InastorysetbeforethecomingoftheEuro-Americansinthe1700’s,Sulsuliya,aCoastSalishteenager,usesherspindlewhorltoprepareyarnforheruncle’sweddinggift,anewrobeintribe’straditionalstyle.Sheshowsheryoungersistertheskillsshewastaughtbytheirgrandmother,andinsodoing,beginstocomeofage,takinganadultrolewithinherculture.Followingthestoryisateachingguidethatalsoincludesbackgroundinformationonthecraftofspinningwool,map,andbibliography.Activitypagesforchildrenfollowthestoryandincludedesigntemplatesforcreatingawhorl,suggestionsfordesigningone’sown,questionsonartisticconceptslikepositiveandnegativespace,andcreatinganimalimpressionsusingprintmakingtechniques.AlltitlesintheNativeAmericanArtActivityBookseriesincludeanoriginalstory,acraftactivity(withtemplatesandinstructions),ateachingguide,andbibliography.Tribalmembershavereviewedthesevolumesforculturalaccuracy,andnotedNorthwestNativeartistshavecreatedoriginalworksfortheseries.TheSpindleWhorlfocusesontheartrepresentedbythecarvingsonthewhorlofaspindle-atoolusedinspinningwool.ThecarvedwhorlwasusedspecificallybytheCentralCoastSalishpeoples-othertribesdidnotcarvethewhorls.
