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In this story, it is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Jen shares her story of healing with the students. 

For a long time, Mi’gmaq were not allowed to speak their language at school. Today, many Mi’gmaq are reconnecting with their language. 

How do you honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation? 

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4-7, for use in kindergarten and Grade 1 classrooms.

Cedar School Decodables is divided into six sets, which increase in word count and complexity of sentence structure. Elder Jen’s Story is in Set 6 – R-Controlled Vowels, and reviews er, ir, and ur. Books in Set 6 have 110-125 words. 

Readers should be familiar with the concepts included in Set 1 to Set 6: 

• consonants 

• beginning and end blends 

• short, long, and r-controlled vowels 

• digraphs 

• suffixes and ending spelling patterns 

• a /o/ 

• s – /s/ and /z/ 

• VC-CV, V/CV, VC/V, and compound words 

• possessives 

Series Information
Welcome to Cedar School! Join Liv, Tom, Gus, and Bell as they learn on the land and explore Mi’gmaw teachings with their teacher, Miss Sam, and the school’s Mi’gmaw Elder, Jen. With charming illustrations and simple storylines, this decodable series engages students as they practise their reading skills. Each book includes a pre-reading review of non-decodable words, and many of the books introduce special words related to Indigenous teachings. Talking Together prompts facilitate discussions led by the reading teacher. 

Developed in partnership with Dyslexia Canada, Cedar School Decodables is a series of 20 decodable books for young readers. Designed for students who have previously learned short vowel and consonant sounds, additional phonic skills are developed progressively throughout the series.

The series will be accompanied by Cedar School Decodables Teacher’s Guide and a series of four picture books, which will be available at a later date.

Additional Information
16 pages | 6.5” x 5.5” | Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-77174-654-0

This story begins with the ducks seeing the leaves on the trees turning red and yellow. How do you think this story ends?

There are four seasons in the year: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Which season is this story about?

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for grade 1 students, but may also be useful in kindergarten classrooms.

Strong Science - Animals is a language-based science series for primary students featuring animals that all Canadian students will recognize. Photographs and Indigenous artwork illustrate the series. Common learning objectives in science curricula across Canada are addressed, and suggestions for extending the learning to other curriculum areas, including Indigenous cultural awareness, language arts, math, and art, are included in the teacher’s guide. The sixteen books in this series are grouped into four levels that increase in complexity, designed to accommodate students with various reading abilities within a classroom. This feature facilitates the use of this series in literacy programs along with the Strong Readers series.

The Ducks Fly Away is an EP3 (Early Primary 3) book in the Strong Science - Animals series. Font size decreases as language complexity and word count increase across levels: EP1 books have approximately 40 words, EP2 books have approximately 60 words, EP3 books have approximately 80 words, and EP4 books have approximately 100 words.

A teacher's guide for Strong Science - Animals is available: Strong Science - Animals: Teacher's Guide

Authenticity Note: This book has received the Indigenous Text label because the author is Indigenous (Lakota) and the featured animal holds cultural significance in many Indigenous cultures. The engaging story provides factual information in an easy-to-read format for children to learn science concepts and build literacy skills. It promotes respect for animals and Mother Earth, and its illustrations communicate additional cultural information through Lakota symbolism and designs. Further cultural connections are identified in the teacher's guide. Refer to the guide to explore the book's Indigenous connections fully. It is up to readers to determine if the book will work as a stand-alone authentic Indigenous text for their purposes.  

Additional Information
16 Pages | 6.5" x 5.5" | Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-77174-617-5

A lively look at the journey of a West Coast tugboat towing a log boom, as seen through the eyes of a young boy. 

"I’m helping Dad on the tugboat. We’re going to tow a log boom to the sawmill on the river… I look out for ferries and other boats in the harbor… Then I see it — a deadhead!"

Follow a child and his father through their workday on a tugboat on the West Coast as they watch a log boom being made, then tow it to a mill upriver. The pair must steer clear of other ships, race against the tide and weather a storm along the way. 

Told from a child's perspective, this fun, accessible picture book explores the key role of a tugboat in the logging process. As explained in the author's note, the story is inspired by Scot Ritchie’s childhood memories of seeing tugs and log booms off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, with additional information provided in the note about forestry on the West Coast today.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 6.

