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Algonquin Legacy
$16.99
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Format: Paperback
Grade Levels: 7; 8; 9; 10; 11;
ISBN / Barcode: 9781459756304

Synopsis:

This thrilling conclusion to the Algonquin Quest series ends the Anishinaabe peoples' fifty-year odyssey from the east coast of Turtle Island to the mysterious shadow of the Rocky Mountains.

Algonquin Legacy starts out fifteen years after the Battle of Crow Wing River where the combined allies of the Anishinaabe had fought the powerful Lakota nation in the Lakota homelands. The battle ended abruptly when there was a solar eclipse - an actual event that took place on July 16, 1330, from 1:03 to 3:10 p.m., in the area where they were fighting. The warriors on both sides thought it was an omen and retreated.

When the Anishinaabe returned to their village the decision was made to go towards the western sun to settle. This decision came at great cost to the surviving family of the late Omàmiwinini (Algonquin) leader Mahingan. His son, daughter, and the great Mi'kmaq warrior Crazy Crow, went to the west with the Anishinaabe. Mahingan's wife and nephews, along with their wives, friends, and Mahigan's brother, Mitigomij, the greatest warrior of them all, who was also a shape shifter, travelled back to their homelands along the Kitcisìpi Kitchi (Ottawa River), splitting up the very strong family.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 12 to 15.

This is the fourth book in the Algonquin Quest series.

This novel continues on in the tradition of the previous three with Native languages in the vernacular, teachings about the culture of that era, hunting practices and how they lived day to day. Life before the Europeans, before the Four Horsemen of the Native Apocalypse came into their lives; Disease, Alcohol, Guns and Religion.

Additional Information
318 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
Aliens on the Moon: A Novel
$34.99
Quantity:
Format: Hardcover
Text Content Territories: Indigenous Canadian;
Reading Level: N/A
ISBN / Barcode: 9781443475891

Synopsis:

From the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of Indians on Vacation, a witty and wry novel set in a small Ontario town where all is seemingly ordinary except for one thing—aliens have landed on the moon

In Thomas King’s new novel, the citizens of a small Ontario town face life-changing decisions. Bria’s grandmother asks her to take her great-grandmother’s rosary to Edmonton and return it in person to the pope. When she flings it into the lake, the rosary somehow hits the pope on the cheek, thousands of kilometres away. It is the same rosary. How is this possible? Thea is furious at her son for putting her in an old-age home. She should have had a daughter. A daughter would never have forced her from her home. Darlene is mixed up with the no-good petty thief Billy. When she ends up in the hospital, she finds Thea’s fanny pack on the floor. Darlene needs the $265 tucked inside, but she also wants a reward for returning the fanny pack. Herb has bought the drive-in movie theatre on the edge of town and has turned it into his home. He watches movies on the big screen while treating the parking lot as his personal driving range. Should he travel west to see his family on the reserve? Nico has a Subaru whose battery keeps failing, but there are no replacements in North America. Gary and Brenda from the dealership are having an affair. Richard wants to set up a dating profile but has no cell phone.

Just the stuff of ordinary life except for one thing: Aliens have landed on the moon. They are watching Earth and earthlings. What is their plan? With the arrival of the aliens, ordinary life is upended in ways that are both hilarious and revealing. While some people fear the aliens’ three-part mandate to save the planet (which might have been written by a grade 9 student in the US), others think the arrival of the aliens is a golden opportunity for a deep discount weekend at Costco that could possibly rival Amazon’s Black Friday.

Additional Information
272 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover

 

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
An Honored Vow
$24.99
Quantity:
Format: Paperback
Text Content Territories: Indigenous;
Grade Levels: 12; University/College;
ISBN / Barcode: 9781454954941

Synopsis:

This thrilling romantasy about king’s Blade, Keera, and her epic quest to avenge her lover, save her people, and bring down a tyrant king is the final installment of Melissa Blair’s highly acclaimed series. The Halfling Saga showcases BIPOC and queer representation, love, passion, betrayal, magic, and great battles of the sword and the soul.

