Cree (Nehiyawak)

Continue to celebrate Cree culture and being true to yourself in the second book in this vibrant new early chapter book series!

Sarah has spent the best summer visiting Kohkom and her best friend Eden in her home community, but it’s almost time to return to the city and back to school. Eden has been acting odd and distant the past few days, and Sarah can’t quite figure out why: when she finds a tipi surprise in Kohkom’s backyard that Eden has been keeping a secret, Sarah figures that must be the reason!

But as the girls prepare for one last sleepover of the summer, Sarah continues to feel butterflies growing in her tummy when she hears Eden speaking Cree. Eden knows so much more about the language and their culture than Sarah; could that be what’s creating distance between them? As the night goes on, a magical visit from Maskwa reminds the girls that their differences and their culture is what makes their friendship so special.

Sita MacMillan continues to explore topsy-turvy feelings of growing up as a young Indigenous person living away from their community, with magical illustrations from Azby Whitecalf that transport the reader into the forest once again with Sarah Ponakey.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

This is the second book in the Sarah Ponakey, Storycatcher series, a vibrant early chapter book series celebrating Cree culture and being true to yourself.

Includes a Glossary of Cree words and English meanings. 

Themes: Bears, Jealousy, Tipi, Cree, Indigenous, Culture, Dreams, Storytelling, Friendship

Guided Reading Level: O

Additional Information
120 pages | 6.00" x 7.50" | Paperback

From the author of I'm Finding My Talk comes a candid picture book about the importance of Indigenous place names, and acknowledging traditional lands.

Sem is confused. The map Mr. Trainer has just put on the screen is all wrong. It's the same shape as Turtle Island but it's nothing but boxes and lines, and it's filled with names he doesn't know. There's no reference to the stories of the land his Kiju tells him every night while she braids his hair. But Sem's teacher and classmates claim there's nothing wrong. It's the same map they've always used.

See tries to see the land the way Mr. Trainer showed him, but it just doesn't feel right. Where is the story of how the moose gets his dinner? Or where the fish run in the spring? Or when to tap the trees for syrup?

With the help of Kiju, Sem will show his teacher and his classmates how the stories of the land, the Indigenous place names, are far older than any map.

A gentle calling-in, this assured story from Governor General's Award finalist Rebecca Thomas is paired with colourful, lively illustrations from Azby Whitecalf, as well as colonial and decolonial maps of Turtle Island (North America) for reference. Sem's Map is an invaluable resource for caregivers, educators, and young readers about the importance of acknowledging the traditional lands we live on, and unlearning colonial ways of the past.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 9.

Themes / Subjects: First Nations, Indigenous Knowledge, place names, land acknowledgement, decolonization, history, social studies

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

A gorgeous picture book about the connections created through music, and how music can reach loved ones with dementia.

A young boy learns to play guitar from his grandfather, and the one about the blackbird is their favorite song. Years later, the boy visits his grandfather, and while his grandfather doesn't recognize him, now grown-up, he does still remember how to hold a guitar.

A beautiful full circle moment ensues when the boy plays his grandfather their favorite song.

The moving text and dynamic, gorgeous art celebrate the connection that music can create between two people and the joy that music, and the shared love of it, can bring at any age.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.50" x 11.00" | Hardcover

This Story follows Grandfather and his Grandson as they walk together down The Path. They will meet many Relatives who each carry a Teaching. Grandfather shares with Grandson the Teachings and their importance.

Educator Information
Recommended for grades 3 to 6.

Additional Information
28 Pages | Hardcover 

 
This action-packed, full-colour middle-grade non-fiction book opens up the world of aviation to youth from diverse backgrounds, through the incredible stories of Canadians who broke barriers to reach the sky—from Newfoundland and Labrador to Manitoba to the Yukon.

From commercial, transport, and military pilots to search-and-rescue helicopter pilots to airplane mechanics, The Sky's the Limit! introduces readers to inspiring contemporary aviators, including commercial pilot Captain Mohamed Samanter, Gwich'in pilot Fred Carmichael, and Kimberly Ballantyne, the first woman of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation to become a pilot. Along the way, readers will learn important context about the history of flight in Canada, including the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Black soldiers of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, military pilot Allan Selwyn Bundy—one of only two known Black Canadian combat pilots who flew during the Second World War—and many more.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 7 to 10.

Featuring sidebars, profiles of various aircraft, photographs, illustrations, as well as a glossary and bibliography, The Sky’s the Limit! is a much needed STEAM resource for young readers interested in a career in aviation, and an inspiring story for the millions of kids who haven’t seen themselves represented in the skies.

Includes some Indigenous content.

Additional Information
88 Pages | 50+ Colour Images | Paperback

Eli must embrace his unique heritage and make an impossible decision about his future, and the future of Misewa, in this thrilling last adventure in the award-winning, Narnia-inspired Indigenous middle-grade fantasy series.

