Bedtime Stories

Good morning! Bonjour! Tānisi! Spend a day in Canada. Eat soft crepes with sticky maple syrup, play with atimwak in the snow and cache-cache in the park, and zip and zoom around the ice rink. Even learn words in French and Cree with pronunciation guides throughout the story.

Endnotes provide more insights into life in Canada.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 2 and 3.

This book includes multicultural content about life in Canada.  It includes some French and Cree words/phrases.

Additional Information
20 pages | 6.70" x 6.50" | Boardbook 

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 

You are more powerful than you imagine.

In this lyrical picture book, young readers are reminded of their cultural roots, the wisdom of their ancestors and their own potential. Each page offers an affirmation about identity, respect, love and truth, encouraging all children to embrace their unique gifts and power. From the resilience flowing through their veins to the knowledge written in the stars, Remember Who You Are inspires children to see themselves as integral parts of their community, capable of great leadership and great kindness.

Perfect for bedtime reading and classroom discussions, this book fosters a deep sense of belonging and pride by celebrating Indigenous heritage and reminding young readers who they truly are.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Dual-language: English and Plains Cree.

Plain Cree translation by Dorothy Thunder. 

This book is available in English: Remember Who You Are.

This book is available in French: N'oublie jamais qui tu es. 

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

You are more powerful than you imagine.

In this lyrical picture book, young readers are reminded of their cultural roots, the wisdom of their ancestors and their own potential. Each page offers an affirmation about identity, respect, love and truth, encouraging all children to embrace their unique gifts and power. From the resilience flowing through their veins to the knowledge written in the stars, Remember Who You Are inspires children to see themselves as integral parts of their community, capable of great leadership and great kindness.

Perfect for bedtime reading and classroom discussions, this book fosters a deep sense of belonging and pride by celebrating Indigenous heritage and reminding young readers who they truly are.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book is available in a dual-language format: Remember Who You Are / kiskisi awîna kiya.

This book is available in French: N'oublie jamais qui tu es.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Let Dragonfly lead you on a journey of inspiration!

Following your winged guide, visit the places and things that can help you find strength in the present and imagine your amazing future. Dream alongside everything from a giant construction site and a sewing machine to the river and a blanket of moss. After your travels, Dragonfly asks: What do you like to dream about? With its mixed setting in rural and urban environments and exploration of both the natural and modern world, Dreaming Alongside gives readers permission to daydream and think of what magic their lives have the potential to hold.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5. 

This book is available in English and Plains Cree: Dreaming Alongside / ê-pawâtamahk.

Reading Levels: 
Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: L 
Lexile measure: 900L 
Guided Reading Level: L

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Let Dragonfly lead you on a journey of inspiration!

Following your winged guide, visit the places and things that can help you find strength in the present and imagine your amazing future. Dream alongside everything from a giant construction site and a sewing machine to the river and a blanket of moss. After your travels, Dragonfly asks: What do you like to dream about? With its mixed setting in rural and urban environments and exploration of both the natural and modern world, Dreaming Alongside gives readers permission to daydream and think of what magic their lives have the potential to hold.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5. 

This bilingual book includes full text in both English and Plains Cree.
Translated into Plains Cree by Dorothy Thunder.

This book is available in English only: Dreaming Alongside.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Beautifully illustrated with a cloth-like spine, this imaginative picture book shares an Inuk child's experience with gratitude and celebrates family connections from the newest siblings to cherished Elders.

A young boy, Kalluk, leaves his camp to tell his grandmother that his mother is about to have a baby. Along the way, Kalluk meets different animals and he asks them why they are so happy. The rabbits say they love to be fast enough to outrun the fox and clever enough to know when to hide. They are happy to protect each other from the winter wind: "I'd give you my tail if I could!" they say. A mother fox tells the boy her pups make her happy (and her pups say their mother makes them happy: "We would give her our tails if we could!" they say. Even the river and the wind have reasons to be happy. Kalluk's encounters with nature make him reflect on his gratitude for all it provides.

On the trip back, Kalluk and his grandmother talk about happiness, peace and choices. They speak to the ravens and get a lift from the wind right to Kalluk's doorstep. And waiting inside is a new baby sister! Holding her in his arms, Kalluk discovers a new reason to be thankful.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover

Grandmother Moon is lonely in the night sky. When she stops in her journey to hear Brother Mountain's stories, she also stops the sun from rising, the animals from sleeping, and more! This causes the Creator to intervene, but how can Grandmother Moon's loneliness be solved while ensuring the sky moves from night to day?

Educator Information
Recommended for grades 3 and under.

Additional Information
36 Pages | 8.25" x 8.25" | Hardcover 

All That You Are is a series of heartwarming, affirmational picture books from author and illustrator Sarah-Anne Tourond.

Through lyrical text and watercolour illustrations, this series shares the teachings of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel to remind children of their connection to the world around them. Each book is inspired by one quadrant of the Medicine Wheel that represents an aspect of wellness—Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, or Mental. A diagram of the Medicine Wheel is included at the back of the books. Anishinaabe Connections are also included to share more about Anishinaabe art, culture, and traditions explored in the text and illustrations.

A percentage of proceeds from this series is donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society to support their efforts in advocacy for justice and healing. To find out more information, please visit https://www.irsss.ca/.

Books in the All That You Are Series include:

You Are Sacred – Connects to the Spiritual quadrant of the Medicine Wheel

You Are the Land – Connects to the Physical quadrant of the Medicine Wheel

Educator Information
Books in the All That You Are series are best suited for children ages 3 to 6 and make wonderful read-alouds in classrooms and homes.