“Your land is not the one you take; it is the one you die for.”

Keera has tried to keep her final promise to Brenna, the partner she was forced to kill to save a kingdom—but that promise has led to the most difficult struggles of her life. She’s been at war with her worst self while battling King Damien for the freedom of the Halflings, and she’s lost too many along the way. But when she finally breaks the last seal, unleashing the Fae magic that’s been hidden away for hundreds of years, the conflict seems to be turning in the Halflings’ favor.

Meanwhile, Keera’s discovery of a staggering secret about her lover and the kidnapping of one of her closest allies threatens to tip her back into darkness, but she has no time to rest. Opening the kingdom’s magical seals has transformed Keera in ways even the wisest Fae elders could not have anticipated, and the return of an evil thought long vanquished throws their rescue plans into chaos. And with the kingdom’s Halfling population suddenly posing a risk to the crown, the land is plunged into violence as the king begins a new blood purge. Keera and her allies must gather an army to meet Damien’s forces in a final confrontation of epic—and tragic—proportions.

The stunning conclusion of BookTok sensation Melissa Blair’s epically romantic series will leave readers breathless as Keera fights for her land, her people, and the promise of a better world.

Reviews
"[F]illed with high-stakes action, choices, and consequences... Romantasy fans should add this series to their reading list." —Library Journal

Educator & Series Information
Young adult/new adult fantasy series recommended for ages 18+.

This is the final book in The Halfing Saga.

Additional Information
432 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

Authentic Indigenous Text
Big Chief: A Novel
$34.00
Quantity:
Format: Hardcover
Text Content Territories: Indigenous Canadian; First Nations; Anishinaabeg;
Reading Level: N/A
ISBN / Barcode: 9780771015496

Synopsis:

There There meets The Night Watchman in this gripping literary debut about power and corruption, family, and facing the ghosts of the past.

Mitch Caddo, a young law school graduate and aspiring political fixer, is an outsider in the homeland of his Anishinaabe ancestors. But alongside his childhood friend, Tribal President Mack Beck, he runs the government of the Passage Rouge Nation, and with it, the tribe’s Golden Eagle Casino and Hotel. On the eve of Mack’s reelection, their tenuous grip on power is threatened by a nationally known activist and politician, Gloria Hawkins, and her young aide, Layla Beck, none other than Mack’s estranged sister and Mitch’s former love. In their struggle for control over Passage Rouge, the campaigns resort to bare-knuckle political gamesmanship, testing the limits of how far they will go—and what they will sacrifice—to win it all.

But when an accident claims the life of Mitch’s mentor, a power broker in the reservation’s political scene, the election slides into chaos and pits Mitch against the only family he has. As relationships strain to their breaking points and a peaceful protest threatens to become an all-consuming riot, Mitch and Layla must work together to stop the reservation’s descent into violence.

Thrilling and timely, Big Chief is an unforgettable story about the search for belonging—to an ancestral and spiritual home, to a family, and to a sovereign people at a moment of great historical importance.

Reviews
“A compelling and strong Native American novel about politics and power and how far some people will go to hold on to what they have.”—Brandon Hobson, author of National Book Award finalist Where the Dead Sit Talking

"Deliciously ruthless and absolutely huge, Big Chief unleashes the Shakespearean realities of Passage Rouge with seismic ambition and brilliance. Prepare to relish every dice roll, partisan jab, and monkey wrench thrown in this all-out showdown from maestro Jon Hickey—a colossal novel of and for our time." —Cody Caetano, author of Half-Bads in White Regalia

