Picture Books

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children have been introduced to wearing face masks and seeing others in masks. Author and illustrator Marla Lesage normalizes mask-wearing by introducing young readers to artists, ranchers, pilots, welders, scientists and many more people who already wear masks in their day-to-day lives. This delightful, rhyming picture book will help explain to children why wearing a mask is important as we interact with others in our communities. Readers will learn that, when they put on their mask, they are choosing to be kind and considerate of others.

We Wear Masks is a fun tool to help children make sense of this new reality and make wearing masks less scary and more relatable. This book can be used as a conversation starter about the pandemic, the spread of germs and viruses, and what families can do to keep themselves and the people they care about safe.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Author and illustrator Marla Lesage is a registered nurse and the mother of two young children learning to adjust to wearing masks in public.

This book features different types of masks, including one with a clear panel being used by characters who rely on reading lips to communicate.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

When We Are Kind celebrates simple acts of everyday kindness and encourages children to explore how they feel when they initiate and receive acts of kindness in their lives. Celebrated author Monique Gray Smith has written many books on the topics of resilience and reconciliation and communicates an important message through carefully chosen words for readers of all ages. Beautifully illustrated by artist Nicole Neidhardt, this book encourages children to be kind to others and to themselves.

Awards

• 2022 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award
• 2021 Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards - Shining Willow

Reviews
“A perfect addition to your bedtime routine, and would make a great gift for every teacher and librarian your child knows, so each school has a copy upon reopening.” — them.

“Simple statements have the resonance of affirmations and establish a clear chain of connectedness…A panoply of Indigenous characters is featured in rich detail. A visual feast for families interested in seeing the Native world through small, kind deeds.” — Kirkus Reviews

“An accessible picture book that will work well as a read-aloud in a group or for quiet reading alone. Whether at home or in the classroom, its pleasing repetition of phrases. such as 'I am kind when' and 'I feel', will appeal to young readers and invite re-reading. Highly Recommended.” — CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Themes: Teaching Compassion, Being Kind, Family, Friendship, Gratitude

Simple, pointed text gives examples of how children can be kind to those around them, the different emotions that receiving kindness can make us feel, and how we maintain a connection with one another through acts of kindness within our community.

This book is also available in a dual-language format: When We Are Kind / Nihá’ádaahwiinít’íįgo

This book is also available in French: Nous sommes gentils

This book is available as a board book: When We Are Kind (BB)

This resource is recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2020/2021 resource list for grades K to 4 for use in these areas: Career Education, English Language Arts, Social Studies.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

When We Are Kind celebrates simple acts of everyday kindness and encourages children to explore how they feel when they initiate and receive acts of kindness in their lives. Celebrated author Monique Gray Smith has written many books on the topics of resilience and reconciliation and communicates an important message through carefully chosen words for readers of all ages. Beautifully illustrated by artist Nicole Neidhardt, this book encourages children to be kind to others and to themselves.

Reviews
“A perfect addition to your bedtime routine, and would make a great gift for every teacher and librarian your child knows, so each school has a copy upon reopening.” — them.

“Simple statements have the resonance of affirmations and establish a clear chain of connectedness…A panoply of Indigenous characters is featured in rich detail. A visual feast for families interested in seeing the Native world through small, kind deeds.” — Kirkus Reviews

“An accessible picture book that will work well as a read-aloud in a group or for quiet reading alone. Whether at home or in the classroom, its pleasing repetition of phrases. such as 'I am kind when' and 'I feel', will appeal to young readers and invite re-reading. Highly Recommended.” — CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"When We Are Kind is a poem-like story that celebrates the simple acts of everyday kindness. The story encourages children to explore how they feel when they initiate and receive acts of kindness in their lives. It is an appropriate text for a younger audience, but it also has a relevant reminder message for older children."— The Dalai Lama Center

