Picture Books

Dragonfly Kites is the third book in Tomson Highway's magical Songs of the North Wind trilogy. Like Fox on the Ice and Caribou Song, it has a bilingual text, written in English and Cree. And once again Tomson Highway brilliantly evokes the very essence of childhood as he weaves a deceptively simple story about the power of the imagination.

Joe and Cody, two young Cree brothers, along with their parents and their little dog Ootsie, are spending the summer by one of the hundreds of lakes in northern Manitoba. Summer means a chance to explore the world and make friends with an array of creatures, But what Joe and Cody like doing best of all is flying dragonfly kites. They catch dragonflies and gently tie a length of thread around the middle of each dragonfly before letting it go. Off soar the dragonflies into the summer sky and off race the brothers and Ootsie too, chasing after their dragonfly kites through trees and meadows and down to the beach before watching them disappear into the night sky. But in their dreams, Joe and Cody soar through the skies with their kites until it's time to wake up.

Reviews
"Unlike most fiction, Dragonfly Kites does not follow a standard plot line. Like the dragonfly kites that the boys follow, the plot simply glides along until the boys wake up from their dream. This is appropriate due to the significance the illustrations play in this picture book, as well as the age of the intended audience. Readers are not overwhelmed by the storyline and are free to appreciate the accompanying illustrations. The illustrations in Dragonfly Kites act as an extension of the story. The pictures in the book are colourful, beautiful, and have an austere, stark quality. This is consistent with other works produced by award-winning illustrator Julie Flett. This style suits the story as, aside from the nature that surrounds around them, Joe and Cody are depicted as being by themselves. While they live with the parents, their adventures occur when their parents are fishing without them. The full-page illustrations demonstrate the vast space that surrounds the boys." — CM Magazine

"At once a celebration of heritage, the wilderness, and imagination, this book is a breath of fresh northern air." — Kirkus Reviews

Educator & Series Information
This is the third book in the Songs of the North Wind series, a dual-language (English and Cree) series about two young Cree boys.

This book is available in French/Cree: Les libellules cerfs-volant/Pimithaagansa 

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.26" x 10.70"

"My sister and I were excited for a visit with our favourite elder, and we were hoping to convince her to take us out for an adventure!"

Adventure begins when Grandma takes her two grandchildren out for a trip to the lake. After showing the kids how to prepare for a fishing trip, Grandma and the kids enjoy a day of jigging in the ice for fish. Grandma shows them every step they need to know to complete a successful fishing trip, from what clothes to wear, to how to drill and clear holes in the ice, to how to make a traditional Inuit jigging rod. By the end of the day, the kids have a yummy meal of Arctic char, and they have also learned everything they need to know to go out on the lake on their own.

Reviews
“Fishing with Grandma, which offers an engaging tale of two grandchildren and their grandma on an Arctic adventure, is ideal for primary grades.”  — CM Magazine

“Readers learn about the traditional tools of the trade through prose peppered with Inuktitut and also take away a sweet message of caring for our elders, as the youngsters share their yummy Arctic char with those who can no longer jig for themselves.” — Hakai Magazine

Educator Information
Find the French translation of this book here: À la peche avec grand-maman

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 9.00"

Teachers! This book is like a whole unit on migration wrapped in a winning combination of easy verse, factual language, and beautiful illustrations.

For animals, migration is a powerful compulsion to travel, sometimes over long distances, often skipping many meals. Sometimes, as in the case of the monarch butterfly, a round-trip takes several generations. Why do they do it? How do they succeed? The ten featured species offer a broad representation of migration: loggerhead turtles, monarch butterflies, manatees, ruby-throated hummingbirds, Pacific salmon, Canada geese, California gray whales, caribou, Arctic tern, and emperor penguin.

The book is loaded with additional tips for teachers. Once again Marianne Berkes combines her teaching, writing, and theatrical skills to combine entertainment with education--creative non-fiction at its best.

Reviews
"Teachers especially will welcome this poetic look at animal migration patterns. Ten critters, ranging from Canada geese to caribou and loggerhead turtles, celebrate their “going home” with a rhyme, a small paragraph of information, and a colorful, realistic illustration spreading across facing pages. A large map helps readers follow migratory patterns, and a closing section contains a look at the “mystery” of migration, further data on the creatures in focus, and a handy-dandy passel of suggestions, such as to “Write Your Own Story” about an animal not included in this book.... [T]he book is a pleasant way to tie creative writing and natural history in a simple package." — School Library Journal

"A winning combination of verse, factual language, and beautiful illustrations that describe the mysterious migration patterns of animals from loggerhead turtles to monarch butterflies to ruby-throated hummingbird to caribou. Resources at the end of the book include websites to learn more about the featured animals, and several lesson and activity ideas for educators." — ForeWord Reviews – Teresa Scollon

Educator Information
A poetic, yet factual, book on animal migration patterns that includes a map of migration routes, detailed information on each species mentioned, teaching tips, activities, and a list of books and websites for further study.