Free lesson plans and activity sheets are available for each book.

Curriculum Connections:

Early Literacy – listening, reading, and discussing

Art – the rhythm and music of the world around us, traditional Anishinaabe clothing and art

Health and Wellness – focusing on breath and balance, self-affirmation

Science – harmonious ecosystems, biodiversity of plants and animals with Indigenous cultural importance, environmental awareness

Social Responsibility – uplifting others and ourselves

Indigenous Knowledge and Traditions – teachings of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel, the Seven Generations, and All Our Relations

Additional Information
Each book is 24 pages | 8” x 8” | Hardcover | Series ISBN: 978-1-77174-630-4 

Educator Information
You Are the Land is a perfect read-aloud for children ages 3 to 6 in both classrooms and homes.

Curriculum Connections:
Early Literacy – listening, reading, discussing, and rhyming

Art – traditional Anishinaabe clothing and art

Health and Wellness – breath and balance, self-affirmation, connection to nature for physical health and wellness, and traditional medicines

Science – harmonious ecosystems, biodiversity of plants and animals with Indigenous cultural importance, environmental awareness

Social Responsibility – uplifting others and ourselves, respecting Mother Earth

Indigenous Knowledge and Traditions – teachings of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel, the Seven Generations, the Three Sisters, and All Our Relations

Series Information
You Are the Land is the second book in the All That You Are series. Through lyrical text and colourful watercolour illustrations, the All That You Are series uses the teachings of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel to remind children of their connection to the world around them. Each book in the series focuses on one quadrant of the Medicine Wheel representing one kind of wellness—Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, or Mental. A diagram and description of the Medicine Wheel are included at the back of each book. Also included are Anishinaabe Connections, which share more about Anishinaabe art, culture, and traditions explored in the text and illustrations. Books in the All That You Are series are best suited for children ages 3 to 6 and make wonderful read-alouds in classrooms and homes.

You Are Sacred is the first book in the series.

A percentage of proceeds from the All That You Are series is donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society to support their efforts in advocacy for justice and healing. To find out more information, please visit https://www.irsss.ca/.

Additional Information
24 Pages | 8" x 8" | Hardcover | ISBN: 978-1-77174-632-8

This board book presents the months of the Mi’kmaw lunar calendar to very young children and their parents. Mi’kmaw artist Loretta Gould’s art illustrates each of the 12 Mi’kmaw moons through the changing seasons in Mi’kma’ki. Each month is named after events in the natural world – from Snow Blinding Time through Frogs Croaking Time and Berry Ripening Time. Each month’s illustration is accompanied by its name in Mi’kmaw and English.

Loretta Gould’s art, first published in Mi’kmaw Moons: A First Lunar Calendar has won high praise from reviewers, and the book has received numerous awards.

Educator Information
For ages 2 to 5.

Includes names of the months in English and Mi'kmaw.

This is the board book version of Mi'kmaw Moons: The Seasons in Mi'kma'ki.

Additional Information
6.53" x 6.53" | Board Book

Learn fun names for animal groups of the West Coast with a sturdy board book featuring the illustrations of Indigenous artist Roy Henry Vickers.

Bright blocks of colour and tactile embossed pages bring the natural world of the wild West Coast to life. Accompanied by a rhythmic, rhyming text, this board book will entertain babies, toddlers, and adults alike as they discover that orcas leap and dive in a pod, a bunch of sea lions are called a bob, geese make up a wedge, a swamp full of croaking frogs form a chorus, a jumble of jellies are called a bloom—and more!

A Flock of Gulls, a Chorus of Frogs is a vibrant addition to this bestselling, award-winning First West Coast Book series, perfect for storytime and supporting language development in babies and toddlers.

Educator & Series Information
This book is a part of the First West Coast Books series.

Recommended for ages 3 and under.

Additional Information
24 pages | 7.25" x 5.00" | Board Book

A whimsical and lyrical celebration of imagination and exploration if we simply asked, “What if . . .”

Follow two siblings through their day as they let their imaginations run wild in this joyful story about all the possibilities a simple “what if” can conjure up: What if the monsters in your closet wanted to be your friend? What if all of the dinosaurs were shrunk to be teeny-tiny when the comet hit the earth? And what if bedtime didn’t exist and we could imagine anything we wanted?

What If Bedtime Didn’t Exist? places an Urban Indigenous family at the heart of a fun and fantastical celebration of daydreaming, adventure, and play while living in the city. The tenderness and care in this intergenerational home is seen through relationships with all members in the family.

Mathias Ball’s vibrant illustrations bring each page of acclaimed author Francine Cunningham’s debut picture book to life. What If Bedtime Didn’t Exist? opens up new spaces for creativity and endless possibilities into our everyday world.

Reviews
“A tenderly written, beautifully illustrated story that taps into our creative selves. I can already hear the oohs and awes and giggles, and see little fingers circling around the drawings discovering each “what if” and imagining the imaginings. A wonderful story that’s going to kick off so many conversations between readers about all of the “what ifs!”. So much fun!” — Julie Flett, author of We All Play and Birdsong

“What if the imagination of kids created the world? Then every day would be filled with the rollicking, bright and sparkling, fantastical, astronomical adventures Francine Cunningham and Mathias Ball give us here. Sign me up!” — Caroline Adderson, author of more than twenty books for children including It Happened on Sweet Street and Norman, Speak!

