Picture Books

The holiday season has always been a very special time for Métis families. A family-oriented people, the Métis often didn’t have money to buy expensive presents, but instead made practical items with much love. In this spirit, award-winning author and illustrator, Leah Marie Dorion takes readers back to the Métis tradition of making mittens for loved ones. Métis Christmas Mittens is a touching ode to Métis family life is accompanied by Leah’s distinctive and evocative art.

Educator Information
Michif Translation by Norman Fleury 
Format: English/Michif

A long time ago, the Great Spirit created all of the sky and stars but it wasn't enough. He then made a beautiful place called Minegoo, a place so beautiful that He almost placed it amongst the stars. He decided that instead, he would place Minegoo in the most beautiful spot on earth. He summoned Kluskap and asked him to find this spot. After searching the whole world, Kluskap found the Shining Waters, the spot in the Gulf of St. Lawrence that would be home of the Mi'kmaq people created in his own image.

Review
"Minegoo would be an excellent way to introduce young people to the stories of the Mi'kmaq people." – Allison Giggey in CM Magazine

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5-8 (kindergarten to grade 3).

This Mi'kmaq creation story is retold and illustrated by Sandra L. Dodge. Translated into Mi'kmaq by Georgina Francis.

Recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2019-2020 resource list as being useful for grades K-3 in these subject areas: English Language Arts and Social Studies. 

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 10.00"

Nimoshom loved to drive the school bus. Every day, on the way to and from school, he had something to say. Sometimes, he told the kids silly stories. Sometimes, he taught the kids a new word in Cree.

Nimoshom and His Bus introduces basic Cree words. A glossary is included in the back of the book.

Reviews
"Through accessible language and engaging visual resources, readers are introduced to basic Cree as Nimoshom responds in this language to the children who ride his bus.... The illustrator’s varying the visuals between full double spreads and single page illustrations keeps the pacing lively. Amidst a rural fall setting, with woodland animals, children, and the school bus, Nimoshom’s humorous nature shines through these gentle illustrations. At the end of this story, you just want to give Nimoshom a great big hug!"
— Anita Miettunen, CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"In this bilingual book, readers follow a bus driver picking up kids and dropping them off before and after school. Like the students on the bus, readers quickly learn that the driver's native language is Cree, and he often speaks to them in his native language. Readers learn that "Nimoshom" means "my grandfather" and that "Ekosani" means thank you" as the author (of Cree descent herself) weaves Cree words into the text, and each new spread almost feels like a gentle wave: yes, we're subtly learning new words, but it never feels strenuous or forced, rather it's calm and poetic."
— Let's Talk Picture Books

"While Penny M. Thomas' story is not a plot-driven allegory or a message-based lesson, Nimoshom and His Bus is a sweet introduction to some simple Cree words in the context of a common-place activity for many children.... Karen Hibbard who uses watercolours and pastels to create a gentle background for Nimoshom's day on his bus gives the story a grassroots mood, highly appropriate for a routine day of activity and interaction for this bus driver and his charges. It's very relatable."
— Helen Kubiw, CanLit for Little Canadians

"If you're a regular reader of AICL, you know that we're always delighted by books by Native writers--especially ones set in the present. Books like Nimoshom and His Bus provide Native children with mirrors that non-Native children find in abundance.... I highly recommend Nimoshom and His Bus! It'd be a simple thing to use other Native words in addition to--or instead of--the Cree words in the book.
— Debbie Reese, American Indians in Children's Literature

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4-9 / grades K-4.

Recommended for Grades K-4 for the following subject areas: English Language Arts, Social Studies. 

Additional Information
24 pages | 9.00" x 7.00"

A young child, her grandmother and mother are going out to pick wild yarrow. As Grandmother gets ready, the child and her mom wait. Grandmother leads the way to the field of blossoms, where they can finally start to pick … only now they have to wait for Mom!

The simple story, written in Cree and English and accompanied by rich acrylic illustrations, shows the patience, love and humor involved as three generations accommodate one another on a family outing. nipêhon / ᓂᐯᐦᐅᐣ / I Wait was translated by Leona Morin-Neilson, who was the inspiration for the book.

This companion volume to niwîcihâw / I Help includes a recipe for yarrow tea, known for its refreshing and soothing effects.

