Kids Book

Join ošil and her grandparents as they harvest food along what is now called the southwest coast of British Columbia!

It’s ošil’s favourite time of year! When the seasons change and the weather grows warm, the ɬagət̓ (herring) return to the waters of the ɬaʔəmɩn Nation, located on the southwest coast of British Columbia. For ošil and her grandparents, their arrival is the beginning of a full year of harvesting traditional foods provided by the sea and land. Together they fish, pick berries, and dig for clams. Everything tastes so good. And the best part is that there is enough for everyone to share!

Connect with the land and explore traditional Indigenous ways of gathering food in this beautifully illustrated picture book written in the language spoken in Tla’amin and English. Drawn from the childhood memories of ošil (betty wilson), this book is sure to charm readers of all ages.

Reviews
“I absolutely loved this story. [It] gives readers the opportunity to experience life through the main character's eyes as she harvests traditional foods with her grandparents.The colourful images and descriptions—of herring roe, fish soup, and mashed fresh harvested berries with oven bread—are wonderful and made me wish for all these delicacies.”—Nicola I. Campbell, author of Stand Like a Cedar

“Prashant Miranda's expressive illustrations bring ošil’s story of ɬaʔəmɩn lands, language, and food to life. Whether this is an introduction to ʔayʔajuθəm or a warm trip down memory lane, as it was for me, this book will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.”—Cameron Fraser-Monroe, dancer and choreographer (Royal Winnipeg Ballet)

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

Explore this captivating story that bridges generations, celebrates cultural practices, and immerses readers in the rich traditions of the Tla’amin Nation.

Connect with the land and explore traditional Indigenous ways of gathering food in this beautifully illustrated picture book written in the language spoken in ʔayʔajuθəm and English.

Dual-Language: written in the language spoken in Tla'min and English.

The backmatter includes information on traditional foods in Tla'amin, a glossary, a note from the author, and a map.

Big Ideas: Land-Based or Place-Based Learning, Aspects of Indigenous Cultures: Traditional Foods, STEM: Seasonal Cycles, STEM: Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability.

Additional Information
44 pages | 7.75" x 10.25" | Hardcover 

Les autrices abordent les questions environnementales, le bien-être des animaux, l’estime et le respect de soi, ainsi que l’importance de la communauté. Elles livrent un message touchant et universel de manière accessible : nous devons tous être de bons ancêtres pour le monde qui nous entoure. Le texte du livre présenté sous forme de strophes nous porte à réfléchir à notre manière d’influencer les générations futures. Chaque décision que nous prenons a des conséquences et nous pouvons exercer une influence sur le monde qui nous entoure en réfléchissant bien à ces décisions.

Également disponible sous le titre Be a Good Ancestor en anglais.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book is available in English: Be a Good Ancestor.

Additional Information
32 pages | 10.00" x 8.50" | Hardcover 

Miya adore l’école et surtout l’heure du conte. Aujourd’hui, Madame Munro leur raconte l’histoire d’une petite fille emmenée un jour très loin de chez elle dans un pensionnat, où on a coupé ses longs cheveux et enlevé sa poupée préférée. Les enfants autochtones devaient quitter leur famille et n’avaient pas le droit de rentrer chez eux à la fin de la journée ou pour les vacances. Miya, qui est la seule autochtone de sa classe, panique. Est-ce qu’ils vont venir la chercher pour l’emmener loin de chez elle? Même si l’enseignante parle de porter un chandail orange pour se souvenir, elle n’écoute plus et une boule se forme dans son ventre. Plus tard, sa Maman la rassure, ces pensionnats ont été fermés bien avant sa naissance. Apaisée, elle retournera à l’école, portant fièrement son chandail orange. Pour ne pas oublier

Educator Information
Juvenile Fiction.

This book is available in English: Miya Wears Orange.

Additional Information
Hardcover 

Il fait très froid dans le Grand Nord. L’hiver est difficile pour les Innus. Parmi les arbres de la forêt, le Grand-Manitu, grand esprit du bien, cherche celui qui apportera de la joie à tous. Serait-ce le mélèze, avec lequel les Innus fabriquent des traîneaux, des arcs ou des onguents ? Le bouleau, malléable et robuste ? Ou encore la magnifique épinette noire ? « Veux-tu devenir l’arbre de Noël ? », demande-t-il à chacun. Mais l’un après l’autre, les arbres déclinent son offre. Tous… sauf un, que le Grand-Manitu avait d’abord ignoré…