Key text features: author's note, diagrams, glossary, illustrations, facts, map, speech bubbles, writing inspiration

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.75" x 10.75" | Hardcover

Included in this bundle are all four titles in the I Am Like a TREE series:

I Am Like a TREE: BARK and KNOTS – A Story of Courage and Struggles
I Am Like a TREE: LEAVES and BRANCHES – A Story of Belonging and Growth
I Am Like a TREE: SEEDS and LEAVES – A Story of Self Care and Belonging
I Am Like a TREE: TRUNK and ROOTS – A Story of Self and Empathy

The TREE in this series is a metaphor for what we are calling your “Present Self”. Our belief, through personal experience, is that we as living beings have several emotional parts that make us a whole, our Present Self. Each of these parts though are not equal in their emotional experience, so at times, different situations for an individual can be strong while at other times not. Some experiences can keep us in a frozen stage of development without knowing this and we then respond to “like type” experiences in the same way as we did in the past.

Our intention with these conversational stories in a reader’s theatre format is to provide a window into what emotional parts a person may use while having a conversation. The side margins tell all as each conversation unfolds indicating what parts of TREE the character is using. Some of these conversations are focused on the older individual trying to find a solution while the younger individual is providing support as best they can, as a solid TREE. Our intent is to imply that emotional learning is lifelong.

We hope that through these stories we will all continue to extend a hand to those who are reaching, listen to those who are speaking, and feel with an open heart to all those heartbeats that surround us. And for ourselves, love who you are, respect your own actions, and know that you deserve kindness, love and safety and that you belong here.

The back cover introduction and content overview inside make the books in the I Am Like a TREE series great for many learning situations. In each book are four discussion questions that focus on comprehension strategies and mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual connections. The books also provide an inquiry theme to explore and include five activity ideas for independent or group use.

Scroll below to learn more about each work included in this bundle.

Additional Information
ISBN: 9781771745826

This bundle includes all four Secwépemc stories from Mike Bowden:

• Four Winds (hardcover)
• Porcupine (paperback)
• Bear and Coyote (paperback)
• Chief Goose (paperback)

Secwépemc Stories are the collaborative work of Secwépemc author Mike Bowden and Secwépemc artist Kelsey Jules. These stories convey Secwépemc teachings and embody Indigenous ways of knowing. Mike, a storyteller and educator, strongly believes in story as a way of learning and understanding the world and our relationships within it. Secwépemc language is integrated into the stories and accompanied by pronunciation guides.

These stories connect to the BC First Peoples principles of learning and provide opportunities for those reading to reflect, explore, connect and learn on a personal interpretative level.

Additional Information
Books are 8.5" x 11" | 24 Pages | ISBN 9781771746632

Scroll below to learn more about each book included.

Il y a très longtemps, dans un pays lointain, deux bandes d'oiseaux vivaient sur des territoires voisins : les paons et les cygnes. Leurs différences firent peu à peu naître la méfiance et chaque groupe se mit à accumuler des armes pour se défendre en cas de danger... 

Puis, un jour, aveuglés par leur propre frayeur, les paons déclenchèrent une guerre sanglante, jusqu'à ce qu'il ne reste que deux oeufs.

Comment se comporteront les oisillons qui en naîtront ?

Educator Information
This resource is also available in English: Feathers and Fools

Additional Information
Dès 7 ans | 32 pages | 28 x 21 cm

Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home--and her family--in pieces. And the earth goddess hasn't finished with the island yet.

With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos; the status and privilege of being noble-born are reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira must find the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.

A thrilling new Bronze Age survival story from the award-winning author of Dragonfly Song and Nim's Island.

Reviews
"[Orr's] mixture of prose and free verse to tell Leira's story is lyrical and magnetic—and devastating. Not for readers searching for a simple or happy journey, this is a beautiful song of a book that shows that life isn't always fair, but change is always constant."—Kirkus Reviews

"Leira's lyrical first-person narrative advances the story along beautifully with a fitting sense of urgency, and free-verse songs clue readers in to her emotional development. Immersive historical fiction."—Booklist Starred Review

"Some chapters written in verse make the more emotional plotlines sing. An eye-opening look at how difficult it is when one's status changes in life, and how attitude can shape outcome. VERDICT: Beautiful writing and a fast-moving plot will give young historical fiction fans much to love."—School Library Journal

