ninitohtênân / We Listen

Synopsis:

The third book in the Nôhkom series, in Cree and English, tells a story about gathering leaves for Labrador tea, while listening in different ways.

A child, her family and her friend have arrived at their favorite picnic spot by the lake, but before they eat lunch Nôhkom suggests they pick leaves for Labrador tea. Once among the trees, Nôhkom pauses for a moment to listen, and the others do too. Nôhkom prays, the girls take their turn, then Nôhkom shows them where to find the leaves. Nôhkom and Mom rest after harvesting, but the girls opt for a swim in the lake ... though they're quite happy to warm up afterwards with freshly brewed Labrador tea. And when it's time for the picnic, the girls take another turn at listening.

Beautifully rendered paintings in acrylic on canvas show the family outing. Includes a recipe for Labrador tea as well as a salve made from Labrador Tea leaves.

Educator Information
Recommended Ages: 3 to 7.

Written in short sentences in Cree and English (with Cree text appearing in standard roman orthography and syllabics), the book is a good choice for beginning readers and/or language learners.

This book is the third book in the Nôhkom series.

The story features different forms of listening — in the bush, to teachings from Nôhkom, to the conversation of family and friends (when listening can be especially fun!).

Key Text Features
illustrations
recipe
informational note

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

Authenticity Note: Translator Leona Morin-Neilson is the inspiration for the stories and art in the Nôhkom series, which highlights her traditional knowledge of the uses of wild plants. She collaborated with the author to create this work and translated it into Cree.

Because of the collaboration between Leona and the author, and Leona's Cree translation, this book has been labelled as containing Authentic Indigenous Text.  It is up to readers to determine if this work is authentic for their purposes.

Additional Information
24 pages | 8.50" x 12.25" | Hardcover