It is very cold in the Far North. Winter is harsh for the Innu people. Among the trees of the forest, the Great Manitou, the great spirit of good, searches for the one who will bring joy to all. Could it be the larch, used by the Innu to make sleds, bows, and ointments? The birch, flexible and strong? Or perhaps the magnificent black spruce? "Would you like to become the Christmas tree?" he asks each one. But one by one, the trees decline his offer. All of them… except one, the very tree the Great Manitou had first overlooked…

Reviews
Dans ce conte innu astucieux, on nous transporte aux côtés du Grand-Manitu [...]. Bien que ce soit un arbre de Noël qui soit au centre de la quête du personnage, cet album réellement intemporel offre une manne de connaissances sur nos forêts. »— Les Libraires

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book is available in English: The First Christmas Tree: An Innu Tale

Additional Information
52 pages | 7.25" x 9.25" | Paperback

Des Cris des Plaines vivant au pied des Rocheuses albertaines jusqu’aux Attikameks du Québec, ils sont nombreux à avoir fait le voyage pour assister à l’Assemblée nationale des Cris, qui se tient cette année dans la petite communauté de Lac-aux-Vents. Depuis plusieurs jours, des tipis, des tentes et des véhicules récréatifs se dressent dans tous les coins de la réserve, s’installent sur chaque parcelle vacante. L’événement, qui doit durer sept jours, est l’occasion pour les communautés de se rencontrer, de participer à des activités traditionnelles et de transmettre aux jeunes générations des savoirs immémoriaux. Sam, Otter, Atim et Chickadee sont surexcités. Or la bonne tenue de l’Assemblée est mise en péril par la disparition d’un précieux traité contenu dans un sac dépositaire de la mémoire de la nation. Est-ce un hasard si Pearl, qui trône au sommet de la hiérarchie des durs à cuire de la réserve, s’est éclipsée au même moment? Quoi qu’il en soit, tous les regards sont tournés vers la communauté de Lac-aux-Vents. Comme le dit toujours le grand-père des Rats musclés : « On est le territoire dans lequel on vit. » Il en va donc de leur dignité : il faut absolument retrouver le traité envolé! Cette série primée au Canada anglais reprend la formule aguerrie des romans d’enquête pour la jeunesse en mettant en scène quatre apprentis détectives qui n’ont pas froid aux yeux. Sous un couvert ludique, elle révèle aux jeunes lecteurs tout un pan de la réalité des Premières Nations du Canada en abordant des sujets sensibles tels que la colonisation et l’effacement des cultures autochtones. Une excellente porte d’entrée pour parler de réconciliation tout en gardant un pied dans l’aventure.

Educator Information
Juvenile Fiction

This book is available in English: The Case of the Burgled Bundle 

Additional Information
Paperback

Tout change pour Alex Robinson. Après que son père ait accepté un nouvel emploi à Winnipeg, Alex et sa famille quittent leur communauté pour s'installer en ville. Pour la première fois de sa vie, il n’arrive pas à s’intégrer. Ses camarades de classe ne comprennent pas la culture autochtone. Même une simple marque de respect envers son professeur lui vaut des ennuis inattendus. Les choses commencent à s'améliorer lorsqu'Alex s'inscrit dans une équipe de hockey locale, les Kodiaks. Alex se révèle être l'un des meilleurs joueurs de l’équipe, mais il devient une cible parce qu'il est autochtone. Alex peut-il faire confiance à ses coéquipiers et s'opposer aux commentaires désobligeants provenant de ses adversaires? Peut-il trouver un moyen de s'intégrer tout en demeurant la personne qu’il est?

Educator Information
This book is available in English: The Kodiaks

Additional Information
Paperback

How a young boy is raised by his grandfather on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. The book denotes various aspects of O'odham himdag (culture) and begins with a simple question that the boy asks his Hu'ul Ke:li (Grandfather) with a culturally relevant answer as to why they do the things they do during the day. Various activities include waking up early in the morning and asking why they do so - to daily chores and activities such as tending horses, working in the garden, hauling water, and gathering food/medicine in the desert.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book includes many O'odham words, but it is not a dual-language book. A glossary is included.

This book is part of the Tohono O'odham series.

Subjects / Themes: Family, Daily Life, Health, Home, Culture

Additional Information
48 pages | 11.00" x 9.00" | colour illustrations | Hardcover

Today is a good day to go for a walk on Mother Earth.

Come on a journey with young Sachiiwin and Waawaasbiikse as they count all the wonderful animals they can see. With each new animal friend, learn their Anishinaabemowin name, and discover what makes them special.

This delightful resource for little ones from Ojibway author, Juliana Armstrong, combines concepts of counting, Anishinaabemowin language learning, and traditional teachings. Accessible, repetitive and gentle, this book offers readers a space to celebrate the beauty of language, and reflect on what guides us in our own walk on Mother Earth.

