Series

A celebration of ten writers who have challenged stereotypes, told history from a perspective often silenced, and entertained millions of readers.

Included is author Louise Erdrich, whose novel Love Medicine was the first in an award-winning series about the lives of several generations of Ojibwa families. Sherman Alexie, author of the semi-autobiographical The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, went on to win the National Book Award. Tomson Highway broke new ground with his play The Rez Sisters. Joseph Boyden based his novel Three Day Road in part on his grandfather’s experience fighting in the First World War. N. Scott Momaday re-wrote the history of the American West with his book House Made of Dawn. Nicola Campbell drew on her family’s experience of residential schools to write the children’s books Shi-shi-etko and Shin-chi’s Canoe. Also included are Marilyn Dumont (A Really Good Brown Girl), Tim Tingle (Walking the Choctaw Road), Joseph Bruchac (Buffalo Song), and Maria Campbell (Half-breed).

The full list of writers profiled:

• Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d’Alene, Washington) - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
• Louise Erdrich (Ojibwa, North Dakota) - Love Medicine (the Argus Series)
• Joseph Boyden (Cree/Métis, Ontario) - Three Day Road
• N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa/Cherokee, Oklahoma) - House Made of Dawn
• Marilyn Dumont (Cree/Métis, Alberta) - A Really Good Brown Girl
• Tomson Highway (Cree, Manitoba) - The Rez Sisters
• Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki, New York State) - Buffalo Song
• Maria Campbell (Métis, Saskatchewan) - Halfbreed
• Nicola Campbell (Interior Salish/Métis, Alberta) - Shin-chi’s Canoe
• Tim Tingle (Choctaw, Texas) - Walking the Choctaw Road

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the First Nations Series for Young Readers. Each book is a collection of biographies of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women and men who are leaders in their fields of work, in their art, and in their communities. 

For ages 9-14.

Additional Information 
128 pages | 6.00" x 9.00"

This anthology of Aboriginal writings from Manitoba takes readers back through the millennia and forward to the present day, painting a dynamic picture of a territory interconnected through words, ideas, and experiences. A rich collection of stories, poetry, nonfiction, and speeches, it features:
- Historical writings, from important figures.
- Vibrant literary writing by eminent Aboriginal writers.
- Nonfiction and political writing from contemporary Aboriginal leaders.
- Local storytellers and keepers of knowledge from far-reaching Manitoba communities.
- New, vibrant voices that express the modern Aboriginal experiences.
- Anishinaabe, Cree, Dene, Inuit, Métis, and Sioux writers from Manitoba.

Educator & Series Information
Created in the spirit of the Anishinaabe concept debwe (to speak the truth), The Debwe Series is a collection of exceptional Aboriginal writing from across Canada. Manitowapow, a one-of-a-kind anthology, is the first book in The Debwe Series. Manitowapow is the traditional name that became Manitoba, a word that describes the sounds of beauty and power that created the province.

Recommended for grades 11 and 12, university students, and adults.

Additional Information
416 pages | 6.00" x 9.00"

Italians came to Canada to seek a better life. From the 1870s to the 1920s they arrived in large numbers and found work mainly in mining, railway building, forestry, construction, and farming. As time passed, many used their skills to set up successful small businesses, often in Little Italy districts in cities like Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, and Winnipeg. Many struggled with the language and culture in Canada, but their children became part of the Canadian mix.

When Canada declared war on Italy on June 10, 1940, the government used the War Measures Act to label all Italian citizens over the age of eighteen as enemy aliens. Those who had received Canadian citizenship after 1922 were also deemed enemy aliens. Immediately, the RCMP began making arrests. Men, young and old, and a few women were taken from their homes, offices, or social clubs without warning. In all, about 700 were imprisoned in internment camps, mainly in Ontario and New Brunswick.

The impact of this internment was felt immediately by families who lost husbands and fathers, but the effects would live on for decades. Eventually, pressure from the Italian Canadian community led Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to issue an apology for the internment and to admit that it was wrong.

Using historical photographs, paintings, documents, and first-person narratives, this book offers a full account of this little-known episode in Canadian history.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 13 to 18.

This book is part of the Righting Canada's Wrongs series.

Additional Information
112 pages | 9.01" x 11.02" | Hardcover

This book is an illustrated history of the wartime internment of Japanese Canadian residents of British Columbia. At the time when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Japanese Canadians numbered well over 20,000. From the first arrivals in the late nineteenth century, they had taken up work in many parts of BC, established communities, and become part of the Canadian society even though they faced racism and prejudice in many forms.