Eli, Morgan and Emily manage to free themselves from captivity as the battle between the humans, animal beings, and Bird Warriors rages on. But there's another, more personal battle, as Eli and an unlikely ally fight to save Mahihkan’s life through a previously forbidden portal. When the Sleeping Giant rumbles to life, the stakes hit an all-time high, and Eli has to reach deep within himself to summon the power so that he can protect Misewa against the dangers of colonization . . . forever.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended ages 10+.

This is Book 6 of the Misewa Saga. Narnia meets traditional Indigenous stories of the sky and constellations in this epic middle-grade fantasy series from award-winning author David Robertson.

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

Learn about the Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back with this easy to read beautifully illustrated rhyming book. A great tool to help young children understand and learn the many teachings of the thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back.

Educator Information
Recommended for Grade 1 students.

Additional Information
Hardcover 

Learn about Tipi Teachings with this easy to read, beautifully illustrated rhyming book. A great tool to help young children understand and learn the many teachings of the Tipi.

Educator Information
Recommended for Grades 1 to 3.

Additional Information
Hardcover

From the author of the Governor General’s Award shortlisted, Silver Birch Award finalist Mortified, a funny, heartfelt middle-grade novel about a young gamer who is sent to “touch grass” at a Dene First Nation culture camp.

Tristen would do anything to avoid going outside. The bugs sting, the snakes are poisonous, the heat will kill you if the cold doesn’t, and bodies of water? Forget it. Tristen likes it best indoors, deep in his online world where it’s safe, with his online friends. Something he has a hard time with IRL.

But Tristen is in trouble at school again, and the principal is threatening to kick him out of this third school in two years. His mom believes the answer is to get Tristen off the games and in touch with nature and his Dene roots. This means Tristen has to spend a week to a culture camp in the wilderness. It’s his worst nightmare!

And at first it is a nightmare—no internet, no phone reception, no Bepsi!—and Tristen has no idea how to do any of the skills the other kids seem to do easily. But soon, with some surprising new friends and a few patient teachers, and a little help from technology, Tristen begins to think he might be able to hack this nature stuff after all.

Reviews
“I think it’s so important for kids to see themselves in books, and our area isn’t often included. I think kids from the north who read this will feel included. I think they will laugh when they read it. I sure did.”— Ronelda Robillard, Hatchet Lake Denesu?line´ First Nation, Treaty 10

"I am Dene, and I come from an Athabasca Dene community. I endorse Touching Grass. This book, with its themes of resilience, survival, and the importance of community, resonates deeply with the Saskatchewan community. . . . We would love kids everywhere to read it!” — Rosalie Tsannie-Burseth, Hatchet Lake Denesu?line´ First Nation, Treaty 10

"Reminiscent of Ruby Slipperjack's Little Voice and Lee Maracle's Will's Garden, Touching Grass is a story readers are going to love. If you're a fan of the Joey Pigza series, you'll feel right at home with Tristen with his innocent heart and sizzling energy. I loved every part of his journey. Wow. What a fun read." — Richard Van Camp, author of The Lesser Blessed and Beast

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Additional Information
336 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | 30 b&w illustrations | Hardcover 

Prepare to embark on a journey rich with the wisdom of our ancestors and the secrets shared by Mother Earth.

In this children’s book, you will follow a path once tread by those before us, where the songs of the trees, the dance of the rivers, and our stories are carried by the wind. These teachings are invaluable treasures passed down through generations.

You’ll discover the language of animals, the lessons of plants, and the wisdom of the land. If you listen closely, you will hear the “Whispers of the Earth,” guiding you on this incredible adventure.

Educator Information
Recommended for kindergarten to grade 7.

Carl Sam advised on the language, and is “Ha7li” of the Bear Clan from Skookumchuck, part of St’at’icmulh Nation, sometimes referred to as the Interior Salish. Through this book, he shares elements of the Ucwalmícwts language.

Includes some words in Ucwalmícwts.

Additional Information
60 pages | 20 × 20 × 1 cm | Paperback | Printed locally on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

A joyful, proud and groundbreaking collection of letters and art for young people, You Were Made for This World brings together celebrated Indigenous voices from across Turtle Island.

Every young person deserves the chance to feel like they belong, that they are recognized, that they matter. In the spirit of A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader, You Were Made for This World brings together forty Indigenous writers, artists, activists, athletes, scholars and thinkers with a joint purpose: to celebrate the potential of young people, to share a sense of joy and pride in language, traditional and personal stories and teachings, and shared experiences, and to honor young people for who they are and what they dream of.

Including contributions from activist Autumn Peltier, singer/songwriter Tanya Tagaq, hockey player Ethan Bear, Governor General's Award–winning author David A. Robertson, artists Chief Lady Bird and Christi Belcourt, illustrator Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, and dozens of others, this beautifully collaborative collection urges readers to think about who they are, where they come from and where they're going, with a warm familiarity that will inspire you to see yourself and your community with proud eyes.

Also includes a ribbon bookmark.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Additional Information
120 pages | 7.50" x 10.00" | Hardcover

Anahareo Saves the Beaver is the lost story of how Anahareo, an Indigenous woman, helps save the beaver from extinction. Anahareo helps to initiate the conservation movement by convincing Grey Owl to adopt two beaver kits and give up trapping. She helps him raise environmental awareness around the world. The story is accompanied by some Anishinabe translations and teachings as well as some thought-provoking environmental insights which will appeal to children ages 3 to 8.

