Healing and Wellness

A guide to integrating indigenous thinking into modern life for a more interconnected and spiritual relationship with our fellow beings, Mother Earth, and the natural ways of the universe.

With each generation, we have drifted further and further away from our ability to recognize and connect with the source of our original design. In this modern world, we spend our attention in ways that benefit the powers that be, and not ourselves or the earth.

This book's intention is not to teach you to "be Native American," but instead to use the indigenous culture of the Lakota to help you connect with your own indigenous roots and help you remember your ancestral knowing that all beings are divinely connected.

Thinking indigenously centers around three concepts:
1) The way of the seven generations--conscious living
2) The way of the buffalo--mindful consumption
3) The way of the village--collective impact

Author Doug Good Feather, with Doug Pineda, shares the knowledge that has been handed down through his Lakota elders to help you connect with your purpose in life, personal power, and place in this interconnected web with Spirit, Mother Earth, and humanity as a whole.

Additional Information
176 pages | 5.50" x 8.50"

Richard Wagamese, one of Canada’s most celebrated Indigenous authors and storytellers, was a writer of breathtaking honesty and inspiration. Always striving to be a better, stronger person, Wagamese shared his journey through writing, encouraging others to do the same.

Following the success of Embers, which has sold almost seventy thousand copies since its release in 2016, this new collection of Wagamese’s non-fiction works, with an introduction by editor Drew Hayden Taylor, brings together more of the prolific author’s short writings, many for the first time in print, and celebrates his ability to inspire. Drawing from Wagamese’s essays and columns, along with preserved social media and blog posts, this beautifully designed volume is a tribute to Wagamese’s literary legacy.

Reviews
"Treasure these words. Honour his thoughts. But don’t read it too fast. Soak it in. Enjoy every morsel. Linger on each page because every paragraph has nuggets of understanding. Lines of wisdom. Stories to appreciate." — Drew Hayden Taylor

Additional Information
176 pages | 5.50" x 8.00" | Hardcover

For some kids, ways they can help eliminate racial injustice might be hard to see. After all, they are taught that people in society are all equal under the law. So why then does racial conflict still exist? And what can they as individuals do about it right now? One way is for white children to understand the unearned advantages they were born with based solely on the colour of their skin. This concept is called white privilege and this book will help children of all races understand it, see how it affects them and find ways to speak out and take real action against it.

White Privilege: Deal with it in all fairness provides scenarios, quizzes and Q&As that develop readers’ understanding of the subject using situations that are realistic and that easily relate to their everyday lives. The topic is approached from three points of view: those who are “privileged,” those who identify as “racialized” and those who want to be allies.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 14.

The Deal With It series helps adolescents cope with conflicts in everyday life and promote peaceful homes, schools, and communities.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 11.02" | Library Binding

After a school year of dealing with personal issues, Autumn Dawn is happy that summer is finally here. Autumn plans on visiting her aunt Jessie in Minneapolis before heading back home for the class she needs to attend in order to pass to the next grade.

On the first day of class, Autumn finds herself face-to-face with Sydney, the bully who thinks it is fun to pick on her. What could be worse than that? They are paired together and will be tutoring each other!

Between dealing with Sydney and trying not to notice the new guy in school, who has definitely noticed her, Autumn struggles to accept and embrace the fresh challenges she faces as she learns to believe in herself.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 12+.

Fry Reading Level: 4 

This book is part of the PathFinders series. The PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels offers the following features:

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age-appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.

This book is part of the Autumn Dawn Series, a subseries of the PathFinders series.

Additional Information
120 pages | 4.50" x 7.00" | Paperback

Beautiful and delicious gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free recipes, fully endorsed by Whole30.

As millions of people know, one of the toughest things about completing the Whole30 is figuring out what to eat the other 335 days of the year. Kirsten Buck, creator of Buck Naked Kitchen, struggled with her weight and chronic eczema for years before she transformed her life through food. She adopted a mostly paleo way of eating--gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, healthy fats, no refined sugars--and experienced dramatic weight loss. Soon after she went on to win the first-ever "Next Whole30 Star" competition and is now a certified holistic nutritionist, sharing delicious and beautiful recipes on her blog and Instagram with thousands of fans. From her Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwich for lunch, to Moroccan Lamb Stew for dinner, to the stunning Summer Berry Galette to satisfy your sweet tooth, there is something for every taste. In addition, there are recipe basics for making your own mayo, yogurt, salad dressings, tahini, and more, which prove that healthy eating doesn't have to break the bank.