“What if Bedtime Didn’t Exist? is a day dream that sings and celebrates the innocence of imagination. Every page is pure cozy magic! I want to live in this book! I love it!” — Richard Van Camp, author of What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?

“Francine Cunningham has gifted us a story for readers in search of adventure in the everyday. What if Bedtime Didn’t Exist showcases Cunningham’s writing as expansive as riding with dragons and as intimate as confiding hard feels with ladybugs. For the adventurous and sensitive kid alike, What If Bedtime Didn’t Exist is guided by two Indigenous siblings with boundless curiosity, who remind us that the true source of our magic is embedded in our own imaginations.” — Whitney French, editor of Black Writers Matter

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 7.

Recommended in the Indigenous Books for Schools catalogue as a valuable resource for English Language Arts for k to 3.

Themes: Childhood, Family.

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

A little boy wants a chance to shine on his own but discovers that being apart from his large and lively Native family isn’t necessarily better in this heartwarming and humorous picture book.

When Russell gets a part in the school play, he lights up like a shining star—and he can’t wait to tell his big, boisterous Native family the exciting news. But catching their attention when they all get together feels impossible; no matter where they go, they seem to be too noisy, too many, and just too much!

Russell decides to keep his big debut to himself and fly solo for once…but being alone may not be the answer. After all, there’s no such thing as too much love, and when he needs them most, his great big family knows how to be just enough.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

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

Everyone is welcome in the circle.

In this warmhearted book, we join Molly at the Intertribal Community Center, where she introduces us to people she knows and loves: her grandmother and her grandmother’s wife, her uncles and their baby, her cousins, and her treasured friends.

They dance, sing, garden, learn, pray, and eat together. And tonight, they come together for a feast! Molly shares with the reader how each person makes her feel—and reminds us that love is love.

Through tender prose and radiant artwork, author Monique Gray Smith (Cree/Lakota) and illustrator Nicole Neidhardt (Diné) show how there is always room for others in our lives. Circle of Love is a story celebrating family, friends, community, and, most of all, love.

Includes an author’s note, contextual notes, and glossary.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8

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

A grandmother’s sudden departure leaves her family with an even more puzzling, and wondrous, surprise in this enchanting story from the National Book Award–winning author—at last back in print!

Grandmother was a mysterious woman. She could heal with a touch (or with a cup of very bitter tea) or scare off a vicious dog with a look. But when she hitches a ride to Greenland on a passing porpoise, her family is still surprised—and then concerned. The mystery deepens when, among Grandmother’s collection of birds’ nests, the family discovers a clutch of eggs hatching. Out pop three passenger pigeons—birds of a species long extinct, supposedly.

Through the words of a curious grandchild, and Jim LaMarche’s evocative artwork, Grandmother’s legacy unfolds in these pages in all its peculiarity and charm. Mixing whimsy and gravity with a little science and history, the tale of the family’s loss, and marvelous find, summons a world as intriguing as it is perfectly clear—a world animated by Louise Erdrich’s storytelling magic, inviting readers young and old to follow Grandmother, and to wonder.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 9.

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

On the banks of the Gwa’yi River, a young Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w princess grows up to be a curious student, an influential leader, and a mother. She is a humble person and doesn’t speak of her royalty to her children, but when they learn she is a princess at a traditional celebration, they are in disbelief. She doesn’t wear fancy clothes or attend balls or do anything the children think princesses should do. Using a strategy they had read about in an old tale to put their mother’s royalty to the test, the children discover the truth. But more importantly, they also learn what it really means to be a princess.

Written as a tribute to the author’s grandmother, this beautifully illustrated story reimagines a fairy tale in a contemporary Indigenous setting.

Awards

• First Place: 2025 Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society Book Awards for BC Authors
• Longlisted: 2024-2025 First Nation Communities READ Award

Reviews
"The author was inspired by the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Anderson when she wrote this story to honour her grandmother. In this contemporary version, two children, while attending a traditional Indigenous celebration, are surprised to hear that their mother is a princess. She has never mentioned her royalty, and she doesn’t act the way the children think princesses generally behave. Remembering the story that told of placing a pea under mattresses to test if a person is a real princess, the children secretly place a pair of pants under their mother’s mattress and anxiously wait to hear if her sleep is affected. In the morning, they learn not only the truth, but also what it really means to be a princess.

Classroom Connections: The Princess and the Pants could be used in the classroom to compare different versions of fairy tales. It could also serve as a springboard into discussions about the personal qualities that the author wished to celebrate when she wrote this story. A short biographical note about Dr. Evelyn Voyageur—a notable Indigenous leader—is included. Beautiful illustrations depict aspects of a Kwakwaka’wakw culture." - Canadian Teacher Magazine, Fall 2023 issue

"A contemporary Indigenous spin on the Princess and the Pea, the picture book is suitable as a part of a fairy tale unit and a read-aloud to spark discussions about personal qualities and attributes, expectations, stereotypes, curiosity, the importance of helping others, and honouring traditions." - Focused Education Resources

“Loved the role modelling of the princess as one who represents adventure, cultural knowledge, and caring for others while finding achievement. The story promotes respect, admiration, humility, kindness, and honouring of a strong, successful female. The imaginative story is a fun challenge to princess stereotypes and classic related fairytales. The nonfiction content provides an enriching and personalized bonus that deepens the impact of the words and provides local significance. Well done. The illustrations are excellent, offering accurate and attractive cultural designs, clothing, head ware, and jewelry.” – The 2025 Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society judges’ panel

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Backmatter provides details about Ukwanalis, including a map, as well as information about the inspiration behind the story, Dr. Evelyn Voyageur.

