Above: Hill's illustrations for "Bear Man."

Hill, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree. She illustrated the first book with a combination of collage and pen-and-ink drawings and the second two books with cut-paper collage.

“Spearfinger” is “beautifully bound and nicely done,” Hill said. “As we were working on the book, that was one of the most important things in my mind. I feel as though the children deserve a first-rate book in their own language.”

The books are presented entirely in the Cherokee language, with no accompanying English translation. Presenting the works solely in the Cherokee language conveys a message of the language’s importance, said Hartwell Francis, director of WCU’s Cherokee language program. “Recognizing the status of the Cherokee language as a full language is very important in this project,” Francis said.

Hill moved to the Qualla Boundary after 11 years working as a special events coordinator in Emory University’s School of Medicine. She entered WCU’s fine art program shortly after moving, and now is a program associate with the Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts on the Qualla Boundary.

“I would not have been offered that position if I had not been earned my bachelor of fine arts degree,” Hill said. “I made a great decision in going to WCU.”