Reviews
“[Buck Naked Kitchen] combines Kirsten’s education as a certified holistic nutritionist with her background and experience focusing on whole foods and creating healthy, approachable and delicious meals. Not only is every recipe gluten, grain AND dairy-free, did I also mention the Manitoba favourite: chicken tenders and HONEY DILL?! You gotta try it!”—Travel Manitoba

What I see in this book is a woman showing up as her truest, most authentic self, using food to speak to us, to connect with us, and to show us and herself love. Kirsten has brought her journey into the light, and the joy, vibrancy, and newfound confidence with which she both cooks and moves through this world glows through these pages.”—from the Foreword by Melissa Urban, Whole30 Co-Founder and CEO

“There are so many classic recipe staples in Kirsten's cookbook that it deserves a permanent place on every kitchen counter! I felt like she invited me into her home and showed me how to cook nourishing food from scratch. The photography is beautiful and Kirsten's approach to food is so effortless and natural.”—Joy McCarthy, bestselling author of Joyous Health and The Joyous Cookbook

Additional Information
272 pages | 8.25" x 9.31" | Full-colour photos throughout | Hardcover

A brutally honest but charming look at the pain of childhood and the alienation and anxiety of early adulthood.

In his memoir, we are invited to walk through the life of the author, Jim Terry, as he struggles to find security and comfort in an often hostile environment. Between the Ho-Chunk community of his Native American family in Wisconsin and his schoolmates in the Chicago suburbs, he tries in vain to fit in and eventually turns to alcohol to provide an escape from increasing loneliness and alienation. Terry also shares with the reader in exquisite detail the process by which he finds hope and gets sober, as well as the powerful experience of finding something to believe in and to belong to at the Dakota Access Pipeline resistance at Standing Rock.

Reviews
"fortunately for readers of this raw and intimate graphic memoir, Terry never fully lets go of his youthful vulnerability. . . . Reckoning with sobriety requires connection and humility, as Terry makes the case for with sincerity and beauty, as he ties his recovery to his spiritual homecoming.” —Starred Review, Publishers Weekly.

“Terry, known for his outstanding superhero illustrations, turns the lens inward in this brutally honest memoir. . . . An exceptionally well-told story with no easy answers but an ending that will inspire.” —Starred Review, Booklist.

“Illuminated by bursts of both joy and sorrow. With humbling sensitivity and candor, Jim shares with us his personal journey down emotionally complex paths towards home.” —TIMOTHY TRUMAN, author of Marvel Comics’ Conan series.

“An epic memoir. Terry has a way with words — his pithy writing skillfully mixes nostalgia and melancholy. But it his gorgeous, inventive, black-and-white artwork that makes this book so memorable.”— JOSH NEUFELD, author of A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 16+

Additional Information
240 pages | 6.00" x 9.00"

The beloved story of an Inuvialuit girl standing up to the bullies of residential school, updated for a new generation of readers.

Margaret Olemaun Pokiak-Fenton’s powerful story of residential school in the far North has been reissued to commemorate the memoir’s 10th anniversary with updates to the text, reflections on the book’s impact, and a bonus chapter from the acclaimed follow-up, A Stranger at Home. New content includes a foreword from Dr. Debbie Reese, noted Indigenous scholar and founder of American Indians in Children’s Literature, while Christy Jordan-Fenton, mother of Margaret’s grandchildren and a key player in helping Margaret share her stories, discusses the impact of the book in a new preface.

With important updates since it first hit the shelves a decade ago, this new edition of Fatty Legs will continue to resonate with readers young and old.

Reviews
"I highly recommend this book for the discussion it would stir with students...Makes the harrowing residential school stories accessible to youth." — Resource Links

"Presents a unique and enlightening glimpse into the residential school experience and, most importantly, one little girl's triumph over her oppressors." — Quill & Quire

Educator Information
Themes: biography; Inuit; Indigenous peoples; Indigenous; arctic; school; self-esteem; abuse; community; prejudice; Canadian content; courage/bravery; right vs. wrong; role reversal; secrets; society; history; bullying; memoir; character education.

This resource is also available in French: Les bas du pensionnat

This resource is also available in its original format: Fatty Legs: A True Story 

Additional Information

Authenticity Note
This illustrator of this book is not Indigenous; therefore, her artwork is not considered to be Authentic Indigenous Artwork according to Strong Nations Authenticity Guidelines. The archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton's personal collection, however, are considered to be authentic, which is why the book is labelled as containing Authentic Indigenous Artwork. It is up to readers to determine whether or not the images in this work are authentic for their purposes.