Educator Information 
Recommended for ages 4 to 11.

This is not a fully dual-language book, but it includes the Anishinaabemowin name for each animal in the story.

Additional Information
32 pages | 11.00" x 8.50" | Hardcover

In this bedtime picture book, join two special families on an illuminating journey through the year and seasons as they explore all the different lights we see at night.

It is dark . . . until street lamps turn on, one, two, three. Red light, green light, yellow light — then, suddenly, lightning strikes! Our porch light guides us home, and while we sleep, the stars of the spring sky emerge, along with new babies, their faces lit by the night. In summer, our faces shine in the campfire light while fireworks burst above us. In autumn, we shiver and cheer under the towering lights of the football field and trick-or-treat on paths lit by the flickering smiles of pumpkins. And in winter, candles and holiday lights gleam but are dwarfed by the majesty of the aurora.

This sweet, beautifully illustrated picture book, a perfect pick for introducing the seasons and seasonal activities and events, explores the simple joys we experience throughout the year when we share them with those we love.

Reviews
"A sleepy seasonal ode to the lights that shine after the sun goes down. . . . The lights, both natural and artificial, cast such warm glows that even in darker scenes, the shadows are never deep in Zeng’s peaceful, idyllic layouts. As she follows an East Asian–presenting human family and a furry four-footed one through the seasons, she tucks in grace notes, from foxlike swirls of sky mist to symbolic candles for Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah . . . Comforting and snoozy, just right for bedtime reading." —Kirkus Reviews

"Hilderman’s evocative first-person-plural prose and Zeng’s painterly digital artwork characterize the four seasons via emblematic ‘lights at night’ in this satisfying springtide-to-wintertide tour. . . . Highlighted with the help of page-filling art and poetic lines, night lights offer an ideal and innovative angle onto the pleasures of a northern clime’s seasons." —Publishers Weekly

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Additional Information
40 pages | 10.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover 

Liitia can't wait to compete in the one-ski race, but she will need practice and a little help if she wants to win!

Liitia lives in Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay), Nunavut, where there is a one-ski race at the end of each spring. Liitia's grandma was always the fastest racer when she was a child, and Liitia wants to race too! She is determined to win the race at the end of the season, even with her old rusty one-ski. Join Liitia in this bilingual picture book as she prepares for the race with a little help from her Grandma.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Liitia’s One-Ski is about a young girl in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, who wants to race in a community one-ski competition. The story is inspired by a real championship that took place and the author’s memories of one-skiing while growing up in Resolute Bay.

In this story, Liitia learns the importance of trying your best and not giving up when faced with challenges as she works toward her dream. This story also demonstrates the value of good sportsmanship and supporting each other as the competition brings people together. 

This bilingual storybook is part of our Community Connections series, which is a collection of fun and engaging stories from Inuit authors that celebrate Nunavut communities.

Dual-language: English and Inuktitut

Additional Information
27 pages | 8.00" x 10.00" | Paperback

From the bestselling and Governor General's Award–winning author of On the Trapline comes a beautifully told and comforting picture book about a boy's journey to overcome generational trauma of residential schools.

Deep in the night, when James should be sleeping, he tosses and turns. He thinks about big questions, like why we don't feel dizzy when the Earth spins. He looks at the stars outside his bedroom and thinks about the night sky stories his kōkom has told him. He imagines being a moshom himself. On nights like these, he follows the moonlit path to his mother's bedroom. They talk and they cuddle, and they fall asleep just like that.

One day, James's kōkom takes him on a special walk with a big group of people. It's called a march, and it ends in front of a big pile of things: teddy bears, flowers, tobacco ties and little shoes. Kōkom tells him that this is a memorial in honor of Indigenous children who had gone to residential schools and boarding schools but didn't come home. He learns that his kōkom was sent away to one of these schools with her sister, who also didn't come home.

That night, James can't sleep so he follows the moonlit path to his mother. She explains to James that at residential school when Kōkom felt alone, she had her sister to cuddle, just like they do. And James falls asleep gathered in his mother's arms.

Includes an author note discussing the inspiration for the book.