Educator Information
Recommended Ages: 4-7

This book is written in Cree (the Y dialect) and English. The Cree language is represented in two forms -- standard roman orthography and syllabics.

This book is part of the Nôhkom series.

Recommended for Grades K-1 for the following subject areas: English Language Arts, Indigenous Language Studies, Social Studies, Science and Nature, Visual Arts.

Authenticity Note: Leona Morin-Neilson (Métis-Cree) is a Cree teacher and the inspiration behind this book. She collaborated with the author to create this work. Leona Morin-Neilson teaches Cree at the “Power of Friendship” Aboriginial Headstart program in Prince George, British Columbia, and at the University of Northern British Columbia. She also teaches people in her community about traditional plants and how they can be used for medicinal purposes.

Because of the collaboration between Leona and the author, and Leona's Cree translation, this book has been labeled 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"

Follow along as Pup learns how to eat spiky sea urchins, somersault beneath the waves and groom himself. He still needs a lot of help from Mother, but one day Pup will be old enough to dive down below the waves and search for food on his own.
Accompanied by beautiful illustrations and set in the North Pacific, this heartwarming tale is perfect for little ones who still have lots to learn themselves.

When young Donald and his friends head down to the water to play, they have no idea that they are soon to encounter an arnajuinnaq ('mermaid'), one of the creatures that his elders have told him about. Terrified, the boys run back to their camp, ready to tell everyone what they have just seen. But what did they see? They can't seem to remember it clearly. It is up to Donald's grandmother to explain to them the magical creature they just encountered.

Based on the author's own childhood experiences.

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

Ukaliq and Kalla are two friends who could not be more different.

Ukaliq is loud, excited, and always looking for adventure. Kalla on the other hand, is calm, quiet, and knows it’s best to be well prepared before travelling out on the land or sea ice.

When the two friends head out for a day of fishing, Ukaliq can barely wait to get his line in the water - but his eagerness to catch a fish may just leave him empty handed in the end.

There is a lot Kalla could teach Ukaliq about a successful fishing trip, if only Ukaliq would sit still long enough to listen!

Review
"Ukaliq and Kalla Go Fishing is a classic story of two friends who are complete opposites... What makes this story unique is the setting and the dynamic between the characters. The story takes place in the Arctic, a setting which provides surroundings, animals, and terminology that children may not be familiar with (for example, the animals 'snow bunting' and 'char', and words like 'qamutiik' and 'jerry can'). Fortunately, the majority of new words can be figured out in context and through examination of the pictures." — CM Magazine

Additional Information
36 pages | 8.75" x 8.75"

This stunning nature alphabet book explores the fascinating ecosystem of the Pacific west coast — a magnificent area that combines an ancient rainforest, a rugged beach and a vast, open ocean, and where whales, bears, wolves, eagles and a rich variety of marine species thrive in an interconnected web of life.

Author Deborah Hodge has spent more than forty years on the west coast, frequently visiting the Pacific Rim region, and she knows it intimately. From A to Z she describes in vivid language the rainforest, ocean and beach, and a great variety of animals that a child might see walking along the shore — from tiny sea jellies to inquisitive sandpipers to leaping orcas. Illustrator Karen Reczuch brings her remarkable talent to the book, and has created image after image that is simply breathtaking. The text and art have been carefully checked for scientific accuracy.

Includes a note about the Pacific west coast and suggestions for exploring the region and further reading.

Nalvana feels like all of her friends have some type of superpower. She has friends with super speed (who always beat her in races), friends with super strength (who can dangle from the monkey bars for hours), and friends who are better than her at a million other things.

Nalvana thinks she must be the only kid in town without a superpower.

But then her mom shows Nalvana that she is unique and special—and that her superpower was right in front of her all along.

Awards
- 2017 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens

Reviews
“. . . [W]ell-written, [and] heart-warming . . .” — Quill & Quire

“Nalvana is a bundle of creativity, spunk, and determination—readers will be happy to know her.” — Kirkus

“. . . [A] very sweet story that encourages children to rethink how they evaluate success . . .” — The Book Wars

“. . . Nalvana’s superpower is not one of the athletic or other overt skills that are normally so admired in our current society . . ., Aviaq Johnston has made her story one of inclusivity, not exclusivity.” — CanLit for Little Canadians

“. . . [A] book kids will clamor to read, even as they learn terms like ‘anaana’, ‘inuksuk’, and ‘panik’. That’s its superpower.” — School Library Journal

Educator Information
An Inuktitut Glossary consisting of four words is included at the back of the book.

