Winter

Little Ocean likes to play outside. In this picture book, Ocean shows us how she has fun outside in all types of weather. Outside is where new discoveries are made and adventures happen!

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for preschool-aged children.

This book is part of the The Adventure Series of Learning With Ocean.

Additional Information
16 Pages 

Shawna Davis invites the reader to explore each of the four seasons through her beautiful words and lush, unforgettable, beaded illustrations.

We begin in Gwooyim (Spring) when the Majagalee, the Sim Algyax word for “flower,” are just beginning to sprout. We then move on to Sint (Summer) when Grandmother Sun stays in the sky a bit longer. Next there is Xwsit (Fall), just as Summer begins to get sleepy, and Maadim (Winter) where the snow has fallen and the freezer is full.

This is a story of nature, its importance to our lives, and why it must be cared for and respected.

Toonasa Jordana Luggi’s lovely, rich, and nearly tactile photographs are the perfect complement to Shawna’s hand-beaded artwork and wonderful, hand-cut paper backgrounds.

Includes Pronunciation Guides.

Reviews
“...simple, evocative poetry is culturally specific, rooted in a deep love of the land and the people around her but it’s also relatable to readers of different backgrounds. The lyrical verse in Majagalee makes it an ideal read-aloud book.... Majagalee is an elevated concept book. It introduces readers to the seasons, the plants and animals of the Northwest Coast, Sim Algyax, Indigenous art, and the importance of all these things to Gitksan culture. Despite its apparent simplicity, Majagalee is a complex and brilliantly constructed book. It will appeal to Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers alike, and for teachers and parents, it serves as an outstanding example of a book that demonstrates the ongoing presence and beauty of Indigenous cultures in what is now known as Canada..” – Quill & Quire, starred review

Educator Information
Juvenile Fiction. This picture book explores the four seasons on the northwest coast of what is currently British Columbia from a Gitksan perspective.

Additional information
Pages: 40 

From the popular series that launched with Tree: A Peek-Through Picture Book comes a book with peek-through holes that show the moon's different phases with each turn of the page.

Over deserts and forests, Arctic tundra and tropical beaches, the moon shines down on creatures around the world. Children will love discovering how it changes from day to day as the lunar cycle is shown through clever peek-through holes, each revealing the moon in a different size and shape.

It's the perfect light nonfiction book for young stargazers—and an ideal bedtime book, ending with a giant moon hovering over a sleepy town hunkered down for bed.

Educator Information
For ages 3 and under.

Concepts: Seasons, Science, Nature, Astronomy.

Additional Information
26 pages | 6.13" x 7.56" | Board book

A girl lovingly tends to her garden through the seasons.

In the depths of winter, one young girl is already dreaming of planting her very own vegetable garden. In January, she sketches out the rows of lettuce, the trellis for the peas, and a large plot for the tomatoes while she waits for warmer weather. March is time for sowing, and April gives way to the first leaves of her seedlings.

As the seasons change from spring to summer, she (with the help of her moms) spreads compost and turns up the soil to finally plant her veggies into the earth. As the months go by, she lovingly weeds, waters, and cares for her garden until it’s time to harvest a bounty big enough to share with all their friends! My Delicious Garden celebrates the joy of growing food from seed and is a cozy exploration of the connections between nature, food, and community.

Reviews
"The unique monthly focus is an interesting and helpful take on gardening; readers will learn about different types of vegetables and flowers equally. Whether there is a garden at school or not, this is a charming addition to the shelves and could be adapted to a very early science lesson for preschoolers, too." — School Library Journal

"All children will be inspired to grow their own gardens, and those children who live in urban environments will understand and appreciate the work, time, and patience, not to mention the joy and sense of accomplishment, it takes to maintain a garden." — School Library Connection

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8. 

Keywords and Themes: Gardening, Science, Nature, Cooking, Food, Outdoor Activities, Outdoor Learning

Additional Information
24 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

The beloved traditional English Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, has been adapted here to reflect aspects of the richly varied cultures and traditions of twelve Native American cultural groups from different parts of the U.S. A cultural background is included for each day's gift in an easy-to-understand manner, placing the adapted song lyrics in the context of these tribal cultures. 

