Métis

Synopsis:
Inspired by the Physical quadrant of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel, You Are the Land reminds young readers that they are a part of the world around them. With fun, rhyming text, each page compares our physical bodies to plants, animals, and the four elements, sharing an important message: You are the Land.
From the author of You Are Sacred, this is the second book in the All That You Are series.
Awards
- 2025-2026 First Nation Communities READ Award Longlisted
Educator Information
You Are the Land is a perfect read-aloud for children ages 3 to 6 in both classrooms and homes.
Curriculum Connections:
Early Literacy – listening, reading, discussing, and rhyming
Art – traditional Anishinaabe clothing and art
Health and Wellness – breath and balance, self-affirmation, connection to nature for physical health and wellness, and traditional medicines
Science – harmonious ecosystems, biodiversity of plants and animals with Indigenous cultural importance, environmental awareness
Social Responsibility – uplifting others and ourselves, respecting Mother Earth
Indigenous Knowledge and Traditions – teachings of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel, the Seven Generations, the Three Sisters, and All Our Relations
Series Information
You Are the Land is the second book in the All That You Are series. Through lyrical text and colourful watercolour illustrations, the All That You Are series uses the teachings of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel to remind children of their connection to the world around them. Each book in the series focuses on one quadrant of the Medicine Wheel representing one kind of wellness—Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, or Mental. A diagram and description of the Medicine Wheel are included at the back of each book. Also included are Anishinaabe Connections, which share more about Anishinaabe art, culture, and traditions explored in the text and illustrations. Books in the All That You Are series are best suited for children ages 3 to 6 and make wonderful read-alouds in classrooms and homes.
You Are Sacred is the first book in the series.
A percentage of proceeds from the All That You Are series is donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society to support their efforts in advocacy for justice and healing. To find out more information, please visit https://www.irsss.ca/.
Additional Information
24 Pages | 8" x 8" | Hardcover | ISBN: 978-1-77174-632-8
Synopsis:
Métis teenager Echo Desjardins is struggling to adjust to a new school and a new home. When an ordinary history class turns extraordinary, Echo is pulled into a time-travelling adventure. Follow Echo as she experiences pivotal events from Métis history and imagines what the future might hold. This omnibus edition includes all four volumes in the A Girl Called Echo series:
In Pemmican Wars, Echo finds herself transported to the prairies of 1814. She witnesses a bison hunt, visits a Métis camp, and travels the fur-trade routes. Experience the perilous era of the Pemmican Wars and the events that lead to the Battle of Seven Oaks.
In Red River Resistance, we join Echo on the banks of the Red River in the summer of 1869. Canadian surveyors have arrived and Métis families, who have lived there for generations, are losing their land. As the Resistance takes hold, Echo fears for the future of her people in Red River.
In Northwest Resistance, Echo travels to 1885. The bison are gone and settlers from the East are arriving in droves. The Métis face starvation and uncertainty as both their survival and traditional way of life are threatened. The Canadian government has ignored their petitions, but hope rises with the return of Louis Riel.
In Road Allowance Era, Echo returns to 1885. Louis Riel is standing trial, and the government has not fulfilled its promise of land for the Métis. Burnt out of their home in Ste. Madeleine, Echo’s people make their way to Rooster Town, a shanty community on the southwest edges of Winnipeg. In this final instalment, Echo is reminded of the strength and perseverance of the Métis.
This special omnibus edition of Katherena Vermette’s best-selling series features an all-new foreword by Chantal Fiola (Returning to Ceremony: Spirituality in Manitoba Métis Communities), a historical timeline, and an essay about Métis being and belonging by Brenda Macdougall (Contours of a People: Métis Family, Mobility, and History).
Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 12 to 18.
This omnibus edition includes all four volumes in the A Girl Called Echo series:
- Pemmican Wars
- Red River Resistance
- Northwest Resistance
- Road Allowance Era
This special omnibus edition also includes an all-new foreword by Chantal Fiola, a historical timeline, and an essay about Métis being and belonging by Brenda Macdougall
Additional Information
224 pages | 6.50" x 10.00" | Full colour throughout | Paperback
Synopsis:
It's the summer of 1914. Eight-year-old Bernice lives with her family in a lighthouse on Georgian Bay. One day Bernice wakes up to find a stranger named Tom Thomson sleeping in their living room. When she overhears him talk about gold on a nearby island, Bernice is determined to find it. Inspired by her beloved Mémèr’s stories of their Métis family’s adventures and hardships, Bernice takes the treasure map the stranger left behind and sets out in a rowboat with nothing more than her two dogs for company and the dream of changing her family’s fortunes forever.
Educator Information
Ages 9 to 12.
Additional Information
190 pages | 7.50" x 5.25" | Paperback
Synopsis:
La roue medicinale represente l'unite et l'equilibre entre toutes les choses, y compris une vie saine mentalement, spirituellement, emotionnellement et physiquement.En comprenant les enseignements de la roue de medicinale, nous pouvons mieux comprendre notre sante holistique. Grace a une selection minutieuse des enseignements et des activites interactives, le cahier d'exercices La roue medicinale : trouve un equilibre sain encouragera les enfants a bien vivre et a trouver un equilibre sain.