"Jon Hickey throws the reader in the backseat of a tricked out F350 and takes them for a wild ride across the Rez following a J. Crew NDN, a Chief who's in over his head, and their crew. This is a must read as Hickey brings us into the chaos and catastrophes that the colonial imposed electoral system creates in Indigenous communities but also shows the reader how community, a sense of belonging, and family is what really matters in the end. This is a book that you won't put down until the last ballot is counted."—Conor Kerr, author of Prairie Edge

“Taut, timely, and brimming with suspense, Big Chief questions our notions of power and morality, holding a mirror to our crooked, calculating world. This is a monumental debut."—Kirstin Chen, New York Times bestselling author of Counterfeit

“Big Chief features all the twisty chessmanship—the familial feuds, the financial games, the political maneuvering—of Succession and sets it against the backdrop of Indian country. Jon Hickey has written one hell of an addictive and important debut novel.”—Benjamin Percy, author of The Ninth Metal and Red Moon

Additional Information
320 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Hardcover

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
Bones of a Giant
$35.00
Quantity:
Format: Hardcover
Reading Level: N/A
ISBN / Barcode: 9781039011779

Synopsis:

From the award-winning, bestselling author of All the Quiet Places, comes Brian Thomas Isaac's highly anticipated, haunting and tender return to the Okanagan Indian Reserve and a teenager's struggle to become a man in a world of racism and hardship.

Summer, 1968. For the first time since his big brother, Eddie, disappeared two years earlier—either a runaway or dead by his own hand—sixteen-year-old Lewis Toma has shaken off some of his grief. His mother, Grace, and her friend Isabel have gone south to the United States to pick fruit to earn the cash Grace needs to put a bathroom and running water into the three-room shack they share on the reserve, leaving Lewis to spend the summer with his cousins, his Uncle Ned and his Aunt Jean in the new house they’ve built on their farm along the Salmon River. Their warm family life is almost enough to counter the pressures he feels as a boy trying to become a man in a place where responsible adult men like his uncle are largely absent, broken by residential school and racism. Everywhere he looks, women are left to carry the load, sometimes with kindness, but often with the bitterness, anger and ferocity of his own mother, who kicked Lewis’s lowlife father, Jimmy, to the curb long ago.

Lewis has vowed never to be like his father—but an encounter with a predatory older woman tests him and he suffers the consequences. Worse, his dad is back in town and scheming on how to use the Indian Act to steal the land Lewis and his mom have been living on. And then, at summer's end, more shocking revelations shake the family, unleashing a deadly force of anger and frustration.

With so many traps laid around him, how will Lewis find a path to a different future?

Reviews
"A compelling novel, honest and compassionate, haunted by the past. Towards the end of the book, I tried to slow down, not wanting the story to end, but it wasn’t possible."—Mary Lawson, bestselling author of A Town Called Solace

"Brian Thomas Isaac reinforces his place as one of Canada’s most engaging novelists with the tender troubling coming-of-age story of Lewis, a 16-year-old growing up on the Okanagan Reserve. He’s a boy who sees and feels everything with intensity—the joy of swimming in a river, the cruelty of a racist neighbour, the complexity of his mother’s love, the sensations of his first deep kiss, the injustices of the Indian Act, which keeps turning his family’s life upside down. I couldn’t put Bones of a Giant down, wondering to the end if Lewis is just too sweet and vulnerable for the mean world around him."—Carol Off, award-winning author of At a Loss for Words

"Bones of a Giant has good bones. Isaac is a masterful storyteller with an observant eye for nature and a deep compassion for his characters. I loved this book."—Thomas Wharton, bestselling author of The Book of Rain

"A clear-eyed love story to both a people and a place. Brian Thomas Isaac is a vital voice."—David Bergen, award-winning author of Here the Dark

Additional Information
320 pages | 6.25" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
DreadfulWater (PB)
$13.99
Quantity:
Format: Paperback
Text Content Territories: Indigenous American; Native American; Cherokee;
Grade Levels: 12; University/College;
ISBN / Barcode: 9781443474962

Synopsis:

The award-winning, bestselling author of The Back of the Turtle and The Inconvenient Indian masters the comic mystery novel in this series opener, starring ex-cop Thumps DreadfulWater.

