Fiction

“Cedric the Cedar” is the name given to the Western Red Cedar. He is a fire control officer and is responsible for protecting the forest and all the animals that live in it. “Cedric” teaches us how firefighters manage wildfires and illustrates the important role fire plays in helping to make our forests healthier.

An action-packed coming-of-age story, Gift Horse is a wonderfully evocative introduction to 19th century Native American life on the Great Plains. When his father gives him a gift horse, marking the beginning of his journey to manhood, Flying Cloud and the horse, Storm, spend their days hunting and roughhousing with the other boys and their horses. But when an enemy raiding party steals his beloved Storm, Flying Cloud faces the ultimate rite of passage. He must join the rescue party and earn the right to wear the shirt of a warrior.

Bold, colorful artwork inspired by the style of the early Plains Indians, illustrates the day-to-day life of the Lakota and tells the story of a boy accepting the challenges of manhood. An author's note gives a brief history of the Lakota and explains the traditions discussed in the story.

“Leonard the Larch,” otherwise known as the Western Larch, is the first book in the series. Darcee has chosen Leonard as the “Jokester” of the forest because he loves to spook all his tree friends whenever he gets the chance. Halloween was Leonard’s favorite time of year because that was the only night Mother Earth didn’t discipline him for causing trouble. Each year, Leonard sought after the perfect costume to spook all his friends until finally, Mother Earth suggested he could be a spooky skeleton. He was very excited about the idea and later that Halloween night, he had the best time of his life scaring all his friends with his new costume. Now that he found the perfect disguise, he asked Mother Earth if he could be a spooky skeleton every year. That is why, every year, around Halloween, Leonard’s needles turn yellow and fall because he is getting ready to spook us all!

Darcee has been teaching Forestry for almost six years and a common question asked by many is, “What is happening to our Larches, are they dying?” She is always excited to share her story explaining that the Larch is perfectly fine and healthy. She has learned that some people have actually cut down their Larch tree because they thought it had been attacked by the mountain pine beetle. For this, she knew how important it was for her to create her legends to help educate not only children, but adults too, using Legends that can be shared from one generation to the next.

All of the crafts found in the book are tested by Darcee’s Scout group. She always gets her Beavers and Cubs to complete each craft and if it is successful, she will then put it into her book. The craft included in Leonard the Larch teaches you how you can make amber in a day. This was completed by her son Alexander and he entered it into the School District Science Fair, where it was very well received and made the local newspaper as a huge success.

Can you make amber in a day? Yes you can, and the illustrated instructions tell you how, step by step. Keep in mind, no one can make “real” amber in a day; this amber is plasticized amber that can be molded into any shape you desire, but remains soft and slightly tacky. “Real” amber takes millions of years under high pressure to form the beautiful golden colors that can be seen in jewelry and other art.

It is very easy to get all the different trees’ names confused with each other. When Darcee takes her classes on field trips, she often finds that kids automatically call a tree that is an evergreen, a pine tree. There are many different trees that grow amongst us, so Darcee put photographs of the tree’s bark, cones, needles, branches, and profile to show the differences in each tree. Also included are descriptive clues to aid in proper identification.

In a time when darkness covered the land, a boy named Weget is born who is destined to bring the light. With the gift of a raven's skin that allows him to fly as well as transform, Weget turns into a bird and journeys from Haida Gwaii into the sky. There he finds the Chief of the Heavens who keeps the light in a box. By transforming himself into a pine needle, clever Weget tricks the Chief and escapes with the daylight back down to Earth.

Vividly portrayed through the art of Roy Henry Vickers, Weget's story has been passed down for generations. The tale has been traced back at least 3,000 years by archeologists who have found images of Weget's journey in petroglyphs on the Nass and Skeena rivers. This version of the story originates from one told to the author by Chester Bolton, Chief of the Ravens, from the village of Kitkatla around 1975.


Roy Henry Vickers is a renowned carver, painter and printmaker whose Eagle Aerie Gallery in Tofino, BC, has become a provincial landmark. In 1998, Roy was appointed to the Order of British Columbia and in 2006, the Order of Canada, and has received the Queen's Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals. He currently lives in Hazelton, BC.


Robert Budd (known as Lucky) is the host of the CBC radio series Voices of BC. Holding an MA in history, he has digitized many high profile oral history collections including that of the Nisga'a First Nation. He is the author of the book Voices of British Columbia, which was shortlisted for the 2011 Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award, and currently lives in Victoria, BC.