Curriculum Connections 

• Early Literacy – listening, reading, and discussing 
• Art – traditional Indigenous art practices, including jewellery and regalia 
• Social Studies – career education, family history, connection to community, geography, and local First Peoples communities 
• Language Arts – contemporary First Peoples stories and revisioning classic fairy tales 
• Social Responsibility – leadership, humility, caring for others, and honouring traditions 

Additional Information
24 Pages | 8.5” x 11” | Hardcover | 9781771746038

A thunderstorm evokes a boy's family traditions, in this rainy-day story from award-winning author Melanie Florence.

Benjamin loves the rain. He loves splashing through puddles in his bright yellow rain boots and watching the colors of a rainbow in the water as they ripple around his feet. But most of all, Benjamin loves thunder. To him, thunder --- piyêsiwak --- sounds like his grandfather's drum. It calls to him, like the songs his grandfather plays while his father and other powwow dancers spin and step in time to the drumbeat. As Benjamin hears the thunder rumble overhead, he imagines himself as a powwow dancer. He spins, he taps his feet and he lifts his knees. Faster and faster he twirls, delighted by and filled with the rhythm of piyêsiwak.

This artfully written story from award-winning author Melanie Florence celebrates both the universal joys of playing in the rain and the connections to family traditions that center and ground us. Elements of Cree powwow culture and Cree words for colors and weather are interwoven into the story, with a pronunciation guide in the back matter.

The vibrant and eye-catching art by Hawlii Pichette, inspired by the scenery of northern Ontario, adds drama to the pages. This inviting picture book makes a perfect read-aloud for a rainy day, as well as an excellent introduction to Cree cultural traditions, local communities and experiencing nature firsthand.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is available in French: Benjamin, au rythme du tonnerre 

This book is part of the Benjamin Outdoors series. From dancing in the rain with thunder for a drum to planting a vegetable garden with his mom, Benjamin loves being in nature. With evocative text and vibrant art, this delightful picture book series celebrates the joys of spending time outdoors and weaves in nature-related Cree words.

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

Educator Information
You Are Sacred is a perfect read-aloud for children ages 3 to 6 in both classrooms and homes. 

Curriculum Connections:
Early Literacy – listening, reading, and discussing

Art – traditional Anishinaabe clothing and art

Health and Wellness – focusing on breath and balance, self-affirmation

Science – harmonious ecosystems, biodiversity of plants and animals with Indigenous cultural importance, environmental awareness

Social Responsibility – uplifting others and ourselves

Indigenous Knowledge and Traditions – teachings of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel, the Seven Generations, and All Our Relations 

Series Information
You Are Sacred is the first book in the All That You Are series. Through lyrical text and watercolour illustrations, this series shares the teachings of the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel to remind children of their connection to the world around them. Each book is inspired by one quadrant of the Medicine Wheel that represents an aspect of wellness—Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, or Mental. A diagram of the Medicine Wheel is included at the back of the books. Anishinaabe Connections are also included to share more about Anishinaabe art, culture, and traditions explored in the text and illustrations.

You Are the Land is the second book in the series.

A percentage of proceeds from the All That You Are series is donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society to support their efforts in advocacy for justice and healing. To find out more information, please visit https://www.irsss.ca/.

Additional Information
24 Pages | 8" x 8" | Hardcover | ISBN: 978-1-77174-629-8

The creators of Raven, Rabbit, Deer are back with another thoughtful tale of a young boy and his grandfather taking a walk through the woods and all the creatures and plants they encounter.

Walking as “quiet as mice and rabbits and deer” they come upon fresh moose droppings and set out to find the moose itself. They discover the branches where the moose ate breakfast, greet a chipmunk and goose, and inspect rosehips and pussy willows, but the moose is nowhere to be found. Finally, after accepting that they will have to try again next time, the boy and his grandfather head home… only to be met with a big surprise.

In Finding Moose, Governor General’s Award-nominated author Sue Farrell Holler gives us a glimpse into the wondrous world of nature through the eyes of a curious child. Grandpa quietly encourages this curiosity while offering answers and further lessons where he can. Illustrator Jennifer Faria draws us in with gentle paintings that make us want to reach out and touch the scenery.

Reviews
“For a lovely early spring walk, learning about nature and being introduced to words in Ojibwemowin, join an Anishinaabe grandfather with his grandson to see how forest life reveals itself and search for an elusive mooz.”—CanLit for LittleCanadians

“Children will enjoy this simple story that introduces them to some of their forest neighbours whose names are in both English and Ojibwemowin. Highly recommended.”— Simcoe.com

“[T]his joyful book reinforces the need to listen, see, and be present in the woods so that the wonders of nature can unfold. The power of loving inter-generational relationships rests at the core of this simple story… The end result is a touching story that addresses important lessons at a time when environmental change is such a pressing concern.”—Children’s Literature

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 6.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover

Pauloosie loves his pet rock, Miki Rock. Pauloosie’s Anaana, his mother, tells him a bedtime story about what Miki Rock sees, hears, and feels in his Arctic home. As part of the land, Miki Rock sees char and beluga, listens to chirps and howls, and feels the snow and sun.

Through lyrical text and ethereal landscape illustrations by Pelin Turgut, readers are taken on an Arctic journey from the point of view of a most unlikely object—a child’s pet rock.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Recommended in the Indigenous Books for Schools catalogue as a valuable resource for English Language Arts and Science for K to 2.

Themes: Animals, Land, Respect, Arctic, Connection to Nature

Additional Information
28 pages | 9.00" x 9.50" | Hardcover

“We’ll love you as much as the narwhal loves its tusk.

