Alan Salazar’s “Chumash Stories”

Anthologies

Mar 15

Written By Ash Good

I collaborated as designer and production consultant on this book of stories and history by Alan Salazar with natural pigment illustrations by Mona Lewis, published by Sunsprite Publications. Chumash Stories is the fourth picturebook in the series from Chumash/Tataviam elder Alan Salazar. Each book includes tribal stories and legends, history lessons, and natural pigment art lessons.

Chumash Stories: A Collection of Traditional Chumash Legends & History

AVAILABLE @ BOOKSHOP.ORG + OTHER BOOKSELLERS

Written by Alan Salazar with Illustrations by Mona Lewis
Hardcover & Paperback | 80 pages | March 2024
Published by Sunsprite Publications

FROM THE BACK COVER

“Alan Salazar delivers yet another fun, educational, and beautifully illustrated book that will captivate readers of all ages. While these new and re-imagined stories are unique to the author, they remain true to the spirit of his ancestors. The accompanying history helps readers to contextualize the stories and connect with the Chumash people. Additionally, with her use of earth pigments respectfully sourced from the author's ancestral territory, Mona Lewis's vibrant and imaginative illustrations beautifully root these stories in place, making the book ever more meaningful."
—Magdalyne Romero, Director, Education and Cultural Learning Department, Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians

“Salazar's clever storytelling, interwoven with brief but insightful lessons on Chumash history, make this an excellent book for readers of all ages. Lewis's imaginative illustrations bring the stories to life, and the included art lessons allow readers to engage directly with Chumash artistic traditions."
—Brian Barbier, Anthropology Department Chair, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

“Master storyteller Alan Salazar, along with the talented artist and illustrator Mona Lewis, provides a captivating glimpse into the life and culture of the Chumash people. The book delves into the past, present, and potential future of the Chumash nation. The narratives make you feel as if Alan and Mona are personally sharing these historical Chumash stories right in front of you. Chumash Stories is an excellent read from start to finish."
—Ann Oppenheim, Teacher, Conejo Valley Unified School District

BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Ash Good

⚡️⚡️PLAY👉SACRED⚡️⚡️ 💫free 🌈queer 🎯curator ◼️designer ⭕️editor 🌊poet 🔮priestess 🌱plantwhisperer

This space is where I free myself to meaning-make in my own aesthetic to document and unpack concepts, experiments and experiences that are important to me. Read more about my praxis here. For brand curation and book design click over to ashgood.design. For ritual, movement, meditation, writing circles, toys and pop-up experiences to play with your intuition, visit highpriestesses.com. If you’d like to know more, my full bio is here.

http://www.ashgood.com/

Alan Salazar’s “Chumash Stories”

ash good is the author of us clumsy gods (What Books Press, 2022) & four previous writing collections. Their poetry has been nominated for Best of the Net & appears in Faultline, Cimarron Review, 45th Parallel, Chautauqua, Bird Coat Quarterly, Voicemail Poems & others.

They are co-founding editor of First Matter Press, a nonprofit writer collective based in Portland, OR.

As a creative director & designer, ash collaborates on publishing projects with small presses, journals, literary organizations, universities & independent authors.

Alan Salazar’s “Chumash Stories”

“i can’t unknow any knowing of a death grip” in Willawaw Journal

“Journal of Children’s Literature” Vol. 49, No. 2

ash good is the author of us clumsy gods (What Books Press, 2022) & four previous writing collections. Their poetry has been nominated for Best of the Net & appears in Faultline, Cimarron Review, 45th Parallel, Chautauqua, Bird Coat Quarterly, Voicemail Poems & others.

They are co-founding editor of First Matter Press, a nonprofit writer collective based in Portland, OR.

As a creative director & designer, ash collaborates on publishing projects with small presses, journals, literary organizations, universities & independent authors.