Recommended ages: 3-5

This book has been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. Its F&P level is L.

This book is available in a revised board book edition: What's My Superpower? (BB) 

Additional Information
36 pages | 8.75" x 8.75"

A bear sleeping safely in her den, Kohkom telling a story by the fire, the trees crackling with cold—we are all connected to the seasons and the cycle of nature. The calming rhythm of the words echoes the rhythm of the land in this timeless picture book about the moon calendar of the northern Cree, and its warmly rendered watercolour illustrations bring Saskatchewan’s north to life.

When the Trees Crackle with Cold is written in English and the northern Plains Cree y-dialect, inviting Cree and non-Cree speakers alike to explore the traditional moon calendar.

Educator Information
Recommended Grades/Subjects: K-5: English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies.

Written in English and northern Plains Cree y-dialect.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

The Great Bear Rainforest is a majestic place full of tall trees, huge bears and endless schools of salmon. Award-winning photographer and author Ian McAllister's luminous photographs illustrate the story of a lone wolf who swims to one of the small islands that dot the rainforest's coast. The island provides him with everything he needs—deer, salmon, fresh water—everything, that is, but a mate. When a female wolf arrives on the island's rocky shores, she and he start a family and introduce their pups to the island's bounty.

Awards
2018 Silver Birch Express Award short-listed

2017 Resource Links The Year's Best commendation

2018 Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize short-listed

Reviews
"The story is really told by the big, bright pictures—which glow with the rhythms and beauties of this remote habitat...Enthralling fare for budding naturalists." — Kirkus Reviews, January 2017

"Striking photographs chronicle the life span of a male wolf in the Great Bear Rainforest...Careful and varied page layouts include concise, vivid language that describes his journey and images that bring the reader up close—all this is missing is the feeling of misty air on skin...This well-made title offers great visual detail supported by age-appropriate text." — School Library Journal, February 2017

"Readers will find much to like about the written account of the wolf's first year on his own...With Ian McAllister's wondrous photos and Nicholas Read's accessible text, young readers are sure to learn why it is of great importance to protect and sustain the Great Bear Rainforest." — Sal's Fiction Addiction, April 2017

"This non-fiction narrative is filled with facts and scientific details to explain the habitat and lifestyle of wolves living on an island. Their story is compelling and interesting. The photography in this book is stunning with panoramic views and detailed close-up images to support the text…This book is a good choice for those looking for engaging narrative nonfiction." — School Library Connection, June 2017

Educator & Series Information
This is the first book in the My Great Bear Rainforest series.

Books in this series include:
Wolf Island
A Bear's Life
The Seal Garden
A Whale's World

Recommended Ages: 5-8

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.75" x 10.75" | Hardcover (HC)

Encourage children to show love and support for each other and to consider each other’s well-being in their everyday actions.

Consultant, international speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote You Hold Me Up to prompt a dialogue among young people, their care providers and educators about reconciliation and the importance of the connections children make with their friends, classmates and families. This is a foundational book about building relationships, fostering empathy and encouraging respect between peers, starting with our littlest citizens.

Reviews
"Smith's text is heartwarming! And the illustrations, by Danielle Daniel, reflect Native people in the present day. Like My Heart Fills with Happiness, this new book by Smith is one that parents, grandparents, pre-school and elementary teachers, and librarians, will want to have on their shelves." — Debbie Reese, American Indians in Children's Literature

"People of all ages can find something of value within the pages of Monique Gray Smith and Danielle Daniel's book…Smith has Cree and Lakota ancestry, while Daniel is Métis. With this book, they become quiet and understated—yet powerful—voices in an age of reconciliation. You Hold Me Up is simple, yet beautiful, subtle but thought-provoking. It contains critical messages about love, unity, and support. Through carefully chosen words and strong, colourful are, the book presents an important reminder to readers to sustain and support one another. Highly Recommended." — CM Magazine