We’ll love you as much as the seal loves its musk.

Little One, our new baby,

Welcome to our family.”

This loving bedtime poem shares all the ways in which a family will welcome their long-awaited new member. Sharing love as deep as the beluga dives and as warm as the shaggy hair of the muskox, this poem envelopes a new baby in the embrace of their new home in all its forms—the Arctic landscape and the welcoming arms of family.

Written by Inuk/Dene writer Masiana Kelly, and illustrated with warmth and softness by Tamara Campeau, this sweet and simple narrative celebrates the beauty of creating a family and the unbounding love waiting to be shared with a new little soul.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Additional Information
28 pages | 9.50" x 8.50" | Hardcover

A lullaby of reconciliation and reclamation, celebrating the ancestral relationship between Indigenous children and the land that is forever their home.

Under glowing morning sun and silvery winter moon, from speckled frogs croaking in spring to summer fields painted with fireweed, this meditative lullaby introduces little ones to the plants and animals of the Prairies and the Plains. Featuring stunning artwork by celebrated artist Carla Joseph, Forever Our Home is a beautiful and gentle song about our spiritual connection to the land.

Reviews
A tender hymn to the prairie in all seasons...Uplifting and joyous." — Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Written in both Plains Cree and English and featuring stunning artwork by celebrated artist Carla Joseph, Forever Our Home / kâkikê kîkinaw is a beautiful and gentle song about our spiritual connection to the land.

Find the English version here: Forever Our Home

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover

A lullaby of reconciliation and reclamation, celebrating the ancestral relationship between Indigenous children and the land that is forever their home.

Under glowing morning sun and silvery winter moon, from speckled frogs croaking in spring to summer fields painted with fireweed, this meditative lullaby introduces little ones to the plants and animals of the Prairies and the Plains. Featuring stunning artwork by celebrated artist Carla Joseph, Forever Our Home is a beautiful and gentle song about our spiritual connection to the land.

Reviews
A tender hymn to the prairie in all seasons...Uplifting and joyous." — Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book is available in a the dual-language format (English and Plains Cree): Forever Our Home / kâkikê kîkinaw

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover

Sukaq loves to drift off to sleep listening to his mother tell him stories. His favourite story is the tale of how a raven created the world. But this time, as his mother begins to tell the story and his eyelids become heavy, he is suddenly whisked away on the wings of the raven to ride along as the entire world is formed! This traditional legend from Inuit storyteller Roy Goose is brought to life through co-author Kerry McCluskey's jubilant retelling.

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.25" x 9.25" | Paperback

It's bedtime for baby ptarmigan, but he will not go to sleep. So his grandmother decides to tell him a bedtime story that he will never forget.

With delightful illustrations by Qin Leng, this nursery rhyme–inspired rendition of a traditional Inuit origin tale is perfect for the youngest of children.

Published for the first time as a board book under the Inhabit Junior imprint, this book is perfect for the smallest of hands.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 2 and under.

Additional Information
28 pages | 7.00" x 7.00" | Board Book

A debut picture book that celebrates self-love, care, and resilience with one of the most widespread plants—the dandelion.

Both a love letter to the dandelion and a call to love ourselves in a difficult world, Âmî Osâwâpikones reminds us that we are not defined as others see us. Following our young protagonist and the dandelions through the seasons, we are reminded that we are resilient, we are healers, we are funny, and we are loved.

Reviews
“A playful, lyrical, and persuasive love letter to a dandelion ... This tribute to a precious flowering plant will capture readers’ hearts.” —Kirkus Reviews

“SJ combines her gifts as both author and illustrator in this beautiful and endearing book that both children and adults will adore.” —Monique Gray-Smith

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 7.

Includes some Cree words (y-dialect - Plains Cree).  Plains Cree translations and a pronunciation guide can be found at the back of the book.

Includes an Author's Note that describes the inspiration for this story.

Themes: self-love, resilience, care, and lightheartedness conveyed through the dandelion. 

This book is available in French: Âmî Osâwâpikones / Cher pissenlit 

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover

US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo’s iconic poem "Remember," illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade, invites young readers to pause and reflect on the wonder of the world around them, and to remember the importance of their place in it.

Remember the sky you were born under,
Know each of the star's stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun's birth at dawn,
That is the strongest point of time.

So begins the picture book adaptation of the renowned poem that encourages young readers to reflect on family, nature, and their heritage. In simple and direct language, Harjo, a member of the Mvskoke Nation, urges readers to pay close attention to who they are, the world they were born into, and how all inhabitants on earth are connected. Michaela Goade, drawing from her Tlingit culture, has created vivid illustrations that make the words come alive in an engaging and accessible way.

This timeless poem paired with magnificent paintings makes for a picture book that is a true celebration of life and our human role within it.

Reviews
"A contemplative, visually dazzling masterpiece that will resonate even more deeply each time it is read."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.94" x 10.81" | Hardcover

Poignant words from award-winning Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith about all the hopes adults have for the young people in their lives.

The hopes we have for the children in our lives are endless. We want our young people to thrive and experience all that life has to offer, but we also feel protective of them. Using simple but powerful statements, Monique Gray Smith delivers a touching message about loving, nurturing and wishing the best for our children. Paired with Gabrielle Grimard's warm and enchanting illustrations, the message in I Hope will resonate with all parents, grandparents and caregivers.