Thumps DreadfulWater is a Cherokee ex-cop trying to make a living as a photographer in the small town of Chinook, somewhere in the northwestern United States. But he doesn’t count on snapping shots of a dead body languishing in a newly completed luxury condo resort built by the local Indian band. It’s a mystery that Thumps can’t help getting involved in, especially when he realizes the number one suspect is Stick Merchant, anti-condo protester and wayward son of Claire Merchant, head of the tribal council and DreadfulWater’s sometimes lover. Smart and savvy, blessed with a killer dry wit and a penchant for self-deprecating humour, DreadfulWater just can’t manage to shed his California cop skin. Before long, he is deeply entangled in the mystery and has his work cut out for him.

Reviews
"The characters are really clever. . . . The dialogue is crisp and just begs to head to the screen."  — The Globe and Mail

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the DreadfulWater Mystery Series.

Books in this series include:
- Dreadful Water
- The Red Power Murders
- Cold Skies
- A Matter of Malice
- The Obsidian Murders
- Deep House 
- Double Eagle
- Black Ice

A novel that will appeal to mystery fans as well as Thomas King’s loyal audience, DreadfulWater is a catchy, clever read.

Additional Information
464 pages | 4.19" x 7.50" | Paperback

Authentic Indigenous Text
Fire From the Sky (PB)
$19.99
Quantity:
Text Content Territories: Indigenous European; Sami;
Grade Levels: 8; 9; 10; 11; 12;
ISBN / Barcode: 9781646145560

Synopsis:

Ánte’s life has been steeped in Sámi tradition. It is indisputable to him that he, an only child, will keep working with the reindeer. But there is something else too, something tugging at him: his feelings for his best friend Erik have changed, grown into something bigger. Ánte is so aware of Erik and his body in relation to his own; everything he does matters so much. What would people say if they knew? And how does Erik feel? And Erik’s voice just the push of a button away. Ánte couldn’t answer, could he? But how could he ignore it? Fire From the Sky will warm your heart as Ánte experiences the magical, soul-combusting feeling of first love.

Reviews
[STAR] “A rare and triumphant look at what it means for queerness to stay put, with all the messiness and pain that entails… A fresh voice and a setting that’s pure fire.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred)

Fire From the Sky is a superb account of one boy’s struggle to be himself. Åstot does an exemplary job invoking Sami culture, and an especially good job of capturing Ante’s turbulent emotions, dramatically ratcheting up tension, as it is often agony for Ante to be around the friend he's so in love with. Much of Ante’s experience is universal, and empathic readers will hope urgently for his happiness.” —Booklist

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 13 - 18.

Translated by Eva Apelqvist.

Additional Information
216 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Paperback

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
Authentic Indigenous Artwork
Maddy's Sash
$17.50
Quantity:
Format: Hardcover
Text Content Territories: Indigenous Canadian; Métis;
Grade Levels: 5; 6; 7; 8;
ISBN / Barcode: 978-1-988011-35-6

Synopsis:

Maddy’s Sash, by Marion Gonneville, with illustrations by Kate Boyer, is the story of a young girl who connects with her Métis roots while she spends time with her Moshôm, Kohkom and their special dog Max. Maddy has many adventures at her grandparents’ farm in northern Saskatchewan, including an exciting berry picking adventure, a dramatic canoe trip, and a rollicking barn dance.

Educator Information
Chapter book.

Additional Information
10 Chapters: 88 pages | Hardcover 

 

Authentic Indigenous Text
Mask of the Deer Woman
$39.00
Format: Hardcover
Text Content Territories: Indigenous American; Native American;
Reading Level: N/A
ISBN / Barcode: 9780593816103

Synopsis:

To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself.