Educator Information
Recommended for grades 1 to 5.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.25" x 11.75"

A peek-through board book with elaborate die-cuts on each page showing a tree and its many inhabitants throughout the four seasons.

Through a hole in the book's cover, an owl invites you inside to meet a majestic tree and all its forest inhabitants during the changing seasons. With clever die-cuts throughout, each sturdy page reveals a new set of animals playing and living in the tree--baby bears frolicking in the spring, bees buzzing around apples in the summer, squirrels storing nuts in the fall, and finally the lone owl keeping warm during the winter chill, until another year begins. . . .

Children will love seeing a new set of animals appear as each page is turned, and along the way they'll learn about the seasons and how a forest and its inhabitants change throughout the year.

Educator Information
For ages 3 and under.

Concepts: Seasons, Science, Nature, Animals.

Additional Information
26 pages | 6.13" x 7.50" | Board book

In this beautifully illustrated children’s book, readers will experience the world in a new way as they see the seasons through the joyful eyes of Nimkii, a fun, nature-loving dog who will teach them a whole new language: Ojibwemowin, a language spoken by the indigenous tribes in parts of Michigan, Ontario, northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and Alberta.

Whether hunting for maple trees in the fall, playing in the snow in the winter, enjoying the spring showers, or swimming in the summer, Nimkii seeks out activities that allow her to enjoy her natural surroundings. Fun and inspiring, this bilingual book helps children and adults communicate in new ways while exploring different elements of culture.

Educator Information
Children's Literature

Dual-language: English and Ojibwemowin 

Translated by Margaret Noodin, of the Pine Marten Clan. 

Additional Information
38 pages | 11.00" x 8.50" | Hardcover 

Niibing, dgwaagig, bboong, mnookmig dbaadjigaade maanpii mzin'igning / A Book about the Seasons.

An Anishinaabe child and her grandmother explore the natural wonders of each season in this lyrical, bilingual story-poem.

In this lyrical story-poem, written in Anishinaabemowin and English, a child and grandmother explore their surroundings, taking pleasure in the familiar sights that each new season brings.

We accompany them through warm summer days full of wildflowers, bees and blueberries, then fall, when bears feast before hibernation and forest mushrooms are ripe for harvest. Winter mornings begin in darkness as deer, mice and other animals search for food, while spring brings green shoots poking through melting snow and the chirping of peepers.

Brittany Luby and Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley have created a book inspired by childhood memories of time spent with Knowledge Keepers, observing and living in relationship with the natural world in the place they call home — the northern reaches of Anishinaabewaking, around the Great Lakes.

Alvin Ted Corbiere and Alan Corbiere, father and son, are the Anishinaabe translators of this work.

Awards

• 2022 Indigenous Voices Award for a published work in an Indigenous language

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

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

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2
Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

How do you know the seasons? Do you know it's summer when blueberries fall readily and the sand is hot enough to sting? Do you know fall by the red-winged blackbird taking his leave? Take a minute and look around — nature is speaking to us. Changes are happening, and Mother Earth is letting us know at every step of the way. Whether it's the sun's bright morning light, or the white moon sitting high in the sky, there are many ways to know what time of the year it is. All we need to do is stop, look, and listen, because each season tells us a story!

This book is also available in French and Ojibwe: Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / La Terre me parle: Un livre sur les saisons 

Additional Information
44 pages | 8.75" x 8.50"

Rendered with reassuring words and pastoral scenes, this soothing lullaby of a story is sure to settle even the most restless of cubs.

Mouse is rushing to her nest.
In soft, dry grasses she will rest.

Geese are calling, a chilly wind is blowing, and the sky is turning gray. Winter is on its way. For Mama Bear and Small Bear, that means it’s time to tuck into their den for a long sleep. But Mouse is scurrying by, and Chipmunk is still gathering nuts beside the lake. And look at Hare and Skunk, still romping through the leaves! Why can’t Small Bear stay up, too? To each question, Mama Bear responds with the coziest of answers, finally painting a dreamy picture of the brightening colors and new adventures that will greet Small Bear in the spring. But first comes sleep, in this irresistible invitation to drowsy little cubs everywhere.