Nothing will stop a strong-minded young Inuit girl from learning how to read.

Olemaun is eight and knows a lot of things. But she does not know how to read. She must travel to the outsiders' school to learn, ignoring her father's warning of what will happen there.

The nuns at the school take her Inuit name and call her Margaret. They cut off her long hair and force her to do chores. She has only one thing left -- a book about a girl named Alice, who falls down a rabbit hole.

Margaret's tenacious character draws the attention of a black-cloaked nun who tries to break her spirit at every turn. But she is more determined than ever to read.

By the end, Margaret knows that, like Alice, she has traveled to a faraway land and stood against a tyrant, proving herself to be brave and clever.

Based on the true story of Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, and complemented by stunning illustrations, When I Was Eight makes the bestselling Fatty Legs accessible to young children. Now they, too, can meet this remarkable girl who reminds us what power we hold when we can read.

1234 First Nations Explore

There are so many wonderful and interesting facts about First Nations Culture. The 1234 book gives children a chance to count while they learn about Aboriginal Peoples from all over "Turtle Island".

Kim is a Lakota artist, teacher in Vancouver, BC and children's TV show writer.

These watercolour paintings are part of a collection that teaches about First Nation's culture. The paintings were featured in “Wakanheja“ in counting time with Terry Turtle.

A proud Lakota Sioux grows into manhood acting with careful deliberation, determination, and bravery, he eventually earns the new name of Sitting Bull.

B.C. Science Supplementary Resource: Gr.2-Life Science

As the ice finally clears the river, Charlie, a boy on the Tache reserve in northern British Columbia, joins his grandparents for the annual spring beaver hunt. They travel by boat to their hunting camp, and Charlie and his grandfather, Za, set their traps. But they're not at the camp long when Za becomes ill and Charlie must go alone to get help. This is a simple, realistic story of how First Nations people continue traditional ways, and a touching story of a young boy's growing maturity and responsibility.

Illustrated by Bill Helin.
Back cover book introduction:
There are many things that we do with friends and family.
What are some activities that you do with your friends and family?

Illustrated by Bill Helin.
Back cover book introduction:
There are many things that we do with friends and family.
What are some activities that you do with your friends and family?

A trickster named Coyote rules her world, until a funny-looking stranger named Columbus changes her plans. Unimpressed by the wealth of moose, turtles, and beavers in Coyote' s land, he' d rather figure out how to hunt human beings to sell back in Spain. Thomas King uses a bag of literary tricks to shatter the stereotypes surrounding Columbus' s voyages. In doing so, he invites children to laugh with him at the crazy antics of Coyote, who unwittingly allows Columbus to engineer the downfall of his human friends. William Kent Monkman's vibrant illustrations perfectly complement this amusing story with a message.

This charming true-life tale describes a historic journey and a dog's extraordinary faithfulness and tenacity. Based on the journals of Alexander Mackenzie's 1793 voyage across Canada to the Pacific Ocean, the story tracks "Our Dog," as he was known, and his determination never to let Mackenzie out of his sight. Our Dog swam next to the canoe, ran along riverbanks, and even climbed mountains. The dramatic narrative also portrays Native guides who helped Mackenzie and Our Dog reach their goal. Ann Blades's gorgeous watercolors complement the text.

The second title in our already popular provincial alphabet series, A is for Algonquin: An Ontario Alphabet will introduce young readers to all the beauty of this spectacular province. Written with the charm and knowledge of a life long resident, A is for Algonquin will teach youngsters of all ages about Ontario's inhabitants, history, flora and fauna, movers and shakers.

As with our other two-tiered alphabet books, A is for Algonquin will answer a variety of questions about one of Canada's most picturesque provinces. Is the longest street in the world really in Ontario? And the world's longest skating rink? What is the Group of Seven?

Young Cheyenne's grandfather teaches her to plant a tree every year to honour Mother Nature and respect the circle of life. Desir' Gillespie's debut celebrates the Metis tradition of respecting the wisdom of our elders.

One late fall day, the boy told the old people that he was going fishing. When he returned home, he said that he had caught a whale.

Un matin, juste avant l’arrivée de l’hiver, le garçon dit à ses parents qu’il part à la pêche. Peu de temps après, il revient chez lui, tout heureux d’annoncer qu’il a pêché une baleine.