At rock bottom following her daughter’s death, ex–Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation where he was raised, but the tribe needs a new marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home.

In the past decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some have ended up dead, others just…gone. Now local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save.

Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her.

What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.

Reviews
"Mask of the Deer Woman shines an important spotlight on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis while folding a compelling mystery into a heartfelt journey of grief, identity, and reconnection." —Vanessa Lillie, USA Today bestselling author of Blood Sisters

“A beautifully written tale about the Indigenous girls who disappear twice, once in life and once in the news. Clever, elegant and utterly compelling, Mask of the Deer Woman is a brilliant exploration of identity and the struggle of being separated from one’s culture. Hypnotic and beguiling, I was hooked from the first sentence.”—Christina McDonald, USA Today bestselling author of These Still Black Waters

"A thriller that dreams are made of—thoroughly engrossing, riveting, an absolute pleasure.  The work of a rare, singular talent."—Chris Mooney, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Walk in My Combat Boots

“Spotlighting the real life crisis of Native women and girls who are abducted and murdered at an astonishing rate, Laurie L. Dove presents a vital story of danger, corruption, and a fraying thread of hope in Indian Country. Full of mystery, suspense, and an enthralling dose of Native mythology, Mask of the Deer Woman is both a propulsive thriller and a much-needed call to action."—Nick Medina, author of Indian Burial Ground

“Laurie Dove masterfully tells a suspenseful story with a complex protagonist who straddles the worlds between the living and the dead and her dual heritages. A compelling read.”—Iris Yamashita, author of City Under One Roof
 
Mask of the Deer Woman is a creepy, atmospheric page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of identity and belonging. Dove's detailed descriptions plunge the reader into the world of an Oklahoma reservation and its troubled inhabitants. Above all, this immersive debut is an ode to women's resilience and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters."—K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did

Additional Information
336 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
Medicine Walk: Kanata Classics Edition
$22.00
Quantity:
Format: Paperback
Text Content Territories: Indigenous Canadian; First Nations; Anishinaabeg; Ojibway;
Grade Levels: 10; 11; 12; University/College;
ISBN / Barcode: 9780771023521

Synopsis:

By the celebrated author of Canada Reads Finalist Indian Horse, a stunning new novel that has all the timeless qualities of a classic, as it tells the universal story of a father/son struggle in a fresh, utterly memorable way, set in dramatic landscape of the BC Interior. For male and female readers equally, for readers of Cormac McCarthy, Thomas King, Russell Banks, and general literary.

Franklin Starlight is called to visit his father, Eldon. He's sixteen years old and has had the most fleeting of relationships with the man. The rare moments they've shared haunt and trouble Frank, but he answers the call, a son's duty to a father. He finds Eldon decimated after years of drinking, dying of liver failure in a small town flophouse. Eldon asks his son to take him into the mountains, so he may be buried in the traditional Ojibway manner.

What ensues is a journey through the rugged and beautiful backcountry, and a journey into the past, as the two men push forward to Eldon's end. From a poverty-stricken childhood, to the Korean War, and later the derelict houses of mill towns, Eldon relates both the desolate moments of his life and a time of redemption and love and in doing so offers Frank a history he has never known, the father he has never had, and a connection to himself he never expected.

A novel about love, friendship, courage, and the idea that the land has within it powers of healing, Medicine Walk reveals the ultimate goodness of its characters and offers a deeply moving and redemptive conclusion.

Wagamese's writing soars and his insight and compassion are matched by his gift of communicating these to the reader.