"Leira's protracted fall from grace is effectively punctuated by seamless narrative shifts among prose, verse, and song, which fans of Orr's Dragonfly Song will recognize. What she endures—the uncertainty of her family's fate and becoming a servant herself—makes for a gripping exploration of privilege during her journey toward womanhood."—Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books

"Swallow's Dance is a sweeping tale of courage, fortitude, hardship and perseverance against all odds. It is also a coming of age story, an intimate glimpse into the life of a young girl adjusting to puberty at a time when her family, friendships and her understanding of her place in the world are brutally torn apart. Wendy Orr has crafted a sympathetic, memorable heroine whose struggles and challenges transcend time from the Bronze Age to modern day....While suitable for middle-grade students and a wonderful introduction to mythology and discussions surrounding puberty, spirituality, class, mental health, death and disaster, Swallow's Dance is one of those rare books that is also just a great story, an epic tale for all ages. Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine

"Top notch historical fiction for those who like it ancient!... The scenes of devastation – earthquake in Santorini, tsunami in Crete – are riveting to experience through the lens of a survivor."—Youth Services Book Review

"Orr's attention to character development is extremely well done....Swallow's Dance could be used in conjunction with the grades-five-to-eight Language Arts or Social Studies curriculum and would be great to teach students how to incorporate symbolism and imagery through free verse and poetry. In addition, Swallow's Dance could also be used to teach students about family, culture, history and the importance of the role of women in society. A fantastic novel to use as a read-aloud or novel study!"—Canadian Children's Book News

Educator Information
Recommended Ages: 10-14

Themes/Subjects: Legends, Myths, Fables - Greek & Roman / Historical - Ancient Civilizations / Action & Adventure - Survival Stories / Coming of Age.

Additional Information
288 pages | 5.50" x 8.00"

A child's first experience of death involves love, laughter, and some big questions about life.

Norma and her parents are going to her great-uncle Frank’s funeral, and Norma is more excited than sad. She is looking forward to playing with her favorite cousin, Ray, but when she arrives at the church, she is confronted with rituals and ideas that have never occurred to her before. While not all questions can be answered, when the day is over Norma is certain of one thing — Uncle Frank would have enjoyed his funeral.

This sensitive and life-affirming story will lead young readers to ask their own questions about life, death and how we remember those who have gone before us.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4-7.  

Curriculum Connections

• Health / human development
• Social studies / heritage and identity 

Additional Information

40 pages | 8.75" x 12.00"

In 2007, when a new edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary — widely used in schools around the world — was published, a sharp-eyed reader soon noticed that around forty common words concerning nature had been dropped. Apparently they were no longer being used enough by children to merit their place in the dictionary. The list of these “lost words” included acorn, adder, bluebell, dandelion, fern, heron, kingfisher, newt, otter, and willow. Among the words taking their place were attachment, blog, broadband, bullet-point, cut-and-paste, and voice-mail.

The news of these substitutions — the outdoor and natural being displaced by the indoor and virtual — became seen by many as a powerful sign of the growing gulf between childhood and the natural world. 

Ten years later, Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris set out to make a “spell book” that will conjure back twenty of these lost words, and the beings they name, from acorn to wren. By the magic of word and paint, they sought to summon these words again into the voices, stories, and dreams of children and adults alike, and to celebrate the wonder and importance of everyday nature. The Lost Words is that book — a work that has already cast its extraordinary spell on hundreds of thousands of people and begun a grass-roots movement to re-wild childhood across Britain, Europe, and North America.

Reviews
“Gorgeous to look at and to read. Give it to a child to bring back the magic of language - and its scope.” — Jeanette Winterson

“The most beautiful and thought-provoking book I've read this year.” — Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Educator Information
All over the world, there are words disappearing from children's lives. These are the words of the natural world. The rich landscape of wild imagination and wild paly is rapidly fading from our children's minds. The Lost Words stands against the disappearance of wild childhood. It is a joyful celebration of nature words and the natural world they invoke. With acrostic spell-poems by award-winning writer Robert Macfarlane and hand-painted illustrations by Jackie Morris, this enchanting book captures the irreplaceable magic of language and nature for all ages.