Recommended Ages: 4-10

Additional Information
32 pages | 10.50" x 9.00"

Lots of fun things happen when you spend the night at Grandma's house!

This illustrated book introduces readers to simple action verbs.

Educator 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. Going to Grandma's is a Level 4 book in the series.

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. Going to Grandma's has an F&P Level of A.

Recommended for ages 3-5.

Additional Information
12 pages | 8.00" x 6.00"

Join us on a mid August day, on the wild and rocky shores of the Pacific Northwest Coast. From the orca to the tiniest barnacle, enjoy a colourful glimpse into the lives of the many creatures that live in, and around, Hideaway Cove.

Brenda Boreham and Laura Timmermans share with us, through words and illustrations, the many interconnections within a healthy marine eco-system.

Reviews
"Hideaway Cove is a must-have when teaching a seashore ecosystem unit. This book provides opportunities for students to share their connections with the seashore while they learn more about the interactions within the marine ecosystem. Students could select an animal that they would like to research, leading to a project-based activity. Creating a timeline of the August day would be a great learning opportunity that would integrate mathematics, science, writing and art. Vocabulary and imagery lessons could be a focus with Hideaway Cove as well. If possible, taking students to the beach would provide students the opportunity to experience the book’s theme first hand." - Cindy Haack, Canadian Teacher Magazine 

"Hideaway Cove is a delightful, information-packed picture book that takes children through a day in the life of a west coast cove. Here, humans are noticeably absent and the diverse plants and animals tell a wonderful tale. Brenda Boreham’s text is lyrical and rich in detail. Educators and parents alike will appreciate the endnotes with further details about flora and fauna, as well as the illustrated map locating the habitats of the featured plants and animals.... Although Hideaway Cove appears to be intended for the educational market, it is beautifully written and would be suitable for family bookshelves." - Sheryl McFarlane, Hakai Magazine

Educator & Series Information

Search for a crab that travels from page to page in this story! 

Additional Information
32 Pages | ISBN" 9781771741347 | Hardcover

A boy patiently listens to his mother's reasons for not making bannock-all the result of a beaver's need to make a dam.

Includes a bannock recipe!

Reviews
"I Can't Have Bannock But the Beaver Has a Dam is written in prose. It begins with a little boy asking his mother if he can have some bannock. She says no and tells him why. As for all little boys, mother's answer only offers material for another question. So the book's story is built on this question-answer exchange between the two. Each time the mother answers, she gives all of the information in the previous answer plus a new piece of information, so we see the picture expanding for the boy. The book would be a good teaching tool for the elementary teacher, especially for those in native and northern communities where bannock and power failures are a part of everyday life. It is recommended for all elementary school libraries." - Sharon A. McLennan McCue, CM Magazine

Educator Information
Recommended Grades: K-3

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 11.00" | New Edition

I Know I Am Precious and Sacred follows a conversation between a child and loving grandfather as they talk about what the words “precious” and “sacred” mean. These culturally integral concepts are explained in simple, practical terms, so that Little Ones may recognize how they affect relationships in families and communities. Readers and listeners are invited to explore how these ancestral teachings impact their families and communities.

I Know I Am Precious And Sacred is a soft-cover children’s book, geared towards readers and listeners ages 5 to 10 years old, but holds out important truths for their adults as well.

Educator & Series Information
This is the second book in the Precious and Sacred series.

Reading level: K-3.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 8.00"

Authenticity Note: This book has received an Authentic Text label because it was written by Debora Abood with the support and participation of Elders from the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.

These twenty-five rhyming poems invite children to believe in themselves, learn from mistakes, cooperate, share, help others, solve problems, be kind, tell the truth, make positive choices, and more. The short poems are quick to read, easy to learn, and fun to recite—making them perfect for teaching social skills to young children. Children can memorize their favorite poems, talk about them, act them out, and get ideas for creating their own. Accompanying photographs show children from diverse backgrounds in realistic settings, and back matter provides adults with ideas for thought-provoking discussion, activities, and learning. This charming update to a popular volume of poetry for children is a book that adults and children will love sharing again and again.

