Common Sense Media Review
By Mandie Caroll
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tenets of Kwanzaa told in stunning art, absorbing story.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Seven brothers argue from sun up to sundown and often into the night. When their father dies, the village chief presents them with a challenge: In order to receive their inheritance, they must stop arguing and turn SEVEN SPOOLS OF THREAD into gold by sundown. The stunned brothers return home, agree to stop fighting, and work together to succeed. They learn to listen to one another, evaluate each other's ideas respectfully, and come up with a plan. They build a loom and create a beautifully patterned fabric that's different from what their community has traditionally worn, but it's so stunning that it catches the eye of the king's treasurer, who buys all their fabric ... with gold. The brothers even figure out how to transform their success into wealth and purpose for their entire community.
Is It Any Good?
With gorgeous pictures and a compelling tale about seven always-fighting brothers learning to get along, this picture book about Kwanzaa is the perfect choice for both education and enjoyment. The art in Seven Spools of Thread is stunning in wood block prints with vibrant washes of color. The Ashanti brothers are relatable in their quarreling and inspiring as they unite and race to turn thread into gold before sundown. Readers young and old who celebrate Kwanzaa will delight in seeing it represented with such beauty and care, while readers who are new to the celebrations will be hooked by the lovely art and suspenseful story. This book should be in every kid's family and school libraries.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the brothers who bicker and fight all the time in Seven Spools of Thread. Do you have siblings or classmates you fight with a lot? What makes it hard to get along sometimes? What helps you resolve conflict and work with siblings or friends like the brothers learn to do?
How do the seven brothers show humility after their father's death, and how are they motivated to learn self-control? What happens when they stop fighting and work as a team?
The art in this book was created with woodblock prints. What's different about this art style than other kinds of drawings or paintings you've seen in picture books? How do the pictures in this book help tell the story? What do you like about the art, if anything?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Daniel Minter
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Activism ( Racial justice ) , Family Stories ( Dads , Siblings ) , History , Holidays ( Kwanzaa )
- Character Strengths : Humility , Integrity , Perseverance , Self-control , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Albert Whitman & Co.
- Publication date : July 1, 2000
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 10
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : November 20, 2025
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