Reviews
"I Hope is a story about adults' hopes for the children in their lives. It speaks to the “hope” of the next generation thriving and experiencing all that life has to offer, even when there is a hesitation to be protective of them. The story focuses on loving, nurturing, and wishing the best for the children in our lives." - The Dalai Lama Center

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book is available in English and Plains Cree: I Hope / nipakoseyimon 

This book is available in French: J'espère

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Poignant words from award-winning Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith about all the hopes adults have for the young people in their lives.

The hopes we have for the children in our lives are endless. We want our young people to thrive and experience all that life has to offer, but we also feel protective of them. Using simple but powerful statements, Monique Gray Smith delivers a touching message about loving, nurturing and wishing the best for our children. Paired with Gabrielle Grimard's warm and enchanting illustrations, the message in I Hope will resonate with all parents, grandparents and caregivers.

Reviews
“Comforting, encouraging sentiments that adult readers and their little ones will appreciate.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Grimard’s artwork along with Gray Smith’s messages of hope create a synergy and context…Together they successfully teach intangible moments.” — CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"I Hope is a story about adults' hopes for the children in their lives. It speaks to the “hope” of the next generation thriving and experiencing all that life has to offer, even when there is a hesitation to be protective of them. The story focuses on loving, nurturing, and wishing the best for the children in our lives." - The Dalai Lama Center

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Dual-language format: English and Plains Cree.

This book is available in English only: I Hope

This book is available in French: J'espère

Cree translation by Dolores Greyeyes Sand.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

“Panik, do you know how much I love you? When I look at the horizon, past the vast tundra, I see no end. That is how much I love you.”

In this lovingly told book, a mother recounts for her daughter all the things she loves about her, connecting each attribute to an element of the Arctic landscape or Inuit traditional life. As her daughter’s eyes glisten like the fire of a seal oil lamp, and her courage shines bright like buds of purple saxifrage fighting through a thick blanket of snow, the mother weaves a beautiful narrative of connection and love that will warm the hearts of all readers.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Additional Information
24 pages | 9.50" x 8.50" | Hardcover

Nadia Sammurtok lovingly invites the reader into the amautik—the pouch in the back of a mother’s parka used to carry a child—to experience everything through the eyes of the baby nestled inside, from the cloudlike softness of the pouch to the glistening sound of Anaana’s laughter.

Sweet and soothing, this book offers a unique perspective that will charm readers of all ages.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 and under.

Additional Information
24 pages | 7.50" x 7.50" | Board book

From the popular series that launched with Tree: A Peek-Through Picture Book comes a book with peek-through holes that show the moon's different phases with each turn of the page.

Over deserts and forests, Arctic tundra and tropical beaches, the moon shines down on creatures around the world. Children will love discovering how it changes from day to day as the lunar cycle is shown through clever peek-through holes, each revealing the moon in a different size and shape.

It's the perfect light nonfiction book for young stargazers—and an ideal bedtime book, ending with a giant moon hovering over a sleepy town hunkered down for bed.

Educator Information
For ages 3 and under.

Concepts: Seasons, Science, Nature, Astronomy.

Additional Information
26 pages | 6.13" x 7.56" | Board book

A sweet, beautiful book for children depicting the transformative dreams envisioned by a young Inuk girl, with the help of her loving mother.

In Bedtime in Nunatsiavut, a little girl named Nya yearns to fly, swim, and wander like the goose, salmon, bear, fox, and other animals that populate her world. Each night, her loving Ananak (mother) tucks her into bed and gives her a kunik (nose-to-nose rub) to help Nya dream and transform into the animals she longs to be like.

In Nya's dreams, she moves with the wonder and the freedom of the natural world, dancing beneath the dark Nunatsiavut skies, empowered and emboldened by her Ananak's constant love. Written and illustrated by first-time author Raeann Brown, Bedtime in Nunatsiavut is a beautiful and joyful tribute to an Inuit childhood.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.00" x 12.00" | Hardcover

Yu-Rhee, a young Korean girl, wants to know how to tell time using a clock. Her mother tells her a tale from her childhood based on the traditional Korean practice of timekeeping, where the 12 animals of the zodiac are assigned to 2-hour sections of the 24-hour clock. Told from the point of view of a mountain, the story follows a child as they climb the mountainside in search of a plant to heal their ailing mother. The climb is steep, the path wild and the way difficult. The mountain watches the child struggle and calls on the animals that live on the mountainside to help the child, but as sunlight turns to moonlight, each animal claims to be too busy. Ultimately, Once Upon an Hour is a story about determination and teamwork that shows young readers the importance of helping others.

Reviews
“A curious premise with captivating illustrations.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The repetitive text here is soothing in cadence...Pleasing colours, and the winsome expressions on the face of the hopeful child make readers sympathetic to the situation.” — CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Illustrations which are inexplicably special…The timeless and universal message of helping others will resonate with listeners of this story whether young or old. This book needs to be part of an elementary school library as well as pre-school and home libraries. By using animals who are active at different times of the day to teach the concept of time, this folktale is especially memorable as well as useful.” — Must Read Literature

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Theme / Subjects: Animals, Time, Zodiac, Timekeeping, Traditional Korean Practices, Determination, Teamwork, Helping Others, Family, Plant Medicine.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.75" x 10.75" | Hardcover

Rendered with reassuring words and pastoral scenes, this soothing lullaby of a story is sure to settle even the most restless of cubs.

Mouse is rushing to her nest.
In soft, dry grasses she will rest.