With war came wartime hysteria. Japanese Canadian residents of BC were rounded up, their homes and property seized, and forced to move to internment camps with inadequate housing, water, and food. Men and older boys went to road camps while some families ended up on farms where they were essentially slave labour. Eventually, after years of pressure, the Canadian government admitted that the internment was wrong and apologized for it.

This book uses a wide range of historical photographs, documents, and images of museum artefacts to tell the story of the internment. The impact of these events is underscored by first-person narrative from five Japanese Canadians who were themselves youths at the time their families were forced to move to the camps.

Like the other books in the First Nations Series for Young Readers, this book offers ten short and engaging biographies of First Nations/Native activists who advocate not only for the environment but for Native rights. Their stories are full of highs and lows, triumphs and setbacks. Environmental trailblazers, these men and women are role models for children everywhere.

The men and women profiled here are united by their work to protect the environment and to support indigenous rights. Their stories take us from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to the Black Mesa in Arizona.

Melina Laboucan-Massimo uses her passion to stop oil extraction in Alberta’s tar sands.
Winona LaDuke is a voice for reclaiming Native lands, advocating renewable energy resources, and protecting Native cultures.
Clayton Thomas-Muller is a dynamic advocate for indigenous self-determination and campaigner against tar sands extraction.
Ben Powless brings his youthful energy and skills to addressing climate change issues.
Tom Goldtooth protects sacred sites and organizes global direct-action campaigns for the environment.
Grace Thorpe is a grandmother who dedicated her retirement years to keeping Native reservations from becoming nuclear waste dumps.
Sarah James is a voice from northern Alaska defending the Porcupine caribou herd and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Enei Begaye & Evon Peter are married activists who work as a team on environmental issues and sustainable strategies for Native people.
Klee Benally uses the media to empower Native communities in their fight for environmental justice.
Teague Allston works to ensure a tribal voice is heard in Washington DC.

Reviews
"These short biographies of environmentalists are sure to engage a whole classroom of readers. From the focus on a particular environmental crisis, to a description of each person's native heritage, to the writing style and level, the stories are accessible to readers young and old." — Canadian Teacher Magazine, March 2012

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the First Nations Series for Young Readers. Each book is a collection of biographies of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women and men who are leaders in their fields of work, in their art, and in their communities. For ages 9-14.

Additional Information
128 pages | 6.00" x 9.00"

Music is their passion. Follow the journeys of ten talented musicians from the Native community as they make their way to the top. All of them, whether their music is traditional drumming or mainstream rock, bring their own cultural traditions to their music.

Rising stars Shane Yellowbird and Crystal Shawanda are steeped in country music. The Blackfire band combines punk rock with Dine’ music, while Four Rivers Drum has been drumming at powwows for more than fourteen years. Leela Gilday is an award-winning folk artist and Michael Bucher's music protects sacred sites. Contrast classical guitarist Gabriel Ayala with rock guitarist Mato Nanji and learn about the talents of jazz vocalist Jamie Coon and Native American flutist Mary Youngblood.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the First Nations Series for Young Readers. Each book is a collection of biographies of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women and men who are leaders in their fields of work, in their art, and in their communities. 

For ages 9-14.

Additional Information
128 pages | 6.00" x 9.00"

Do you race home to log in on your computer and chat? But what can you do when that user comes on, the user that won't go away and is getting nastier by the day? Now it seems you can't go to any of your favourite sites without finding something nasty posted about you.

This volume in the "Deal With It" series examines the issues of online name-calling, rumours, and threats, and provides fun and practical tips to help kids surf and text safely.

Reviews
"Offers fun and practical tips for safely navigating the Internet, where online name-calling, rumors, and threats have great impact." — Publishers Weekly

Educator & Series Information
The Deal With It series helps adolescents cope with conflicts in everyday life and promote peaceful homes, schools, and communities.

Fry Reading Level: 6.6

Recommended Ages: 9+

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 11.00" | 50+ colour illustrations

Gaylord Powless was playing lacrosse by the age of three. He descended from generations of Mohawk lacrosse players and possessed great skill, but his native ancestry made him the target of brutal checking, and slashing. This is a compelling story of how this champion learned to deal with emotions.

Ideal for reluctant readers.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended Ages: 12-18.

Fry Reading Level: 4.5

This book is part of the Recordbooks Series. Recordbooks help reluctant readers understand social issues through the lens of a true story of a sports hero.