Reviews
“In Medicine Walk, Wagamese manages the nuances of betrayal and redemption with uncommon artistry. It is a breathtaking novel of sorrow, hope and polished steel.” – Thomas King

“A deeply felt and profoundly moving novel, written in the kind of sure, clear prose that brings to mind the work of the great North American masters; Steinbeck among them. But Wagamese's voice and vision are also completely his own, as is the important and powerful story he has to tell.” – Jane Urquhart

Medicine Walk recounts the mythic journey of an estranged father and son who are searching for reconciliation and love. Richard Wagamese’s novel renders the Canadian wilderness with staggering insight and beauty. The same can be said for his understanding of the fragility, wildness and resilience of the human heart. Magnificent.” – Lisa Moore

Medicine Walk is a masterpiece, a work of art that explores human interconnectedness with a level of artistry so superb that the personal becomes eternal.” – National Post

“A moving story…. Wagamese balances the novel’s spiritual and political subtexts with sly humour, sharp, believable dialogue and superb storytelling skills. Medicine Walk is a major accomplishment from an author who has become one of Canada’s best novelists.” – Toronto Star

“This is very much a novel about the role of stories in our lives, those we tell ourselves about ourselves and those we agree to live by…. Wagamese understands that the stories we don’t tell are as important as the ones we do….But Medicine Walk is also testament to the redemptive power of love and compassion.” – Globe and Mail

“One of the finest novels of the year…. Medicine Walk is not only a graceful book, it is a novel of grace, of coming to terms with hidden truths, of coming to know the secrets behind forbidding appearances, of finding the humanity within strangers.” – Vancouver Sun

“An essential read…. Superbly written.” – Now Magazine (NNNN)

Educator & Series Information
This edition of Medicine Walk is part of the Kanata Classics series, which celebrates timeless books that reflect the rich and diverse range of voices in Canadian literature. 

Grades 10-12 BC English First Peoples resource for units on Childhood, Place-Conscious Learning, and Family.

Additional Information
256 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Paperback 

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
Nish: North Stars
$14.99
Quantity:
Grade Levels: 5; 6; 7; 8; 9;
ISBN / Barcode: 9781039710818

Synopsis:

Lights. Cameras. Hockey!

The school year is finally over and Eloise and Leon are back in Matimekush for the summer. But this school break will not be like any other, thanks to a hockey movie being filmed in the community! Is it possible that Leon will be in the movie? Will Eloise, who is interested in directing, participate in the project? Summer will be busy with twists and turns of all kinds for Leon, Eloise and their friends. It's the summer of possibilities!

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 10 to 14.

Translated by Kateria Aubin Dubois, a freelance translator and a prolific beadworker. Her beadwork can be found under her Indigenous name, Nisnipawset. Kateri is from the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation. She lives with her husband, two children and a fluffy cat in Terrebonne, Quebec.

This is the third book in the Nish series.

Additional Information
240 pages | 5.00" x 7.75" | Paperback

Authentic Indigenous Text
Sisters in the Wind
$27.99
Quantity:
Format: Hardcover
Grade Levels: 8; 9; 10; 11; 12;
ISBN / Barcode: 9781250328533

Synopsis:

From the instant New York Times bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed comes a daring new mystery about a foster teen claiming her heritage on her own terms.

Ever since Lucy Smith’s father died five years ago, “home” has been more of an idea than a place. She knows being on the run is better than anything waiting for her as a “ward of the state”. But when the sharp-eyed and kind Mr. Jameson with an interest in her case comes looking for her, Lucy wonders if hiding from her past will ever truly keep her safe.

Five years in the foster system has taught her to be cautious and smart. But she wants to believe Mr. Jameson and his “friend-not-friend”, a tall and fierce-looking woman who say they want to look after her.

They also tell Lucy the truth her father hid from her: She is Ojibwe; she has – had – a sister, and more siblings; a grandmother who’d look after her and a home where she would be loved.

But Lucy is being followed. The past has destroyed any chance of normal she has had, and now the secrets she’s hiding will swallow her whole and take away the future she always dreamed of.

From the internationally-acclaimed and bestselling author Angeline Boulley comes an explosive story about seeking vindication from a past that won't let you go.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 14 to 18.

