David Chapman

This board book presents the months of the Mi’kmaw lunar calendar to very young children and their parents. Mi’kmaw artist Loretta Gould’s art illustrates each of the 12 Mi’kmaw moons through the changing seasons in Mi’kma’ki. Each month is named after events in the natural world – from Snow Blinding Time through Frogs Croaking Time and Berry Ripening Time. Each month’s illustration is accompanied by its name in Mi’kmaw and English.

Loretta Gould’s art, first published in Mi’kmaw Moons: A First Lunar Calendar has won high praise from reviewers, and the book has received numerous awards.

Educator Information
For ages 2 to 5.

Includes names of the months in English and Mi'kmaw.

This is the board book version of Mi'kmaw Moons: The Seasons in Mi'kma'ki.

Additional Information
6.53" x 6.53" | Board Book

Traditional teachings about the moon cycles and their relation to the natural history of Mi’kma’ki on Canada’s East Coast.

For thousands of years, the Mi’kmaq have been closely observing the natural world and the cycles of the moon and the stars to track the passage of time. Each full moon in an annual cycle was named by the Mi’kmaq to relate to a seasonal event, such as tomcod spawning, birds laying eggs or berry ripening.

For the past decade, Mi’kmaw Elders and Knowledge Keepers have shared stories of the traditional night sky calendar with authors Cathy LeBlanc and David Chapman. In this book, Cathy relays these stories in her role as Auntie to her young relation Holly.

Each moon’s story is richly illustrated with an evocative colour painting created for this book by the noted Mi’kmaw artist Loretta Gould.

Alongside this presentation of the Mi’kmaw time-keeping traditions, this book offers a brief history of the modern Western calendar, and some basic astronomy facts about the moon’s phases and why the seasons change.

This two-eyed seeing approach takes young readers on a journey through one full year in Mi’kma’ki.

Educator Information
Juvenile fiction.

Includes some Mi'kmaw words.

A board book version is available here: Mi’kmaw Moons: A First Lunar Calendar.

Additional Information
56 pages | 11.02" x 9.01" | Paperback