A couple of weeks ago, we challenged folks to continue to seek out Indigenous stories to continue their learning following National Indigenous History Month. Supporting kids in our families and communities to learn, too, is just as important as they build a view of their world. We share some locally-published, esteemed titles that will help to make Indigenous voices a regular part of every reading journey.
Renowned artist Roy Henry Vickers (Tsimshian-Heiltsuk-Haida) once again teams up with Robert “Lucky” Budd to provide us with another vivid, imaginative board book to place on your bookshelves. Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak (Harbour Publishing) introduces young ones to the lush soundscape of the West Coast alongside Vickers’ iconic illustrations. A lively book that features the sounds of sea lions, cedars, campfires, and the Pacific Ocean, Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak is a lyrical ode to the music that surrounds us, certain to charm readers young and old.
Get to know Sasquatch more intimately in this captivating tale by master Kwantlen storyteller Joseph Dandurand. Follow along as Sasquatch grows up, falls in love, starts a family, and fulfills his role as the spirit of the great cedar forest, alongside his loved ones. Complemented by Simon Daniel Jones’s (Kwakwaka’wakw) striking illustrations, The Sasquatch, the Fire, and the Cedar Baskets (Nightwood Editions) shows readers the importance of kinship—with our relations and our environment—through Dandurand’s graceful use of traditional Kwantlen storytelling.
(Rocky Mountain Books)
Most people know that Canada claims French and English as its official languages. However, over 70 unique Indigenous languages are spoken across the land today, including Cree. Forthcoming in September 2020, Cree artist-educator Neepin Auger’s successful board book Discovering People (Rocky Mountain Books) will be available in a paperback edition for the first time. The book features English words for different people and occupations alongside their Cree and French equivalents, along with a pronunciation guide. An excellent resource for middle grade readers to explore the linguistic diversity of where they live, Discovering People will be released in tandem with Auger’s other books in the series: Animals, Numbers, and Words.
Anishinaabe author-illustrator Bridget George guides readers on a day-long journey through the forest. As we wander along, we come across several of the forest’s denizens such as a playful amik, a shy gaag, and of course, the titular mitig. A joyful learning experience, It’s a Mitig! (Douglas & McIntyre) features an English-to-Ojibwe glossary, that also introduces children to the double-pronunciation system. Complete with an accompanying online recording It’s a Mitig is a unique book.
Celebrated Cree-Lakota author Monique Gray Smith returns with her latest book, When We Are Kind (Orca Books). Tapping into her ability to connect with children through careful word-choice, Smith’s book “celebrates simple acts of everyday kindness” and provides children with the opportunity to consider what it feels like to participate in acts of kindness. Illustrated by Nicole Neidhart, When We Are Kind encourages children to celebrate being considerate and the impact that can have on theirs and others’ well-beings. A part of Orca’s Digital First Initiative, When We Are Kind is available now as an e-book, and is forthcoming in print.
Adapted for a younger audience from her story Raven’s Feast, Kung Jaadee (Haida) tells us that Raven has gifted each person with a special gift. This gift is a unique talent that they are to share with the world. Celebrating the diversity of everyone’s passions, Gifts From Raven (Medicine Wheel Education) reminds kids that each member of a community contributes their own special element to the world.
Developed in collaboration between Haida activist-lawyer-performer-artist Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson and Haida educator Sara Florence Davidson, Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii introduces children to ten ancient Haida figures. Readers will be captivated by the tales of these Supernatural Beings, “who embody [these] connections to the land, the sea, and the sky” as they learn about the importance of living in balance with nature. Complemented by evocative illustrations by the tandem of Alyssa Koski and Judy Hilgemann, Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii will inspire and embolden youth to further contemplate their connection to the land they live on.
This bilingual story, written in English and Dakelh, shows a mother bear’s love for her children as she teaches them how the land provides all they need. Sus Yoo / The Bear’s Medicine (Theytus Books) illustrates the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of relationships with the earth, with ancestors, and with all living things. Written and illustrated by Clayton Gauthier, with Dakelh translation by Danny Alexis and Theresa Austin, this book will encourage young readers to see themselves as one part of an interdependent whole.