Reviews
"This soft, reassuring tale is ideal for teaching seasonal changes as well as the need for transitions." —School Library Journal

"Simple, quiet illustrations executed in a soft, elegant, swirling style trace the transition from tawny autumn’s bareness to early winter’s silvery wonderland. . . . Reassuring, inviting bedtime fare."—Kirkus Reviews

"It’s a book to prepare children for bed, but it’s also a guide to enjoying rest while reflecting upon past or future adventures."—WORLD Magazine

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8

Subjects: Animals; Bedtime & Dreams; Science & Nature; Hibernation; Bears

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.94" x 10.56" | Hardcover

Niaqualuk and Haugaaq live in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. There is a big blizzard coming! Haugaaq wishes she could play outside more, but Niaqualuk is excited about playing inside. See what fun things the sisters do all day as the blizzard howls outside.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book is part of the Community Storybooks series. These books tell fun and engaging stories that take place in different communities across Nunavut. Each book was written by an author from the community and has been carefully reviewed for authenticity.

Dual-language/Bilingual: Inuktitut and English

This book is available in Inuktitut and French here!

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover

The ink and watercolour illustrations in this book reflect the life cycle of a salmon from the salmon’s point of view looking up from underwater.  Silhouette images provide a clue to the seasons and to the predators the salmon encounters throughout its life.  The story reminds us how the salmon demonstrates great determination and strength in its long journey from the stream where life begins, to the ocean, and back to its natal stream.  
 
Carol ends the story with a step-by-step instructional guide to create your own ink and watercolour image.

Educator Information
This is the 10th anniversary edition from CSWA Science in Society award-winning author/illustrator Carol McDougall, B. Ed., M.A. Carol is an international educator and conservationist with decades of classroom and fine arts teaching experience. She conducts workshops on using the arts to help make learning creative and engaging.

Recommended Grades: K-5.

Additional Information
32 pages | 11" x 8.5" | ISBN: 9781771744461 | Hardcover

Featured on Anaana's Tent on APTN!

What do Mia and her monster friends wear to stay warm? Watch as Mia and the monsters get ready to play outside in the snow.

Educator & Series Information
Bilingual: English and Inuktitut

This is an Arvaaq Book. Books in this series are intended for infants and very young children and are designed to help children develop physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language skills. 

Additional Information
16 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

Come north to Saik’uz (sigh-kuz) located within the Dakelh (dah-kay-lth) Territory and see what happens on cold winter days! What is something that you love about winter?

Educator & Series Information
A triple-language resource written in Carrier, English and French.

Recommended for primary students (grades 1-3).

Download a pronunciation guide for the Carrier words in this story: Winter in Saik'uz Pronunciation Guide

Winter in Saik’uz is part of the Strong Stories: Dakelh series. Strong Stories focus on different First Nation territories from across Canada and the United States. These stories reflect the belief that our stories are the roots of our people, our lands and our cultures. It is from our stories that we grow and become strong and proud.

Additional Information
16 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | ISBN: 9781771743297

The Cherokee community is grateful for blessings and challenges that each season brings. This is modern Native American life as told by an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah.

Awards

• 2019 Sibert Honor Book
• NPR's Guide to 2018's Great Reads
• Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2018
• 2018 Book Launch Award (SCBWI)

Reviews
"According to storyteller Sorell, the Cherokee people always express gratitude for the little things they are given by saying the phrase, "Otsaliheliga," or "we are grateful." Raised in the Cherokee Nation, Sorell intentionally crafts a narrative that simultaneously embraces modernity and a traditional presentation of Cherokee community and way of life. Throughout, the measured text reminds readers that in all things "we say otsaliheliga." Colorful, folk art-style illustrations show Cherokee people during ceremonies, in family gatherings large and small, and outdoors enjoying each of the four seasons, always expressing gratitude. The scenes are contemporary; one shows a father taking care of his children, engaging in a positive parenting role, while another depicts a family seeing off a relative who is leaving for deployment in the military, underscoring that Cherokee people serve their country. Children participate in rites and in family outings with adults, and they also play traditional games such as stickball and plant strawberries, a practice that reminds their people to embrace peace with one another. The variety of skin tones represented in the illustrations likewise depicts a present-day reflection of the diversity that exists within the Cherokee people. Occasional Cherokee words are written in Romanized form, phonetically, in Cherokee characters, and in English—a lovely grace note. A gracious, warm, and loving celebration of community and gratitude. —Kirkus Reviews 