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 12.
This book is available in English: Medicine Wheel Workbook: Finding Your Healthy Balance
Additional Information
80 pages | 8.51" x 10.67" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Apprenez ce que veut dire la phrase « Chaque enfant compte ». Phyllis Webstad, la fondatrice de la Journee du chandail orange, presente un apercu de ce mouvement sincere. Chaque enfant compte honore l'histoire et la resilience des peuples autochtones sur l'Ile de la Tortue et nous permet de tous cheminer vers la verite et la reconciliation. Si vous etes un survivant des pensionnats ou un survivant intergenerationnel, vous comptez. Pour les enfants qui ne sont pas revenus a la maison, vous comptez. L'enfant en chacun de nous compte. Chaque enfant compte.
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 10.
Find the accompanying Teacher Lesson Plan here: Chaque enfant compte plan de cours
This book is available in English: Every Child Matters
Additional Information
44 pages | 8.62" x 11.18" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
Lorsqu’il se réveille seul dans le noir, Frenchie comprend tout de suite où il a échoué. Au fil des ans, l’adolescent métis a vu ses proches disparaître un à un dans ces pensionnats où les siens sont réduits à l’état de cobayes et torturés.Alors que les épidémies et les catastrophes naturelles ont emporté des millions de personnes et privé les survivants de la faculté de rêver, seuls les peuples autochtones ont su la conserver dans la moelle de leurs os. Depuis, ils sont traqués par le gouvernement, qui les enferme pour nourrir les Sans-rêves de la précieuse substance.Frenchie, qui a appris à survivre en forêt en compagnie de sa famille d’adoption, est pourtant loin de se douter de tous les sacrifices qu’il devra faire pour retrouver sa liberté, et des terribles vérités qui lui seront révélées en chemin.Dans Chasseurs d’étoiles, Cherie Dimaline renoue avec les personnages attachants qui ont fait le succès de Pilleurs de rêves. Surtout, elle évoque de manière bouleversante quelques-unes des pages les plus sombres de notre histoire.
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 12+
This book is available in English: Hunting by Stars
Additional Information
480 Pages
Synopsis:
Additional Information
Spiral bound
Synopsis:
Learn the meaning behind the phrase, ‘Every Child Matters.'
Orange Shirt Day founder, Phyllis Webstad, offers insights into this heartfelt movement.
Every Child Matters honours the history and resiliency of Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island and moves us all forward on a path toward Truth and Reconciliation.
If you're a Residential School Survivor or an Intergenerational Survivor - you matter. For the children who didn't make it home - you matter. The child inside every one of us matters. Every Child Matters.
Reviews
"Every Child Matters speaks to all Indigenous Peoples - past and present - whose lives have been impacted by the residential school system. Phyllis and Karlene beautifully honour the unity, strength and resolve shared by Survivors, their families and their communities. Residential schools took our children and tried to break their vibrant spirits. With this book, the children of today can learn the truths of this history and how they can play a part in making sure every child matters." – Stephanie Scott, Executive Director of the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation
“…a brilliantly illustrated and meticulously written narrative. It is a must read.” - Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, Gwawaenuk, Elder, Reconciliation Canada
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 10.
Find the accompanying Teacher Lesson Plan resource HERE!
This book is available in French: Chaque enfant compte
Additional Information
44 pages | 8.50" x 11.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
This heartfelt imagining of what happens when a beloved pet dies offers children a caring introduction to the emotions of grief and loss, from a perspective of love and healing.
Shay and their dog Fluffy are best friends. Through the years they are each other’s source of comfort and companionship in times of both sadness and joy. When Shay learns that Fluffy is sick and they must say goodbye, they feel angry and scared. But Fluffy offers a gentle reassurance—as she always has—and Shay reflects on the meaningful bond they have shared with their friend and the love for her that they will hold in their heart forever.
Reviews
“An explanation of grief that is perfectly childlike, but never trivial….Easy to share in groups or one on one.” — School Library Journal
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.
Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
A lullaby of reconciliation and reclamation, celebrating the ancestral relationship between Indigenous children and the land that is forever their home.
Under glowing morning sun and silvery winter moon, from speckled frogs croaking in spring to summer fields painted with fireweed, this meditative lullaby introduces little ones to the plants and animals of the Prairies and the Plains. Featuring stunning artwork by celebrated artist Carla Joseph, Forever Our Home is a beautiful and gentle song about our spiritual connection to the land.
Reviews
A tender hymn to the prairie in all seasons...Uplifting and joyous." — Kirkus Reviews
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.
This book is available in a the dual-language format (English and Plains Cree): Forever Our Home / kâkikê kîkinaw
Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
A lullaby of reconciliation and reclamation, celebrating the ancestral relationship between Indigenous children and the land that is forever their home.