Autumn Dawn has learned to deal with her dyslexia and her life is starting to look better, but a horrible accident threatens to change everything. When her mother and brother are crossing a street, they are accidentally hit by a car. Autumn's little brother is okay, but her mother ends up in intensive care. Autumn's father, who had walked away from his family awhile ago, leaving them to fend for themselves, is now back in their lives and trying to make amends. When Autumn's mom is released from the hospital, she still needs help, so Autumn's dad moves back home.

Can Autumn ever forgive her father for leaving his family in the first place, or will she continue to be angry and resentful? Is it possible to trust any male, including her devoted boyfriend?

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 12+.

Fry Reading Level: 4.5

This book is part of the PathFinders Collection of Indigenous Hi-Lo- novels. Interest level is pre-teen on up. 

The PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels offers the following features:

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age-appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.

This book is also part of the Autumn Dawn Series, a subseries of the PathFinders.

Additional Information
120 pages | 4.50" x 7.00" | Paperback

An essential guide to emotional well-being for children; tackling everyday issues to facilitate happier, healthier lives. Our minds are beautifully complicated and brilliant machines. For much of our lives, these machines run efficiently with minimal maintenance. However, just like our other organs, they do require some proper attention every now and then. Recognizing this at an early age can only help as children progress into adulthood. Happy, Healthy Minds is a guide designed to help children become more aware of their emotional needs and examines a range of topics that might give their minds difficulties, for example: - when parents don’t seem to understand us.

Reviews
"Happy, Healthy Minds is an engrossing and effective read for children aged 10-16 and a must have resource for home educators." -School Reading List

"Cheerful illustrations interspersed amongst sensible matter of fact text go really well together in this title, a guide to emotional well-being for children. Informative without being preachy." -School Libraries Group

"This is a great resource to help children learn how to have a happier and healthier life especially in the way they think. My daughters loved this book. It’s definitely one we’ll return to again and again." -Netgalley review

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 10+ 

Additional Information
176 pages | 7.51" x 9.99"

Featuring real-life stories of people who have found hope and meaning in the midst of life’s struggles, Heads Up: Changing Minds on Mental Health is the go-to guide for teenagers who want to know about mental health, mental illness, trauma and recovery. For too long, mental health problems have been kept in the shadows, leaving people to suffer in silence, or worse, to be feared, bullied or pushed to the margins of society where survival is difficult.

This book shines a light on the troubled history of thinking about and treating mental illness and tells the stories of courageous pioneers in the field of psychiatry who fought for more compassionate, respectful and effective treatments. It provides a helpful guide to the major mental health diagnoses along with ideas and resources to support those who are suffering. But it also moves beyond a biomedical focus and considers the latest science that shows how trauma and social inequality impact mental health. The book explores how mental health is more than just “in our heads” and includes the voices of Indigenous people who share a more holistic way of thinking about wellness, balancing mind, body, heart and spirit. Highlighting innovative approaches such as trauma-informed activities like yoga and hip-hop, police mental health teams, and peer support for youth, Heads Up shares the stories of people who are sparking change.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 12+.

Keywords / Subjects / Themes: youth mental health, mental health, anxiety, recovery, ending stigma, Indigenous youth.

Additional Information
192 pages | 6.00" x 8.50"

Fears about climate change are fueling an epidemic of despair across the world: adults worry about their children’s future; thirty-somethings question whether they should have kids or not; and many young people honestly believe they have no future at all.

In the face of extreme eco-anxiety, scholar and award-winning author Elin Kelsey argues that our hopelessness—while an understandable reaction—is hampering our ability to address the very real problems we face. Kelsey offers a powerful solution: hope itself.

Hope Matters boldly breaks through the narrative of doom and gloom to show why evidence-based hope, not fear, is our most powerful tool for change. Kelsey shares real-life examples of positive climate news that reveal the power of our mindsets to shape reality, the resilience of nature, and the transformative possibilities of individual and collective action. And she demonstrates how we can build on positive trends to work toward a sustainable and just future, before it’s too late.

Reviews
“Like Elin, I have met countless people who have lost hope in many countries. Most were apathetic. Some were angry. Others depressed. Because, they told me, their future has been compromised and there was nothing they could do about it. But there is something they can do. This book comes at just the right moment. It brings a message of hope to help curb the negativity, the gloom and doom we are confronted with each day. It is NOT too late if we get together and take action, NOW.” —Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace

“Elin Kelsey is that rare creature—perhaps unique?—who writes with the acuity of a scientist, the grace of a poet, and the heart of a mother. After decades of fighting the good fight on behalf of her beloved oceans and their wildlife, she realizes that our conversations about environmentalism are often thwarted by overwhelming doubt and despair. Hope Matters is a clarion call to reawaken our spirits and renew our efforts, filled with engaging success stories, lyrical nature writing, and actionable ideas. 'We can recognize the urgency of the problem and be inspired by the resilience of other species,' Kelsey writes. This is a book to inspire resilience: for our children, for our leaders, for ourselves.”— Anne Nelson, Fellow, Arnold A. Saltzman Institute, Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs, and author of Suzanne’s Children: A Daring Rescue in Nazi Paris