Educator Information
This picture book is the dual-language (English and Diné) edition of When We Are Kind. The translator for this work is Mildred Walters. Mildred Walters is Diné (Navajo) from Torreon, New Mexico, in the eastern region of the Navajo Nation. She has a bachelor of arts in linguistics, a master of arts in language, reading, and culture and a master of arts in information resources and library science. She currently works as a librarian for a Public Tribal Library in Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico, and has done so for 11 years. Mildred currently lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This book is also available in French: Nous sommes gentils

This book is available as a board book in English: When We Are Kind (BB)

Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Themes: Teaching Compassion, Being Kind, Family, Friendship, Gratitude

Simple, pointed text gives examples of how children can be kind to those around them, the different emotions that receiving kindness can make us feel, and how we maintain a connection with one another through acts of kindness within our community.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

Separation and divorce are difficult on the entire family. Often young children blame themselves or are unsure of their place in the family if these events occur. Child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts designed the Just Enough series to empower parents/caregivers to start conversations with young ones about difficult or challenging subject matter.

Educator & Series Information
Why Do Families Change? is part of the Just Enough series. Child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts created the Just Enough series as a tool to help caregivers broach uncomfortable or challenging subjects with little ones.

Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

When Allashua disobeys her parents and goes fishing on the sea ice, she has to use her wits to escape the Qallupilluit--the troll-like creatures her parents have always warned her about that live beneath the frozen surface of the sea. But the only way to break out of their grasp is through an exchange: Allashua can go free if she brings her brothers and sisters back to the sea ice instead. Allashua doesn't want to give them up, but what can she do? After all, a promise is a promise.

Educator Information
A Promise Is a Promise is a collaboration between award-winning storyteller Michael Kusugak and celebrated children's author Robert Munsch. This 30th anniversary edition brings all of the tension of the traditional Inuit story to a new generation of readers. Added features include a new foreword by Michael Kusugak on his role as a storyteller and the importance of storytelling in Inuit culture.

This resource is also available in French: Une Promesse, C'est Une Promesse

Additional Information
32 pages | 7.80" x 7.90"

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

This beginner's guide explores the major attributes of rivers and streams and showcases their remarkable diversity using examples of waterways from around the globe.

In this addition to the About Habitats series, award-winning author Cathryn Sill uses simple, easy-to-understand language to teach children what rivers and streams are and explain how various species of animals and plants have adapted to life in or along these waterways. John Sill's detailed, full-color illustrations show the characteristics of the world's different rivers and streams (from the mountain streams of the Alps to the mighty Amazon River in South America).

A glossary and afterword provide further fascinating details about rivers and streams to inspire readers to learn more.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is a part of the About Habitats series, which introduces children to specific habitats and their living and nonliving components.

Additional Information
48 pages | 10.25" x 8.75" | Hardcover

Come along on an aviation journey with Alis! This spunky female guide will take you through an ABC of planes featuring gorgeous cut-paper art.

An A to Z of planes past and present, this book has stunning cut-paper art and a cute-as-a-button guide named Alis. Named for Dr. Alis Kennedy, likely one of the first Indigenous women to obtain a commercial pilot license in Canada, Alis will take you on an aviation tour from the Avro Arrow to the Zeppelin and everything in between. 

Meticulously researched and uniquely crafted, this is a one-of-a-kind book that will delight aviation fans big and little.

Educator Information
This resource contains limited Indigenous content and is a supplemental resource for learning the alphabet and exploring cut-paper art imagery. There is some information included that provides more details about Dr. Alis Kennedy, which is why this resource has been listed as containing Indigenous text.  It is up to readers to determine if this work will be useful for their purposes.

Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

Meet Ama!

This book introduces readers to simple vocabulary for parts of their body, such as eyes, ears, and arms.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic. The Nunavummi Reading Series is now offering books that explore a global perspective. This is one of those books, focusing on the daily life of people in Ghana, West Africa. 

This book is a level 5 book in the Nunavummi Reading Series.

