to the person they love of choice and express personal feelings they have for them.