Personal and Cultural Identity

Amik tells Moshoom about his wonderful school. Then his grandfather tells him about the residential school he went to, much different from Amik’s school. So Amik has an idea….

Amik Loves School is one book in The Seven Teachings Stories series.The Seven Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth—are revealed in seven stories for children. Set in urban landscapes, Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

Educator Information
Find the French translation of this book here: Amik aime l'ecole.

This book is part of The Seven Teachings Stories series, which are inspired by the Seven Sacred Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth. These stories are set in urban landscapes, where Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

Additional Information
24 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

Each book in the series, From the Mountains to the Sea, supports the new BC Aboriginal Learning Standards in both Science and Social Studies.

From the Mountains to the Sea: We Live Here is a Kindergarten resource, which covers all of your Aboriginal Learning Standards in both science and social studies within the new BC curriculum.

Click link to download a five-week Kindergarten planning guide: Kindergarten FREE Download for We Live Here

Back of book introduction:
This book is about a river. Can you find a river on the front cover of this book? What do you know about rivers?

Most rivers start high up in the mountains. As the water comes down the hill, it makes little pathways in the rocks and gravel. As the pathways get bigger, they join to make streams. Sometimes the streams join together to make a river. Where a river leaves the mountains the ground flattens out, and the river slows down. The river ends when it flows into the sea.

The area in and around a river is a good place for plants, animals and people to live because we can all find food and water there. The salmon is an important food for many of us.

Some of the plants and animals that you will find in this book are:

• Cedar trees live and grow all the way along a river, from the mountains to the sea.
• Salmon spend their adult lives out in the open sea. When it is time to lay their eggs, they swim back to their home streams. Their home streams are sometimes very close to the mountains.
• Bears walk long distances to find their food. They live from the mountains to the sea. In the fall they go to the rivers to fish for salmon.
• Eagles fly over large areas looking for food. They live from the mountains to the sea. In the fall, they go to the rivers to feast on salmon.
• Orcas live in the open sea. They swim long distances to hunt for food. Some orcas eat salmon. 

This book is also part of a bundled package that includes:

• a Talking Feather
• rubber stamps
• bulletin board trimmers

Click here to view the bundle: From the Mountains to the Sea: We Live Here Bundle

This resource is available in French: Collection Des montagnes à la mer: Nous habitons ici 

Additional Information
Book dimensions: 10" x 14" | Pages: 16 | ISBN: 9781771741019

Selected for inclusion in the Spring 2015 edition of Best Books for Kids & Teens (BBKT) by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.

Kode knows many things, but she doesn’t know one thing: What does respect mean? Who will help her figure out the answer?

Educator & Series Information
Kode's Quest(ion) is one book in The Seven Teachings Stories series. The Seven Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth—are revealed in seven stories for children. Set in urban landscapes, Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

This book is also available in French: La quête de Kode : Une histoire sur le respect

Additional Information
24 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

Misaabe tells great stories – about trolls, and x-ray glasses, and secret agents, and his super-exciting life. But is real life so bad?

Educator Information
Misaabe's Stories is part of the series The Seven Teaching Stories. The Seven Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth—are revealed in seven stories for children. Set in urban landscapes, Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

This resource is also available in French: Les Histoires de Misaabe: Une histoire sur l'honnetete

Additional Information
24 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

Ma'iingan knows she is a very good singer. Conflict erupts when her little sister wants to sing just like her.

Singing Sisters is one book in The Seven Teachings Stories series. The Seven Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth—are revealed in seven stories for children. Set in urban landscapes, Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of The Seven Teachings Stories series, which are inspired by the Seven Sacred Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth. These stories are set in urban landscapes, where Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

This resource is also available in French: Deux soeurs en harmonie : Une histoire sur l'humilité

Additional Information
24 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

Makwa has to go to a new school … and he doesn’t want to. How will he face his first day?

Educator & Series Information
The First Day is a book in the series The Seven Teachings Stories. The Seven Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth—are revealed in seven stories for children. Set in urban landscapes, Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

This resource is also available in French: Le Premier jour: Une histoire sur le courage

Selected for inclusion in the Spring 2015 edition of Best Books for Kids & Teens (BBKT) by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.

Additional Information
24 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

Selected for inclusion in the Spring 2015 edition of Best Books for Kids & Teens (BBKT) by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.

Migisi loves his Gookom. Can he find the perfect gift to show her how much?

Educator & Series Information
The Just Right Gift is one book in The Seven Teachings Stories series. The Seven Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth—are revealed in seven stories for children. Set in urban landscapes, Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

This resource is also available in French: Le cadeau parfait : Une histoire sur l'amour 

Additional Information
24 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

Miskwaadesi is puzzled about the teaching Truth. But she knows more than she thinks she does.

Educator Information
What is Truth, Betsy? is a part of the series The Seven Teachings Stories. The Seven Teachings of the Anishinaabe—love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth—are revealed in seven stories for children. Set in urban landscapes, Indigenous children tell familiar stories about home, school, and community.

Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

This resource is also available in French: Qu'est-ce que la verite, Betsy ?: Une histoire sur la vérité 

Additional Information
24 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

It is winter. The land lies still, quiet and stark beneath a blanket of snow. The tiny footprints of a mouse can be seen in the light of the moon.

"Wrapped in the quiet, and there in the bleak, there stood a wise mouse, preparing to speak."

The words that mouse chose were from many years past. She spoke them into the cold night air. So begins the enchanting story of a very special Winter Solstice celebration.

Kwakwaka’wakw author Terri Mack and Tsimshian artist Bill Helin have collaborated to bring us this story of strength, friendship and celebration. The lyrical text and engaging illustrations will appeal to readers of all ages.

Author's note:
Gila'kasla!
I spent a year writing and rewriting this poem to be sure to convey the message clearly to my audience. It was important to me that the poem reflect the importance of us all joining together to find the sacredness in celebration, the joy of belonging within a greater community and the voice of determination inside of each of us. Inspired by Indigenous Peoples rising, healing and joining together I hope that this poem inspires our youth to be strong and determined in all their future goals.
~Terri Mack

Additional Information
24 pages | 9" x 12" | ISBN: 9781771740555 | Paperback

This sweet, simple story looks at a very special relationship. A young boy goes for a walk with his kohkom, or grandmother, listening, picking, praying, eating... just as she does. In doing so, he begins to learn the rich cultural traditions and values of his Cree heritage.

Caitlin Dale Nicholson’s acrylic-on-canvas illustrations portray the close relationship between the boy and his grandmother and the natural beauty of the bush. Her text has been translated into Cree by Leona Morin-Neilson, who was also the inspiration for the story and collaborated with her on this work.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended Ages: 4-7

Delivered in a dual-language format of Cree (y-dialect) and English. 

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"

This gentle story demonstrates the First Nations' tradition of taking care of Mother Earth.

Tess has visited her grandmother many times without really being aware of the garden. But today when they step out the door, Tess learns that all of nature can be a garden. And if you take care of the plants that are growing, if you learn about them - understanding when they flower, when they give fruit, and when to leave them alone - you will always find something to nourish you. 

At the end of the day, Tess is grateful to Mother Earth for having such a lovely garden, and she is thankful for having such a wise grandma.

Elaine McLeod's poetic text and Colleen Wood's gentle watercolors combine to make Lessons from Mother Earth a celebration of nature and life.

Educator Information
Curriculum Connections: Social Studies, Science and Nature.

Additional Information
24 pages | 8.80" x 8.80"