Geese are calling, a chilly wind is blowing, and the sky is turning gray. Winter is on its way. For Mama Bear and Small Bear, that means it’s time to tuck into their den for a long sleep. But Mouse is scurrying by, and Chipmunk is still gathering nuts beside the lake. And look at Hare and Skunk, still romping through the leaves! Why can’t Small Bear stay up, too? To each question, Mama Bear responds with the coziest of answers, finally painting a dreamy picture of the brightening colors and new adventures that will greet Small Bear in the spring. But first comes sleep, in this irresistible invitation to drowsy little cubs everywhere.

Reviews
"This soft, reassuring tale is ideal for teaching seasonal changes as well as the need for transitions." —School Library Journal

"Simple, quiet illustrations executed in a soft, elegant, swirling style trace the transition from tawny autumn’s bareness to early winter’s silvery wonderland. . . . Reassuring, inviting bedtime fare."—Kirkus Reviews

"It’s a book to prepare children for bed, but it’s also a guide to enjoying rest while reflecting upon past or future adventures."—WORLD Magazine

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8

Subjects: Animals; Bedtime & Dreams; Science & Nature; Hibernation; Bears

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.94" x 10.56" | Hardcover

An innovative retelling of the classic Christmas tale, this full-color book takes a whimsical look at what Christmas Eve might be like for a Native American family when Old Red Shirt comes a-calling with his team of flying white buffalo to deliver fry bread, commodities, and other goodies. Renowned Cherokee artist Jesse Hummingbird's inspired illustrations transform the author's playful adaptation into a fresh and modern work of art.

Reviews
“For a child, the poem presents an old story in a new light, complete with a Native Santa clad in buckskins, beadwork and carrying a medicine bundle. If that's not tradition, I don't know what is. As for the adults sharing the story, this is a poem that will at the very least, make you smile.” — The Circle News

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Themes / Keywords: Christmas; Holidays; Native American; Celebrations; Lyrical; Poetry; Traditions.

Additional Information
40 pages | 11.75" x 8.25" | Hardcover

Richly illustrated and lovingly told, this book is a warm and inviting read, perfect for sharing with any little one. Bowhead whales are the longest-living mammals on the planet, living over 200 years. In this heartwarming story, a grandfather bowhead recounts to his young grandchild calf all the beautiful, amazing, and surprising things he has seen in his lifetime, all while assuring the little calf that there is nothing more wondrous than the love a grandfather has for his grandchild.

Reviews
"Together with painterly illustrations in monochromatic blues of the ocean, this underwater tale shows the wondrous love of a grandparent for his grandchild...Tender words of affection are perfect for sharing with any young child or grandchild."—Kirkus

"The expansive illustrations, awash in marine blues and greens, capture the drama and majesty of the Arctic while also showcasing the tender relationship between the whales. A lovely choice for preschool storytimes."—Booklist

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 0 to 3.

Includes an Inuktitut pronunciation guide and fun facts about bowhead whales.

Themes: Indigenous, baby whale, bedtime book, Arctic, Iqaluit

Additional Information
28 pages | 9.50" x 9.50" | Hardcover

An exuberant celebration of the Buffalo’s return to the wild.

Since Declan was born, his kokum has shared her love of Buffalo through stories and art. But Declan longs to see real Buffalo. Then one magical night, herds of the majestic creatures stampede down from the sky. That’s when things really get wild!

Azby Whitecalf’s playful illustrations add to the joy and reverence in Deidre Havrelock’s picture book debut. A reprinting of the Buffalo Treaty and an author’s note describe the importance of Buffalo to Indigenous Peoples and efforts to revitalize the species.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 7.

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

This evocative picture book celebrates a child’s connection and kinship with whales. 

Swimming, singing, and blowing bubbles—children and baby whales love many of the same things! This lyrical picture book compares the parent-child relationship with the bond between a mother humpback whale and her calf, showing how their underwater lives are touchingly like our own. Patterned in a call-and-response format, where the mother observes and the child responds, this book is peppered with facts and begs to be read aloud before bedtime. At the story’s end, acclaimed author Beryl Young and debut illustrator Sakika Kikuchi leave readers gently falling asleep, dreaming of the wonderful world we share with whales.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Explores how we are similar to humpback whales in a charming and thoughtful way that helps children better understand the natural world and their place in it. 

Encourages connection to the natural world. Facts about Humpback whales are woven throughout the text.

Supports curriculum related to ecosystems and webs of life for grades 2-3

Guided Reading Level: M

Common Core State Standards
RL.2.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9
W.2.1,2,3,5,6,8
SL.2.1,1a,1b,1c,2,3,4,5,6
L.2.1,1a,1b,1c,1d,1e,2,2a,2b,2c,2d,2e,3,4,4a,4b,4c,4d,4e,5,5a,5b,6

Next Generation Science Standards
2-LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.00" x 11.00"

Look closer. Grant Snider's beautiful debut picture book explores the wonders—and colors—of nighttime. For night is not just black and white. Ending in colors yet unseen, and a night of sweet dreams, this lilting lullaby is sure to comfort those drifting off to sleep. With luminous art as spare and glowing as the moon, and lyrical text that reads like a friend leading the way through the wilderness, What Color Is Night? is a rich and timeless look at a topic of endless fascination, and a perfect bedtime read-aloud.