“In a time when so much of the news on biodiversity is depressing, Dr. Elin Kelsey reminds us that there are good reasons to be hopeful. This book is a tonic in hard times.”—Claudia Dreifus, instructor in Columbia University’s Masters in Sustainability Management program and author of Scientific Conversations: Interviews on Science from the New York Times

Additional Information
240 pages | 5.50" x 8.50"

When the author learns of the death of her brother overseas, she embarks on a journey to bring him home. Through memories and dreams of all they shared together and through her Dene traditions, she finds comfort and strength. The lyrical art and story leave readers with a universal message of hope and love.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 12+ (Mature Picture Book)

In this emotional illustrated picture book, author and illustrator Lisa Boivin tells the story of the loss of her brother and the journey with her Dene traditions to find comfort and the strength to move on from her grief.

This book explores themes of death, memory, remembrance, comfort, and specifically Dene perspectives on death. 

The author's deeply personal story is revealed through exquisite artwork and text that are grounded in her family's Dene culture.

Lisa Boivin's experiences as an artist and bioethicist inform her story, expressed in the Indigenous way of passing knowledge through images.

Additional Information
56 pages | 6.50" x 10.00" | Colour illustrations throughout

Fourteen-year-old Jaysen Flett-Paul's true story of how Elders guided him through his first Sundance ceremony to heal the anger and grief stemming from his mother’s violent murder. It sensitively tackles the heart-breaking problem of suicide in Indigenous communities, an issue of great importance to this community and for communities across North America.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 13 to 18.

This book is part of the Finding Waka series.

Keywords / Themes: Ceremony, Elders, Family Issues, Grief, Anger, Loss, Spirituality

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

Author Layla F. Saad wrote Me and White Supremacy to encourage people who hold white privilege to examine their (often unconscious) racist thoughts and behaviors through a unique, 28-day reflection process complete with journaling prompts. This guided journal, which includes the book's original weekly prompts and lots of space for note-taking and free-writing, is the perfect place to begin your antiracism journey. You will unpack:

Week One: White Privilege; White Fragility; Tone Policing; White Silence; White Superiority; White Exceptionalism

Week Two: Color Blindness; Anti-Blackness against Black Women, Black Men, and Black Children; Racist Stereotypes; Cultural Appropriation

Week Three: White Apathy; White Centering; Tokenism; White Saviorism; Optical Allyship; Being Called Out/Called In

Week Four: Friends; Family; Values; Losing Privilege; Your Commitments.

Awareness leads to action, and action leads to change. Create the change the world needs by creating change within yourself.

Additional Information
304 pages | 5.25" x 7.75"

This eye-opening book challenges you to do the essential work of unpacking your biases, and helps white people take action and dismantle the privilege within themselves so that you can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.

Based on the viral Instagram challenge that captivated participants worldwide, Me and White Supremacy takes readers on a 28-day journey, complete with journal prompts, to do the necessary and vital work that can ultimately lead to improving race relations.

Updated and expanded from the original workbook (downloaded by nearly 100,000 people), this critical text helps you take the work deeper by adding more historical and cultural contexts, sharing moving stories and anecdotes, and including expanded definitions, examples, and further resources, giving you the language to understand racism, and to dismantle your own biases, whether you are using the book on your own, with a book club, or looking to start family activism in your own home.

This book will walk you step-by-step through the work of examining:

• Examining your own white privilege
• What allyship really means
• Anti-blackness, racial stereotypes, and cultural appropriation
• Changing the way that you view and respond to race
• How to continue the work to create social change

Awareness leads to action, and action leads to change.

Reviews
"Layla Saad moves her readers from their heads into their hearts, and ultimately, into their practice. We won't end white supremacy through an intellectual understanding alone; we must put that understanding into action."—Robin DiAngelo, author of New York Times bestseller White Fragility

"Layla Saad is one of the most important and valuable teachers we have right now on the subject of white supremacy and racial injustice."—New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert

"As an educator and writer in this space, I well understand the difficulties of productive discourse on topics like white supremacy, white fragility, and complicity. In Me and White Supremacy, Layla not only engages readers effectively – she hands them the tools they need to change themselves so that they can better the lives of millions of people worldwide." - Rachel Cargle, activist, writer, and lecturer

Additional Information
256 pages | 5.25" x 7.75"