Educator Information
The publisher recommends this work for ages 3 to 8.

Translation and Indigenous Teachings are by Dennis and Elaine Mckay, Anishinabe elders, Rolling River First Nation.

Proceeds from this book go to Friends of Riding Mountain.

Additional Information
32 Pages | 8.5" x 8.5" | Paperback 

Une enfant différente de sa mère découvre la beauté et un sentiment d’appartenance, dans ce nouveau livre de la créatrice de Les étoiles m’ont chanté ton nom, un livre à succès du New York Times.

L’endroit préféré d’Izzy est dans les bras de sa maman, peau contre peau, en sécurité et au chaud. Un soir, blottie sur les genoux de sa mère, Izzy constate une chose qu’elle n’avait jamais remarquée auparavant : sa peau est de la couleur du chocolat, alors que celle de sa mère est de la couleur du sable.

Quand Izzy se rend compte qu’elle est aussi différente de sa mère sur d’autres plans, elle se sent triste et confuse. Elle souhaite tant être jolie comme sa maman!

En tirant des leçons de la nature et en répétant sa douce berceuse, la maman d’Izzy l’encourage à reconnaître sa propre beauté, tout à fait unique. Cette histoire d’une enfant née de parents d’origines différentes, qui navigue entre identité et appartenance, s’inspire de l’expérience personnelle de l’autrice, Tasha Spillett-Sumner, qui est afro-autochtone. Un texte lyrique et des illustrations chaleureuses et vivantes illustrent le parcours d’Izzy, qui apprend à célébrer les différences qui rendent sa beauté unique, et le lien avec sa mère qui transcende les traits physiques.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is available in English: Beautiful You, Beautiful Me

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.32" x 10.97"

Benjamin aime la pluie. Il adore patauger dans les flaques avec ses bottes jaune vif et regarder les couleurs de l’arc-en-ciel dans l’eau qui ondule sous ses pieds. Mais surtout, Benjamin adore le tonnerre. Pour lui, le tonnerre – piyêsiwak – ressemble au bruit que fait le tambour de son grand-père. Cette musique l’interpelle, comme les chansons que joue son grand-père pendant que son père et d’autres danseurs de pow-wow tournent et bougent au rythme du tambour. Alors que Benjamin entend le tonnerre gronder au-dessus de sa tête, il s’imagine être un danseur de pow-wow. Il tourne, tape des pieds et lève les genoux. Il virevolte de plus en plus vite, ravi et empli du rythme du piyêsiwak.

Cette histoire, écrite par la talentueuse autrice primée Melanie Florence, célèbre à la fois les joies de jouer sous la pluie et les liens avec les traditions familiales qui nous centrent et nous enracinent. Des éléments de la culture du pow-wow cri et des mots cris pour désigner les couleurs et le temps qu’il fait sont intégrés à l’histoire, avec un guide de prononciation. Les illustrations vibrantes et accrocheuses de Hawlii Pichette, inspirées par les paysages du nord de l’Ontario, ajoutent à l’intérêt de ce livre.

Cet album illustré attrayant constitue une lecture parfaite pour les journées pluvieuses, ainsi qu’une excellente introduction aux traditions culturelles cries, aux communautés locales et à la découverte de la nature.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is available in English: Benjamin's Thunderstorm

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

In this engrossing graphic novel, teen hockey player Chase learns more about himself and his identity in the face of prejudice and homophobia.

Thirteen-year-old Chase’s life and identity should be simple. He’s the goalie for his hockey team, the Eagles. He’s a friend to Kevin and Jade. He's Kookum's youngest grandchild. He’s a boy. He should like girls.

But it’s not that simple. Chase doesn’t like girls the way that the other boys do. It’s scary being so different from his peers. Scarier still is the feeling that his teammates can tell who he is—and that they hate him for it. If he pretends hard enough, maybe he can hide the truth.

Real strength and change can’t come from a place of shame. Chase’s dreams are troubled by visions of a bear spirit, and the more he tries to hide, the more everything falls apart. With the help of an Elder, and a Two-Spirit mentor, can Chase find the strength to be proud of who he is?

Between the Pipes explores toxic masculinity in hockey through the experiences of an Indigenous teen.

Reviews
“Highlights the importance of community and cultural connection as roots for embracing one’s identity.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The authors deftly confront multiple layers of intolerance exacerbated by toxic masculinity. Ojibwe artist RL uses saturated full color (with well-placed, empowering rainbows) to capture Chase’s self-empowering journey. The result is a compelling, hope-giving antidote against potential at-risk suicide among 2-Spirit/Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ youth.” — Booklist

“This hopeful...story offers valuable insight into Chase’s experience as a gay, Indigenous teen. Hockey and identity collide in this affirming graphic novel about recognizing and valuing one’s authentic self.” — School Library Journal

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 12 - 18.

Reading Level: Fountas & Pinnell Y

Additional Information
56 pages | 6.50" x 10.00" | Paperback