Indigenous Peoples in Canada

Métis author, Spencer Sheehan-Kalina, uses poetry to highlight the beauty of the Nootka Sound and the animals that live there, with Aboriginal connections to the poem's content. Learn all about the traditional harvesting of the land plants and sea life by Nootka Sound's Indigenous people- the Mowachaht/Muchalaht.  In addition, young readers will learn the Indigenous words of the animals that live in the Nootka Sound area. The Aboriginal connections in this children's book align with the BC curricular competencies of kindergarten to grade 3.

Nootka Sound in Harmony was released to coincide with the 2019 Year of Indigenous Languages.

Educator Information
Indigenous Children's picture book - Ages 3-8

With appreciation for permissions and support from the Cultural Resource Centre committee and Chief Jerry Jack of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation in Tsaxan, BC.

Additional Information
8" x 8" | 32 pages

What do you do on a summer’s day?

This book describes different things a child does on a summer’s day in the Arctic.

Educator & Series Information
Bilingual: English and Inuktitut

This is an Arvaaq Book. Books in this series are intended for infants and very young children and are designed to help children develop physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language skills. 

Additional Information
16 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

Who is in your family?

This book introduces children to the names of people in a family. Colourful illustrations guide children to practise reading the single word on each page.

Educator & Series Information 
This book helps children to practise terms for different family members.  It helps children build vocabulary and literacy skills.

This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic.  It is a Level 3 book in the series. 

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. This book's F&P Level is LB.

Curriculum Connections: Language and literacy; Diversity; Indigenous perspectives

Recommended for ages 3-6.

Additional Information 
12 pages | 7.00" x 7.00"

When Phyllis was a little girl she was excited to go to residential school for the first time. Her Granny bought her a bright orange shirt that she loved and she wore it to school for her first day. When she arrived at school her bright orange shirt was taken away. This is both Phyllis Webstad's true story and the story behind Orange Shirt Day which is a day for us all to reflect upon the treatment of First Nations people and the message that 'Every Child Matters'.

Educator Information
Phyllis's Orange Shirt is an adaptation of The Orange Shirt Story which was the best selling children's book in Canada for several weeks in September 2018. This true story also inspired the movement of Orange Shirt Day which could become a federal statutory holiday.  A page of information about this day is included at the end of the book.  A short author biography is also included.

Adapted for ages 4-6.

Recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2020/2021 resource list for grades K-1 in the areas of English Language Arts and Social Studies.

This book is available in French: Le chandail orange de Phyllis

Additional Information
30 pages | 9.00" x 8.00"

Simonie loves to dance! When he sees a sign for Taloyoak’s annual Christmas Jigging Dance Contest, he can’t wait to enter. But practising is hard work, and Simonie starts to worry that he won’t do a good job in front of all his friends and neighbours.

Luckily, with a little advice from his anaana and ataata, and some help from his friends Dana and David, Simonie learns how to listen to the music and dance the way it makes him feel. When the time comes for the contest, he’s ready to dance his very best.

Based on the annual Christmas dance contest in the community of Taloyoak, Nunavut, this heartwarming picture book shows how a lot of hard work—and a little inspiration—can go a long way.

Educator Information
Ages 5-7.

Additional Information
30 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

In this story, River and his Auntie demonstrate how to smudge and share why smudging is important.

Educator Information
This book is ideal for reader level K-3.

When Tanna's father brings home an abandoned owl, she is not eager to take care of the needy, ugly little bird. Tanna must wake at 4:00 AM to catch food for the owl. She must feed it, clean up after it, all while avoiding its sharp, chomping beak and big, stomping talons.

After weeks of following her father's instructions on how to care for the owl, Tanna must leave home for school. Her owl has grown. It has lost its grey baby feathers and is beginning to sprout a beautiful adult snowy owl coat. As she says good-bye to the owl, she is relieved not to have to care for it anymore, but also is a bit sad.

This heartwarming story based on the author's own life experience teaches young readers the value of hard work, helping, and caring -- even when the thing you are caring for does not love you back.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 7.

Recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2020/2021 resource list for Grades K-2 in the areas of Language Arts and Social Studies.

Themes/Subjects: Connection to Land, Owls, Seasons, Animals, Responsibility, Caretaking.

This book is part of the Tanna's Animals series.

This book is available in French: Le Hibou de Tanna

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 10.00"

When two rabbit sisters ignore their parents' warnings and decide to play outside on the open tundra, a hungry owl soon spots them and decides they will make a delicious meal. As a chase ensues, the sisters must act quickly, using the owl's own greed against him in order to get away.  

A traditional Inuit story and cautionary tale, this book presents a centuries-old narrative for a new generation of readers. 

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3-5.

Additional Information
40 pages | 8.00" x 9.00"

When the earth was new, words had the power to breathe life into the world. But when creating animals from breath, sometimes one does not get everything right on the first try! 

Based on a traditional Inuit story passed forward orally for generations in the South Baffin region of Nunavut, this book shares with young readers the origin of the caribou and the walrus—and tells of how these animals looked very different when they were first conceived.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 7.

Included in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2020/2021 resource list for grades 1 to 3 for English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.50" x 9.50"

What do you see around you?

In this interactive book, children are challenged to look around the room and find the objects shown in the pictures. Children are encouraged to move and touch the things they find. This makes learning fun while supporting early language development.

Educator & Series Information
Bilingual: English and Inuktitut

Recommended Ages: 0-3

This is an Arvaaq Book. Books in this series are intended for infants and very young children and are designed to help children develop physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language skills. 

Additional Information
20 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

Learn about transportation in the Arctic!

This book features traditional and modern ways of getting around in the Arctic.

Educator & Series Information 
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic.  It is a Level 3 book in the series. 

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. This book's F&P Level is LB.

Curriculum Connections: Language and literacy; Indigenous perspectives; Community engagement; History; Heritage

Recommended for ages 3-6.

Additional Information 
12 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

Everyone gets sad, angry, frustrated and disappointed. Difficult emotions are a natural part of life. In this book, Trudy's Healing Stone, Trudy Spiller shares a special teaching about a practice that anyone can use to help them process their feelings with the help of Mother Earth.

Educator Information
This book is an adaptation of Trudy’s Rock Story for a younger audience (ages 4-6).

A few Gitxsan words and how to say them are included at the end of the book.

This book is also available in French: Le caillou de guérison de Trudy.

Recommended for ages 4-6

Recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2020/2021 resource list for Grades Pre-K to 1 for English Language Arts.

Additional Information
28 pages | 9.00" x 8.00"

Can you help Ukaliq and Kalla find things?

In this search-and-find book, children are encouraged to find objects hidden in different scenes.

Educator & Series Information
This is an Arvaaq Book. Books in this series are intended for infants and very young children and are designed to help children develop physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language skills.

This is a Search-and-Find book, which helps children develop their observational skills and reinforces early literacy skills and language development.

Recommended Ages: 0 to 3

Dual-Language: English and Inuktitut

Additional Information
14 pages | 10.00" x 8.25"

Can you help Ukaliq and Kalla find things on their camping trip?

In this search-and-Find book, children are encouraged to find objects hidden in different scenes.

Educator Information
This is an Arvaaq Book. Books in this series are intended for infants and very young children and are designed to help children develop physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language skills.

This is a Search-and-Find book, which helps children develop their observational skills and reinforces early literacy skills and language development.

Recommended Ages: 0 to 3

Dual-Language: English and Inuktitut

Additional Information
16 pages | 10.00" x 8.25"