Reviews
"Robertson (Norway House Cree Nation) sensitively approaches this history, never explicitly describing the horrors of residential schools but instead leaving space for adults to grapple with youngsters’ questions in their own ways. Though he doesn’t provide easy answers, it’s clear that familial love keeps this child buoyed. Suffused with pinks, icy blues, and deep indigos, the glowing, cartoon-style digital illustrations from McKibbin (Ojibwe) depict the ancestral bonds that keep James rooted. Honest yet age-appropriate and deeply uplifting." —Kirkus Reviews

"Cree author Robertson reteams with Ojibwe, Yoeme, and Irish artist McKibbin (The Song That Called Them Home) for this work that honors children who did not return from residential schools. . . . James and his mother’s musing on intergenerational story-sharing further contribute to themes of connection and loss in this emotional work." —Publishers Weekly

"[Robertson and McKibbin] have taken on the weighty task of presenting a catastrophic loss to young readers, but also offering hope and determination. With poetic text and images of family life that are both familiar and mystical in tone, they have achieved this goal. . . . The honesty of Little Shoes is an antidote to fear." —Imaginary Elevators

"[A] big story about generational trauma of residential schools [which] focuses on the comfort that comes from family. Maya McKibbin evokes comfort and discomfort, as well as affection and thoughtfulness, with great sensitivity. . . . [A] great discussion starter for families and classes about residential schools, about Every Child Matters, and about asking questions. But it will also inspire understanding and empathy for that which has happened so that tragedies like residential schools are not repeated." —CanLit for Little Canadians

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is available in French: Petits souliers

Additional Information
48 pages | 8.00" x 12.00" | Hardcover 

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 

A la recherche de buissons de baies, Nala se perd, seule dans la forêt ! Heureusement, Mama Sasquatch entend ses cris et veille sur elle toute la nuit. Le lendemain, Nala apprend comment et pourquoi Mama et Bébé Sasquatch vivent dans la forêt, loin des gens.

Une histoire à la fois charmante et apaisante pour les jeunes enfants, Mama Sasquatch présente des illustrations peintes envoutantes de l?artiste et autrice Eva Swift, de la nation Ditidaht.

Educator Information
Recommended for Grades 3 and under.

This book is available in English: Mama Sasquatch.

Additional Information
7.00" x 10.00" | Paperback

A decodable book featuring four phonics stories for striving readers, with special features to help children with dyslexia or other language-based learning difficulties find reading success.

Join Meg, Greg and friends on vacation where they throw a birthday party on a train, rescue a sheep from a creek, volunteer for a wild night in the circus and compete in a rowboat race. Plus, take a peek at a few of Greg's vacation photos in a bonus mini story!

Reviews
“The ‘Meg and Greg’ series continue to deliver valuable phonics instruction through engaging stories. The series offers a rare and much-needed resource for children with dyslexia. The adult-child team reading approach is innovative and makes this series a valuable addition to any collection, particularly for libraries supporting diverse reading needs." - School Library Journal (SLJ) Series Made Simple

“While Meg and Greg: Train Day! is designed as a decodable book, the humour, the problem solving, and the variety of characters, together with entertaining graphics and the chapter book format, will appeal to all children in grades 2 to 4. Once the format is explained to the child and proficient reading partner, both readers will enjoy a fun, engaging reading journey together. Highly recommended.”- CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Meg and Greg: Train Day! is the sixth book in the Meg and Greg series designed for shared reading between a child learning to read and an experienced reader. The four stories inside (plus a bonus mini story!) introduce long vowels using vowel teams (long a: ai, ay, a, a-e; long e: ee, ea, e, y, e-e; long i: igh, ild, ind, i, y, i-e; long o: oa, ow, old, oll, olt, ost, o, o-e; long u: ue, ew, u, u-e). In addition to the familiar comic-style kids’ pages, highly controlled and decodable prose pages gently increase the amount of text that readers experience and provide even more opportunities to practice the reading skills previously introduced in Meg and Greg Books 1–5.

Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: L
Lexile measure: 460L
Guided Reading Level: L

Additional Information
160 pages | 5.87" x 8.25" | Paperback

Microbes are tiny but mighty, and they're everywhere!

When left alone, microbes such as bacteria, fungi and algae are experts at adapting, surviving and thriving under extreme and constantly changing conditions. These natural problem solvers can help fight the climate crisis by gobbling up pollutants, breaking down plastic, generating clean energy and capturing carbon. By harnessing the power of microbes, we can create eco-friendly packaging, farm-free food, and even make it easier to live in space! Microbes to the Rescue will introduce young readers to life on a microscopic level and explore how bacteria, fungi and algae play a key role in the connection between all life on Earth. Let’s get microscopic and learn about how microbes can create a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

This book is part of the Orca Footprint series.

Reading Levels:
Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: X 
Lexile measure: 1110L 
Guided Reading Level: X

Additional Information
56 pages | 8.00" x 9.50"| Includes 63 colour photographs, 1 index, 1 bibliography | Hardcover