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. This book's F&P level: B.

Curriculum Connections: Language and Literacy; Diversity; Identity 

Recommended for ages 5-7.

Additional Information
20 pages | 6.50" x 7.00"

Learn all about where ravens live, what they do, and how they get food.

This simple nature book gives information about ravens, along with beautiful photographs.

Educator & Series Information 
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic.  It is a Level 7 book in the series. 

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. This book's F&P Level is D.

Curriculum Connections: Language and literacy; Environmental awareness; Life systems

Recommended for ages 5-7.

Additional Information 
16 pages | 8.00" x 8.00"

There are a lot of animals living in Arctic waters!

This book features animals that live in the waters around Nunavut, such as the narwhal and the ringed seal.

Educator & Series Information 
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic.  It is a Level 3 book in the series. 

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. This book's F&P Level is LB.

Curriculum Connections: Language and literacy; Environmental awareness; Life systems

Recommended for ages 3-6.

Additional Information 
12 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

A family, separated by duty and distance, waits for a loved one to return home in this lyrical picture book celebrating the bonds of a Cherokee family and the bravery of history-making women pilots.

At the mountain's base sits a cabin under an old hickory tree. And in that cabin lives a family -- loving, weaving, cooking, and singing. The strength in their song sustains them through trials on the ground and in the sky, as they wait for their loved one, a pilot, to return from war.

With an author's note that pays homage to the true history of Native American U.S. service members like WWII pilot Ola Mildred "Millie" Rexroat, this is a story that reveals the roots that ground us, the dreams that help us soar, and the people and traditions that hold us up.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.38" x 11.81"

Donovan is hungry for a special kind of breakfast . . . BEAR!

It’s breakfast time and Donovan knows exactly what he wants this morning! Not eggs, not pancakes, not cereal. No, what he wants is BEAR, just like his grandfather used to eat for breakfast!  

So Donovan sets off to bag a bear of his own, going on an adventurous hunt through the woods, where he stalks and is stalked by an ant, a squirrel, and a dog — but they are not bears, so he shoos them away!

When Donovan finally meets a real, big and growling bear, he quickly learns that sometimes breakfast tastes best when it doesn’t have any teeth!

Educator Information
This story was inspired by Donovan, a first-grader in La Loche, Saskatchewan, a Chippewan community in northern Saskatchewan that Robert Munsch visited in January, 1990. When Robert asked what the kids liked to eat, Donovan said that he liked to eat BEAR!

This resource is also available in French: Un ours pour dejeuner!

This book is also available in English and Algonquin:Bear for Breakfast / Makwa kidji kijeba wisiniyan

Additional Information
32 pages

Donovan is hungry for a special kind of breakfast . . . Makwa!

It’s breakfast time and Donovan knows exactly what he wants this morning! Not eggs, not pancakes, not cereal. No, what he wants is BEAR, just like his grandfather used to eat for breakfast!

So Donovan sets off to bag a bear of his own, going on an adventurous hunt through the woods, where he stalks and is stalked by an ant, a squirrel, and a dog — but they are not bears, so he shoos them away!

When Donovan finally meets a real, big and growling bear, he quickly learns that sometimes breakfast tastes best when it doesn’t have any teeth!

Educator Information
This dual-language edition includes both the original English text and an Algonquin translation.

This story was inspired by Donovan, a first-grader in in La Loche, a community in northern Saskatchewan that Robert Munsch visited in January, 1990. When Robert asked what the kids liked to eat, Donovan said that he liked to eat BEAR! Illustrator Jay Odjick is a member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation and the creator of the Algonquin Word of the Day series.

This book is available in English only as Bear for Breakfast.

This resource is also available in French as Un ours pour dejeuner!

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 10.00"

Let’s go berry picking!

Follow a family as they go berry picking on a fall day in Nunavut.

Educator 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 | 18.50" x 18.50"