Series features:

• Ideal for reluctant readers
• Hi-lo
• Short chapters, easy-to-read format
• Great for ESL and adult students
• Writing with a flair for making history feel like novels
• Accompanied by historical photos and sports trivia
• Ideal for ages 12+

Additional Information
120 pages | 4.25" x 7.00"

Great Athletes from our First Nations profiles thirteen outstanding athletes in such diverse sports as figure skating, race car driving, skiing and bowling. The athletes featured in this book include: Ross Anderson, downhill skier; Richard Dionne, champion basketball player; Mike Edwards, professional bowler; Shelly Hruska, professional ringette player; Beau Kemp, professional baseball player, etc. 

Reviews
"Smoothly-written and enriched with photography and sidebars that give additional information about the sport or athlete."— Kliatt, May 2008

"A must-have in every school and public library, it can be used for cross-cultural education and healthy lifestyles."— Resource Links, June 2007

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the First Nations Series for Young Readers. Each book is a collection of biographies of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women and men who are leaders in their fields of work, in their art, and in their communities. 

For ages 9-14.

Additional Information
128 pages | 6.00" x 8.92" 

This book profiles ten outstanding women leaders in the Native community. All of these successful, trailblazing women are stellar role models who have raised the profile of indigenous culture in North America. From heroines of the past to women making new history today, this exciting work of nonfiction reminds readers of the extraordinary contributions of Native Americans to our daily lives.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the First Nations Series for Young Readers. Each book is a collection of biographies of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women and men who are leaders in their fields of work, in their art, and in their communities. For ages 9-14.

Additional Information 
89 pages | 6.00" x 8.98"

That's so gay! It's a phrase commonly heard in school halls and playgrounds. But when used as a put-down, it's also homophobic. With plenty of quizzes, Q+As, comics, and scenarios, this interactive and highly visual new book in the Deal With It series helps kids determine what is -- and what isn't -- homophobia, and what they can do to make their schools, homes, and communities more safe and inclusive for everyone.

Reviews
"This accessible book defines homophobia and leads readers to consider seriously their own actions and attitudes, and how they can learn to treat everyone with respect. . . . This will be a useful book that could generate much production discussion about homophobia and its direct effect on the lives of middle school students." — Resource Links

"Overall, I believe that the content is valuable, and the sidebars are quite informative. . . The sections of the book that focus on what homophobia is are actually very important aspects of the text, especially in our current social context where homophobia gets tossed around to a great degree" Recommended. — Rob Bittner, CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Educator & Series Information
The Deal With It series helps adolescents cope with conflicts in everyday life and promote peaceful homes, schools, and communities.

Recommended Ages: 9+

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 11.00" | colour illustrations throughout

Humour is a great way to deal with conflict, but it can lead to conflict, too. Whether intentional or not, teasing can cause offense, hurt feelings, and create misunderstandings. This book offers young people help in dealing with problems that stem from teasing and other kinds of humour.

Awards
- 2008 Best Books for Kids & Teens - Canadian Children's Book Centre winner

Educator & Series Information
The Deal With It series helps adolescents cope with conflicts in everyday life and promote peaceful homes, schools, and communities.

Fry Reading Level: 6.1

Recommended Ages: 9+

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 11.00" | colour illustrations throughout

When Lawrence's father goes overseas with the Canadian Army during the Second World War, the young Cree boy struggles to grow up while wrestling with the meaning of war. With Papa gone, Mama raises the children alone. Traditional foods like wild meat and fish are scarce and many other foods are rationed. Angry about the changes and confused about the future, Lawrence misses his father and his teachings about their natural way of life. When army runaways threaten the family, Lawrence's courage and knowledge of traditional skills are called upon to keep them safe. With guidance from his grandfather and encouragement from his grandmother, Lawrence faces his challenges, becoming wiser and stronger, and earning the respect of his elders.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for grades 4 to 9.

This book is part of The Lawrence Series.

Additional Information
44 pages | 7.75" x 10.54"

Few people would identify themselves as racist and yet we all hold attitudes and beliefs about cultures that are different from our own which affect the way we behave towards others.

Using realistic examples and sensitive language, Racism: Deal with it before it gets under your skin examines the sources of racial and cultural conflicts and the many forms -- both obvious and subtle -- that prejudice can take.

Whether they have experienced racial conflict as a member of a dominant or a minority group, this important book will help young people recognize and overcome barriers to peace, understanding, and acceptance.

Reviews
"Helpful, without being preachy, The Deal With It series is very timely. Recommended." — CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Educator & Series Information
The Deal With It series helps adolescents cope with conflicts in everyday life and promote peaceful homes, schools, and communities.

Fry Reading Level: 7.0

Recommended Ages: 9+

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 11.00" | colour illustrations