Educator Information
Reading Level: Grade 2
Interest Level: Ages 4–8
Guided Reading Level: L

Additional Information
64 pages | 8.23" x 7.83"

Jake can't wait for his uncle to meet Kamik, and to see what an obedient puppy he is becoming. Jake's uncle is a great musher, who has won many dog sledding races, and if Kamik is good enough, Jake hopes today might be the day that Kamik finally gets to run with a dog team! Following Kamik: An Inuit Puppy Story and Kamik's First Sled, Kamik Joins the Pack continues the story of Jake and his puppy Kamik as they learn from their elders everything they need to know to some day be part of a winning sled dog team.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Kamik series. Books in this series share traditional dog-rearing practices and dog-training techniques from the remote community of Arviat, Nunavut, through the life memories of community members. These books preserve the rich history of working dogs in Nunavut and celebrate the traditional bond between Inuit and their sled dogs.

This resource is also available in French: Kamik rejoint la meute.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

A colourful photographic introduction to baby birds in their natural habitat, designed for young children.

This delightful follow-up to Baby Birds in the Wild features vivid bird photography and simple text. More Baby Birds in the Wild is designed to introduce very young children to the enchanting world of newborn nestlings and their rarely seen feedings and interactions with their parents. Highlighting over forty bird species, this book offers an early introduction to North America’s most popular pastime—birdwatching—and encourages a lifelong love of nature and wildlife.

Additional Information
48 pages | 5.87" x 5.87"

Learn how people stay warm during the long Arctic winters.

This book uses simple sentences to describe items common throughout Canada, like the parka, and some items that are uniquely Northern, like the qulliq (oil lamp).

Educator 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. Things That Keep Us Warm is a Level 4 book in the series.

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. Things That Keep Us Warm's F&P Level is B.

Recommended for ages 3-5.

This resource is also available in French: Les choses qui nous tiennent au chaud

Additional Information
8 pages | 7.00" x 7.00" | Full-colour photographs throughout

Thunder Boy Jr. is named after his dad, but he wants a name that's all his own. Just because people call his dad Big Thunder doesn't mean he wants to be Little Thunder. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he's done, like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder.

But just when Thunder Boy Jr. thinks all hope is lost, he and his dad pick the perfect name...a name that is sure to light up the sky.

National Book Award-winner Sherman Alexie's lyrical text and Caldecott Honor-winner Yuyi Morales's striking and beautiful illustrations celebrate the special relationship between father and son.

Reviews
"[A] delightful story about a Native American boy trying to carve out his own identity." - The Washington Post

"Together [Sherman and Morales] deliver a story that feels both modern and timeless, a joyous portrait of one boy's struggle to (literally) make a name for himself in the world."—The New York Times Book Review

Educator Information
Recommended Ages: 4-8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 10.12" x 10.25"

When a young boy's classmates gather around to look at a young boy's moccasins, he tells them the story of how his grandmother made them.

Additional Information
24 pages | 8.00" x 11.00" | New Edition

This delightful book, with its vivid photos and simple text, will introduce young children to the enchanting world of newly born birds and the anxious dotings and feeding techniques of their moms and dads. Highlighting over forty bird species, this collection invites birdwatchers everywhere to get kids started early in enjoying North America’s most popular pastime. Baby Birds in the Wild is the perfect companion for aspiring birders of all ages.

Additional Information
48 pages | 5.87" x 5.87"

Born of Mohawk and Cayuga descent, musical icon Robbie Robertson learned the story of Hiawatha and his spiritual guide, the Peacemaker, as part of the Iroquois oral tradition. Now he shares the same gift of storytelling with a new generation.

Hiawatha was a strong and articulate Mohawk who was chosen to translate the Peacemaker’s message of unity for the five warring Iroquois nations during the 14th century. This message not only succeeded in uniting the tribes but also forever changed how the Iroquois governed themselves—a blueprint for democracy that would later inspire the authors of the U.S. Constitution.

Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator David Shannon brings the journey of Hiawatha and the Peacemaker to life with arresting oil paintings. Together, Robertson and Shannon have crafted a new children’s classic that will both educate and inspire readers of all ages.

Includes a CD featuring a new, original song written and performed by Robbie Robertson.

Additional Information
48 pages | 9.50" x 11.25"