Angeline Boulley's award-winning canon of books puts compelling characters and fast-paced action at the center of narratives rich in historical context. Read Firekeeper's Daughter; Warrior Girl Unearthed; and Sisters of the Wind in any order; but like the world itself; there are echoes within each for the other stories.

Pick this up if you love:
- quiet girls with dark pasts
- explosive opening scenes
- wolves in sheeps’ clothing

Additional Information
352 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
Small Ceremonies: A Novel
$32.00
Quantity:
Format: Hardcover
Text Content Territories: Indigenous Canadian;
Reading Level: N/A
ISBN / Barcode: 9780771025617

Synopsis:

Part coming-of-age novel, part searing examination of a community finding itself, Small Ceremonies is a tantalizing and heartbreaking debut.

“I fear for our friendship, for the day it will end, wondering when that day will be . . .”

Tomahawk Shields (a.k.a. Tommy) and Clinton Whiteway are on the cusp of adulthood, imagining a future rife with possibility and greatness. The two friends play for their high school’s poor-performing hockey team, the Tigers, who learn at the start of the new season that the league wants them out. Their annual goal is now more important than ever: to win their first game in years and break the curse.

As we follow these two Indigenous boys over the course of a year, we are given a panoptic view of Tommy and Clinton’s Winnipeg, where a university student with grand ambitions chooses to bottle her anger when confronted with numerous micro- (and not so micro-) aggressions; an ex-convict must choose between protecting or exploiting his younger brother as he’s dragged deeper into the city’s criminal underbelly; a lonely rink attendant is haunted by the memory of a past lover and contemplates rekindling this old flame; and an aspiring journalist does everything she can to uncover why the league is threatening to remove the Tigers. These are a sampling of the chorus of voices that depicts a community filled with individuals searching for purpose, leading them all to one fateful and tragic night.

Ferociously piercing the heart of an Indigenous city, Kyle Edwards's sparkling debut is a heartbreaking yet humour-flecked portrayal of navigating identity and place, trauma and recovery, and growing up in a land that doesn't love you.

Reviews
“The geographical and familial landscape of the ironically named Whiteway clan yields a subtle and fascinating portrait of growing up Native in Manitoba. The understatement underscores the intensity and contradictions of outgrowing your home and self. This is a truly fine novel.”—Percival Everett, author of James

Small Ceremonies dropped my jaw with the glittering precision of its detail, and the life-affirming humanity of its characters. Kyle Edwards knows this world of frozen hockey rinks and fishing shacks just as intimately as he knows the warm and broken hearts of this Winnipeg community that he writes about. I haven’t been this excited about a debut in years.”—Michael Christie, author of Greenwood

"Small Ceremonies flattens the grass for us all. A power play of wit, grit, and generational spirit, phenom Kyle Edwards has you rooting for the Tigers when few will. With its scars, scores, and hard-won triumphs, this polyphony of neechies carries us through overtime into glory. A dignified, accomplished, and suave figure-eight of a novel."—Cody Caetano, author of Half-Bads in White Regalia

"In this compelling, multi-voiced first novel, Kyle Edwards carries us north to the landscape of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and into the geography of youth itself. This book—bracing, kaleidoscopic—made me relive those gritty, tender, fragile years before you are fully grown, when you still believe you can do both—stay rooted and fly free."—Danzy Senna, author of Caucasia and Colored Television

"Such a chorus of compelling voices here! I would find myself growing attached to one character only to find the next equally engaging. Edwards is, at once, bracingly honest about and deeply tender towards everyone in this novel. A stunning debut."—Aimee Bender, author of The Butterfly Lampshade

Additional Information
368 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Hardcover 

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
Spirit Rider: A Lillian Indigenous Mystery
$24.95
Quantity:
Artists:
Format: Paperback
Text Content Territories: Indigenous Canadian;
Grade Levels: 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8;
ISBN / Barcode: 9781990735745

Synopsis:

Spirit Rider is an enchanting mystery for young readers, blending friendship, Indigenous storytelling, and the supernatural. In this third book in the Lillian Mystery series, Lillian and her friends once again find themselves at the crossroads of spirits and secrets. When a mysterious boy on a bicycle appears outside Lillian’s window, his mischievous antics hide a deeper, more haunting purpose. With her gift of communicating with spirits, and the support of her friends Chloe and Grace, as well as her wise Kokum and Auntie, Lillian embarks on a journey to uncover the truth. Can they unravel the mystery of the Spirit Rider? Or will this spirit’s secrets lead them somewhere they never expected?