Under glowing morning sun and silvery winter moon, from speckled frogs croaking in spring to summer fields painted with fireweed, this meditative lullaby introduces little ones to the plants and animals of the Prairies and the Plains. Featuring stunning artwork by celebrated artist Carla Joseph, Forever Our Home is a beautiful and gentle song about our spiritual connection to the land.
Reviews
A tender hymn to the prairie in all seasons...Uplifting and joyous." — Kirkus Reviews
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.
Written in both Plains Cree and English and featuring stunning artwork by celebrated artist Carla Joseph, Forever Our Home / kâkikê kîkinaw is a beautiful and gentle song about our spiritual connection to the land.
Find the English version here: Forever Our Home
Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
In this sequel to Maggie Lou, Firefox, the irrepressible Maggie Lou acquires a new cousin, and a horse - both of whom have minds of their own.
When Uncle Bobby gets married, Maggie Lou suddenly finds herself with a new cousin, Rosie. Rosie is the same age as Maggie. She also has a fabulous head of curls, although hers are red. And Rosie knows everything about horses and riding - something Maggie Lou has longed to do.
A rivalry sparks between the girls from the start at Uncle Bobby and Aunt Bonnie's wedding, which features an all-you-can-eat dessert table, as well as lots of energetic dancing. On Rosie's horse farm, Maggie experiences her share of humiliations as she learns how to ride on a pony so short that her feet can touch the ground.
Eventually the cousins become allies and wreak some hair-raising mischief, including a secret midnight horseback ride. And in the end they are joined by friends and family to train, hilariously, for the famous Otipîm'sowak Race - a Métis voyageur relay - carrying on a family tradition.
Throughout it all, Maggie remains stubborn and enthusiastic, as she navigates the new challenges of defeat, rivalry and family change.
Reviews
"A high-energy love letter to rambunctious girls, big families, and Métis culture." — Kirkus Reviews, June 2025
"Full of hilarious high jinks yet bursting with heart ... This book shines with realistic sibling relationships, funny dialogue, strong intergenerational bonds, and a steadfast connection to community and culture."— Booklist, July 2025
Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.
This book is the second book in the Maggie Lou series.
Key Text Features: chapters; character drawings; dialogue; glossary; illustrations.
Additional Information
228 pages | 5.00" x 7.50" | b&w illustrations | Paperback
Synopsis:
Maggie Lou's grandpa doesn't call her Firefox for nothing. She's always finding ways to make life more interesting - even if this means getting into big trouble.
"Keep taking up space," Maggie Lou's mother says. You're only making room for the girls behind you."
When her grandfather Moshôm finally agrees to teach her how to box, she decides that the rank odors, endless drills and teasing won't stop her from wearing a tutu to the gym. Joining her father's construction crew uncovers a surprising talent - besides learning how to use a broom - and a great source of scrap wood to build a canine hotel for her dogs. And when she turns thirteen, she figures out an ingenious way to make some smokin' good camouflage to wear on her first deer hunt, where she joins a long family tradition.
Through it all she is surrounded by her big extended gumbo soup of a family, pestered by annoying younger siblings, and gently guided by her strong female relatives - her mother, her kokhom and her ultra-cool cousin Jayda. "Keep taking up space," Maggie's mother says. "You're only making room for the girls behind you."
A heroine for today, Maggie Lou discovers that with hard work and perseverance she can gain valuable new skills, without losing one iota of her irrepressible spirit.
Reviews
"Métis author Bowes weaves cultural elements, including Northern Michif words, into this charming story that skillfully captures sweetly hilarious and loving everyday moments. Black-and-white illustrations enhance the text. An amusing story showcasing Métis humor at its finest." - Kirkus, STARRED REVEIW
Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.
This is the first book in the Maggie Lou series.
Key Text Features: author's note, biographical note, glossary, chapters, dialogue, epigraph, illustrations.
Includes some Northern Michif words and a glossary.
Additional Information
220 pages | 5.00" x 7.50" | b&w illustrations | Paperback
Synopsis:
Métis writer and educator Nikki Soliman walks children through the importance of mental health and wellness in Magnificent Magnetic Me. This book examines the importance of embracing the tools needed to stay positive. It teaches about the power of thoughts and words and the energy we attract.
Educator Information
Recommended for grades 5 to 8.
Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback
Synopsis:
Minnow, une jeune autochtone, protectrice des eaux, entreprend un voyage sous l'eau ou elle en apprend de notre famille qui vit dans l'ocean. Quand elle retourne a la surface, elle rassemble sa communaute pour aider a apporter des changements. Cette histoire est racontee en rimes lyriques et aide les enfants a mieux respecter les gens qui protegent les eaux et les terres autochtones, l'environnement et le monde qui les entoure. Elle aide a faire decouvrir l'activisme aux enfants tot dans leur vie.
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 10.
A teacher lesson plan for this title is available: Minnow: la fille qui est devenue mi-poisson plan de cours
This book is available in English: Minnow: The Girl Who Became Part Fish
Additional Information
44 pages | 9.94" x 6.34" | Paperback