Reviews
"'Look closer,' this gentle bedtime book encourages. While nighttime might seem to be only black and white, there is color to see everywhere. An orthodontist by day and a cartoonist by night, [Grant Snider] clearly understands the promise that lies on the other side of sunset."—The New York Times

"Snider helps children (and adults) look beyond the darkness and see the beautiful colors that appear in the night. [What Color is Night?] opens children's eyes and minds to things they don't often think about and offers endless possibilities for exploration." —School Library Journal

"If you think the night is black, think again. Snider's elegant nocturnal idyll explores the many colors visible to those who 'look closer.' [What Color is Night?] will have young readers hoping to stay up for a glimpse of 'colors unseen.'" —Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 2-5.

Additional Information
44 Pages | 9.40" x 9.50"

Nadia Sammurtok lovingly invites the reader into the amautik—the pouch in the back of a mother’s parka used to carry a child—to experience everything through the eyes of the baby nestled inside, from the cloudlike softness of the pouch to the glistening sound of Anaana’s laughter.

Sweet and soothing, this book offers a unique perspective that will charm readers of all ages.

Reviews
"Each spread appeals to a different sense, creating a deliciously cozy and nurturing microenvironment for this lucky tot. Inuit author and educator Sammurtok brings her work preserving Inuktitut to the text, with a spare sprinkling of vocabulary (defined in a closing glossary). The repetition of “In my anaana’s amautik” at the beginning of each short paragraph is both lulling and reinforcing of the relationship between child and mother. Canadian illustrator Lishchenko’s use of textures and subtle colors blends well with the strong, simple text. Delicate pastels give the Arctic landscape a welcoming beauty, and fanciful depictions of the similes the narrator suggests lend a playful air. The far north has never felt so deliciously warm." — Kirkus, STARRED review

"This gentle story is warm, cozy, and loving—just like being in anaana’s amautik. Readers will carry this gorgeous book close to their hearts." — School Library Journal, STARRED review

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 and under.

Additional Information
24 pages | 9.00" x 9.00"

A young child skates, bakes, and milks the cow while the moon wondrously transforms above. When they walk through the woods with their skates, the moon is a frozen pond. When they tend the cow, the moon is the milk at the bottom of the pail.

Stunning illustrations by Josée Bisaillon capture how imagination shapes the environment around us. This simple board book shows children that the way they see the world—by heart, mind and imagination—is just right. Reveling in metaphor, The Moon Is a Silver Pond encourages that magical leap of imagination and asks the reader to look at everyday objects from a different perspective.

Educator Information
Themes: metaphor, figurative language, observation, point of view, child's perspective

This book is available in French as a hardcover book: La lune est un etang d'argent

Additional Information
24 pages | 7.00" x 7.00"

In the sky at nighttime the northern lights dance, a mothers song sways on the breeze, and a raven roosts atop a tall building, bathed in the white of the moon. 

This lyrical poem sends readers sailing through the Arctic night sky to see and hear the unique beauty of a Northern night. 

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 and under.

Additional Information
36 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

It’s time for Siasi to go to bed, but she doesn’t want to brush her teeth or put away her toys. It’s so much more fun to play with all the animals of the Arctic! Wouldn’t everyone rather dance with polar bear, howl with the wolves, and swim with the fish instead of get ready for bed? In this charming bedtime story, readers follow Siasi on a nighttime adventure as she comes up with excuse after excuse for why she’s not quite ready to go to bed.

This story is inspired by the authors' daughter Siasi.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.00" x 8.00"

I am Dreaming Of... is authored by Coast Salish, Musqueam artist Melaney Gleeson-Lyall.

Over 10 Northwest Coast Indigenous Artists have come together in I am Dreaming of... to create a bedtime story that rhymes. Dream your way through the forest as you encounter animals of the Pacific Northwest all drawn in beautiful coastal First Nations styles.

Additional Information
24 pages | 5.75" x 7.5"

"Dream a little, Kulu, this world now sings a most beautiful song of you."

This beautiful bedtime poem, written by acclaimed Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk, describes the gifts given to a newborn baby by all the animals of the Arctic.

Lyrically and tenderly told by a mother speaking to her own little Kulu; an Inuktitut term of endearment often bestowed upon babies and young children, this visually stunning book is infused with the traditional Inuit values of love and respect for the land and its animal inhabitants.

A perfect gift for new parents.

Reviews
“[A] lovely bedtime book . . . Young children will be captivated by the stunning beauty of the Arctic world embracing little Kulu.” — Quill and Quire

“Highly recommended” — Canadian Review of Materials, 4/4 stars

“This is a terrific book for those who have a newborn in the house… And for those of us who just need a book that rights the world for us, that reminds us of that world in all its richness.” — American Indians in Children’s Literature

“. . . [P]lenty of material for both parents and children to enjoy.” — Books and Quilts

“Complementing Kalluk’s words are gorgeous illustrations by Alexandria Neonakis.” — The Book Mine Set

Educator Information
This resource is also available in different formats:

• The Sweetest Kulu (Hardcover)
• The Sweetest Kulu (Board Book)

This resource is also available in French: Kulu adoré

Additional Information
36 pages | 8.00" x 10.00"

"Dream a little, Kulu, this world now sings a most beautiful song of you."

This beautiful bedtime poem, written by acclaimed Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk, describes the gifts given to a newborn baby by all the animals of the Arctic.

Lyrically and tenderly told by a mother speaking to her own little "Kulu," an Inuktitut term of endearment often bestowed upon babies and young children, this visually stunning book is infused with the traditional Inuit values of love and respect for the land and its animal inhabitants.

A perfect gift for new parents.

Educator Information
This resource is also available in different formats:

• The Sweetest Kulu (Paperback)
• The Sweetest Kulu (Hardcover)

This resource is also available in French: Kulu adoré

Additional Information
30 pages | 7.50" x 6.00"