Additional Information 
128 pages | 10.75" x 14.50"

In this young reader novel, ten-year-old Jeanie Leclare has just moved to the West Coast from Saskatchewan. She's desperately lonely and longs for a new friend. When the girl sitting in front of her at school seems friendly, she feels a little better. Then an excavator arrives and demolishes the cute house next door. Everyone, including Jeanie's new friend, Isabelle, is aghast. But Jeanie has a secret, a secret that she knows will turn her new classmates against her. At recess time, the excavator heads for a huge and beautiful cedar next to the school. Isabelle leads a band of kids, including Jeanie, to stop it. That's when they discover Jeanie's secret: the contracting company that destroyed the house belongs to Jeanie's uncle and father. Jeanie promises her new classmates that she'll do whatever it takes to protect the cherished tree. Trouble is, she can't convince her uncle and father to agree not to cut it down. So now it's totally up to Jeanie and Isabelle to come to the cedar tree's defence. They are the Tree Musketeers.

Reviews
"Norma Charles shows exactly what it's like to feel new and different and judged, and leaves us knowing we're going to be okay" - Jennifer Mook-Sang 

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

Tree Musketeers is a successful portrait of kid-sized eco-warriors and finding one’s voice – a homespun tale of triumph with a touch of socially responsible charm.

Additional Information
110 pages | 5.25" x 7.63" | Paperback

Dominique passe la fin de semaine chez son cousin Étienne. Celui-ci en profite pour l’initier à son sport favori : mieux que le hockey, le hockey bottine ! La seule et unique règle est de s’amuser, en marquant le plus de buts possible. Le match s’annonce mouvementé. Actions d’éclat, culbutes et fous rires sont au rendez-vous !Un album qui sent bon l’hiver et les copains.Une histoire signée David Bouchard et Dean Griffiths, à la fin surprenante qui plaira aussi bien aux garçons qu’aux filles.

Lila vient tout juste de déménager dans une nouvelle ville. Excitée à l'idée de se faire de nouveaux amis, elle est abasourdie lorsque, dès le premier jour d'école, un petit garçon montre du doigt ses cheveux couleur ébène et la traite de corneille. Les autres élèves chuchotent et ricanent, et le coeur de Lila devient lourd. Le jour suivant, Lila cache ses cheveux. Mais cette fois, le petit garçon montre du doigt sa peau foncée en riant. Et quand Lila cache sa peau, ce sont de ses yeux que le petit garçon se moque.

Lila aperçoit une corneille sur sa route. Elle tente de chasser l'oiseau, mais il semble l'attendre chaque soir. Doucement, cet oiseau si sombre donnera un peu d'espoir à Lila et lui insufflera le courage d'être elle-même et de briller.

Une histoire poignante sur l'intimidation et sur l'acceptation de nos différences et de celles des autres.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 - 8.

This resource is also available in English as Lila and the Crow.

Subjects/Themes: diversity; self-esteem; conflict resolution; Native peoples; prejudice; bullying; school; animals

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.94" x 8.96"

When Malaika moves to Canada, there’s a lot to get used to, especially Carnival in the wintertime!

Malaika is happy to be reunited with Mummy, but it means moving to Canada, where everything is different. It’s cold in Québec City, no one understands when she talks and Carnival is nothing like the celebration Malaika knows from home!

When Mummy marries Mr. Frédéric, Malaika gets a new sister called Adèle. Her new family is nice, but Malaika misses Grandma. She has to wear a puffy purple coat, learn a new language and get used to calling this new place home. Things come to a head when Mummy and Mr. Frédéric take Malaika and Adèle to a carnival. Malaika is dismayed that there are no colorful costumes and that it’s nothing like Carnival at home in the Caribbean! She is so angry that she kicks over Adèle’s snow castle, but that doesn’t make her feel any better. It takes a video chat with Grandma to help Malaika see the good things about her new home and family.

Nadia L. Hohn’s prose, written in a blend of standard English and Caribbean patois, tells a warm story about the importance of family, especially when adjusting to a new home. 

Reviews
"Hohn contrasts Caribbean and Canadian cultures tenderly, with deep understanding of both, and she and Luxbacher have created a sweet, immersive and loving book that will benefit both young new arrivals to a country and those just meeting them." — Kirkus Reviews, July 2017

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

Additional Information
36 pages | 10.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

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.

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.