Reviews
"[Lillian stories are] from the spirit and are messages for all of our First Nations relatives that it is now time to rise up and take this responsibility back to being natural helpers, and to nurture our children who are struggling.”— Robin Decontie, MSW, Director, Kitigan Zibi Health and Social Services

"Spirit Rider was captivating. I was excited to read the more adventures of Lillian. The caregivers were very kind understanding and patient with Lillian. The book is a perfect example of the seven grandfather teachings; love honesty respect bravery humility wisdom and truth. My emotions as the reader was crying and laughing. Thinking of how the spirit rider was feeling through his young life and Lillians jokes she loved sharing even if they didn’t really want to hear. As a retired Aboriginal Indigenous social service worker it was heart warming and I embraced the book whole heartedly of our First Nation children who perhaps have the same story, With Kindness to the Author Miigwech for allowing me to read this it was an honour."- Stephanie Sandy, Nimki Beneshiinh Kwe . Nookmis of Chippewas of Rama First Nation

"Lynda Partridge books have a way of drawing you in. I couldn't put it down. Her latest book Spirit Rider has you from the first page. Her characters and character development are amazing and so relateable to both young and old, indigenous and non indigenous. Her ability to reach the reader both spiritually and culturally is so strong it's almost tangible. Her best to date." —Sandra Herkimer, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Elder

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 13.

This book is part of the Indigenous Spirit of Nature series.

This book is also the third book in the Lillian Mystery series. 

Additional Information
194 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | 6 Black and White Illustrations | Paperback 

Authentic Canadian Content
Authentic Indigenous Text
Surviving the City Teacher Guide: Exploring Identity, Allyship, and Social Action for Meaningful Change in Grades 7-12
$25.95
Quantity:
Format: Paperback
Grade Levels: 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12;
ISBN / Barcode: 9781774921401

Synopsis:

This updated Teacher Guide for Surviving the City is designed to accompany the Surviving the City series of graphic novels written by Tasha Spillett. This guide provides support for teachers to address sensitive topics in the classroom including racism; caregiver illness; the child welfare system; residential schools; and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. With the release of the third volume of Surviving the City, this guide has been updated to include revisions to the original lessons, two brand-new lessons, as well as up-to-date curriculum correlation charts that match current curriculum outcomes and expectations in Ontario, British Columbia, and Manitoba.

This teacher guide is designed to be a no-prep resource for educators suitable for stand-alone lessons or as a complete unit plan. The lessons in this teacher guide:

  • support teachers with clear and concise instructions using the Activate, Acquire, Apply, and Assess (AAAA) format
  • guide students in exploring, researching, and sharing the essential themes of the graphic novels
  • are infused with Indigenous pedagogical practices

The Teacher Guide for Surviving the City is best suited for use with students in grades 7–12 taking English Language Arts; First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies; Global Issues; and similar subjects.

Educator Information
The student books for this work can be found here: Surviving the City Series.

Additional Information
91 pages | 8.50" x 11.00" | Paperback

 

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Strong Nations - Indigenous & First Nations Gifts, Books, Publishing; & More! Our logo reflects the greater Nation we live within—Turtle Island (North America)—and the strength and core of the Pacific Northwest Coast peoples—the Cedar Tree, known as the Tree of Life. We are here to support the building of strong nations and help share Indigenous voices.