"Perfect for a shared storytime as well as a lap-sit reading session, the actions of each person emphasize community, togetherness, and mutual respect. While sharing is a universal concept, Daniel's illustrations bring specificity to the narrative…Just as in Smith's board book My Heart Fills with Happiness, readers will joyfully make connections between their own communities and the indigenous one depicted here." — IndiePicks Magazine

"You Hold Me Up is a rhythmic story that reinforces for young readers about reconciliation and the importance of the connections children make with others. The story aims to encourage children to build relationships, foster empathy and encourage respect between peers while considering each other’s well-being in their everyday actions." — The Dalai Lama Center 

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book is available in English and Plains Cree: You Hold Me Up / ê-ohpinitoyahk

This book is available in English and Anishinaabemowin: You Hold Me Up / Gimanaadenim 

This book is also available in French: Tu es là pour moi

This book is available in a board book format for younger audiences: You Hold Me Up (BB)

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

A thoughtful yet entertaining glimpse into the amazing world of the ocean for young children.

Award-winning author Cathryn Sill and her husband, noted wildlife illustrator John Sill, offer young readers an informative and entertaining first glimpse into ocean habitats. In simple, easy-to-understand language, this guide teaches children what oceans are and what kinds of animals and plants live there.

A glossary and afterword provide readers with further fascinating details.

Awards
- Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 ―National Science Teachers Association, Children’s Book Council, 2013 (US)
- NSTA Recommends ―National Science Teachers Association, 2012 (US)

Reviews
“This handsome volume from the Sills’ About Habitats series introduces the world’s largest habitat…The paintings are notable for the subtle use of color to recreate effects of water and light within the scenes…[A] fine addition to science collections…” ―Booklist

“A lovely primer on Earth’s largest habitat, this book illustrates all the ocean basics with spare text and vivid watercolors. A detailed afterword allows readers to dig deeper.” ―Scholastic Parent and Child Magazine

“What I like most is that it’s simple enough to share with preschoolers, but the afterward provides additional information that will appeal to older children. John’s illustrations are so beautiful…” ―What is Bridget Reading

“While Cathryn describes the variety of ocean bottom surfaces – flat and sandy, deep valleys, tall mountains – John illustrates the animals that live in those places: stingrays, scalloped hammerhead sharks, dolphins.” ―Sally’s Bookshelf

Educator Information
With simple text and language, and strong picture support (paintings), this non-fiction narrative teaches children what oceans are and what kinds of animals and plants live there.

Recommended ages: 3-7

Series Information
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 | 10.00" x 8.50"

Animals of the Salish Sea is a wonderful new book for home and school. This book shares Coast Salish traditional teachings of 26 animals. Also included is the specific aspects of each animal who live in this unique marine environment.

Explore the Salish Sea through the First Nations and Native art of Coast Salish artists (including: Terry Horne, Doug LaFortune, Francis Horne Sr., Maynard Johnny Jr., Marissa Nahanee, Latash Nahanee, Simone Diamond, Erica Joseph, Darrell Thorne, Doug Horne, Chad Leon, Joe Sxwaset-Wilson) and Musqueam, Coast Salish author Melaney Gleeson-Lyall.

"The Coast Salish people have been the guardians of the Salish Sea for thousands of years.  The Salish Sea provides us food and sustenance for living, ceremonies, and journeys of life.  We use the Salish Sea as our highway to travel and visit all of our relations.  Our cedar plank longhouses lined the shores inviting all of our visitors to our lands." - Doug LaFortune, Coast Salish 

Educator Information
This beautiful and colourful book offers teachings about the animals of the Salish Sea! 

Additional Information
Hardcover

Long ago, when a great flood cleansed the land of unhappiness, the Grandfather sent Wanjblí the eagle to save one virtuous member of the human race and teach her how to live a good life. The eagle is a powerful symbol of courage, wisdom, and strength. In Kevin’s book he shares an inspiring vision of unity and hope for a new generation teaching children to recognize the eagle in themselves and others and always to soar above the darkness into the light.

Educator Information
This resource is also available in French: L’Envol de L’Aube: Un Récit Lakota

Additional Information
40 pages | 8.50" x 11.00"