"An extended family engages with activities and traditions that express gratitude and carry on Cherokee history and culture, such as stomp dancing at the Great New Moon Ceremony, basket weaving, making corn-husk dolls, and playing stickball. The book underscores the importance of traditions and carrying on a Cherokee way of life while simultaneously incorporating modernity and challenging dated media images of Indigenous people. Here, a father sporting an earring and a topknot minds the children; a family bids goodbye to a clan relative who deploys with the U.S. military. Skin colors range from light to dark, visually underscoring the book’s message of diversity and inclusion. Staying firmly upbeat and idyllic, the cheerful, richly detailed gouache illustrations in bright, saturated colors cycle through the seasons, beginning with the Cherokee New Year in autumn. The text includes several Cherokee words; a line of text in a smaller font along the bottom of the page provides each word as written in the English alphabet, its phonetic pronunciation, the word as written in the Cherokee alphabet, and its definition. A glossary, an author’s note on Cherokee culture, and a complete Cherokee syllabary conclude this attractive and informative book." —Horn Book

"In Cherokee culture, Sorell shares, the expression of gratitude is part of daily life and extends from elaborate celebrations to struggles to ordinary life moments. She organizes her debut picture book by seasons, beginning with the fall, which is a time for collecting foliage for basket making and remembering those who suffered on the Trail of Tears. It also contains the Cherokee New Year and the Great New Moon Ceremony, a celebration of renewal and coming together. Each season section starts with the name of the season in Cherokee, an expression of gratitude for the change in nature, and subsequent pages describing community activities pertinent to that season. Lessac's folkloric illustration in bright gouache colors stands in pleasing contrast to the book’s contemporary feel and setting. The text reads like poetry but has a gentle instructional dimension to it. On many pages, Cherokee words are accompanied by English translations, pronunciation guides, and Cherokee syllabary. Back matter contains relevant explanations and provides good context, and the author's note sets past misrepresentations right" —Booklist

"This informative and authentic introduction to a thriving ancestral and ceremonial way of life is perfect for holiday and family sharing"—School Library Journal

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Also available in a boxed set as board books for ages 3 and under: We Are Grateful Otsaliheliga: Seasons (BB - Box Set)

Additional Information

Maxwell Newhouse, folk artist extraordinaire, has created a unique counting book. The premise is simple. He invites children to count with him from ten crunching caribou down to one lonely moose, by finding other northern animals - from seals to wolves to snowy owls - as they turn the pages. But as the animals appear, so does the snow, until it's a character too, obliterating light and dark, sky and earth.

A gorgeous exploration of the isolation and the beauty of northern winter, Maxwell Newhouse has created a deceptively simple picture book that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Reviews
“As the countdown proceeds, the snow begins to fall, getting heavier with each panel until it nearly obscures the animals; the effect of the snow over the five wolves, for hares, three polar bears and two snowy owls—all white to begin with—is spectacular, and readers will feel the chill. Lovely and, thanks to its small trim, intimate.” - Kirkus Reviews

“A sparse and lovely meditation on winter wilderness.” - Publishers Weekly

“Newhouse’s sensitive portrayal of the stark Arctic landscape creates an atmospheric chilliness that perfectly captures a winter evening north of the 49th parallel. Original without being gimmicky, Counting on Snow should come with the purchase of every crib in this country, as it has all the makings of a Canadian classic.” - Starred Review, Quill & Quire

“Folk artist Maxwell Newhouse has created a beautifully simple counting book with a twist. The book begins with ten crunching caribou on a green plain. As the numbers of animals decrease, the snow begins to fall. By the end of the book, the page is heavy with snow. A lovely introduction to numbers and the animals of Canada.” - ForeWord Magazine

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 2 and under.

Additional Information
22 pages | 7.00" x 8.50" | Board Book