Picture Books

Akagaq, the youngest brother of three, is confident but forgetful. When he gets caught in a blizzard he makes a tent, but it is no match for the powerful winds. Trapped in the cold, Akagaq is helped by his brother Tiriaq. Tiriaq digs into a snowdrift for shelter, but the wind is still too strong and blows out their lamp. Akkiutaq, the eldest brother, arrives to save them, and brings them to the iglu he has carefully built. The wind threatens to destroy the iglu as well, but the shelter proves strong, and the brothers are safe. The brothers learn an important lesson about paying attention to their Elders, and taking care in what they do.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

An adaptation of The Three Little Pigs story.

This story has many authors. Grade 4 students: Avra, Andrew, Michael, Puya, Tayshaun, Kyrene, Robert, Hailey, Iqaluk, Sulu, Dylan, Atuat, Joseph, Nolan, and Lisa, as well as their teacher Raymond Gianfrancesco. Indigenous and non-Indigenous contributions.

Additional Information
36 pages | 8.50" x 9.50" | Paperback

The Sweat Lodge teachings of the Anishinaabe are an important influence on the daily lives of the people. Full of symbolism, interconnected one with another, they are not as uncomplicated as they might seem.

The Little Boy's Vision Quest is one of those teachings and it reveals how the Sweat Lodge was brought to the people. Anishinaabe author James Whetung has crafted a crisp, clear telling while retaining the cadence of its oral beginnings. Paintings by Paul Morin evoke the crackle of fire, the scent of cedar, the mysterious dark side of the moon.

Additional Information
32 pages | 7.99" x 10.50" | Paperback

“The small shall be large . . . that's how it must be.”

In the Andean foothills, a five-year-old Quechua girl is entrusted with a big job: to collect a marrow bone from the neighbor for the family soup. A stunning debut from Indigenous author Suniyay Moreno.

Picu’s family is very poor. In the dry Andean foothills, her mother must feed fourteen people—her kids, her relatives’ kids, and the hired hand’s kids—every day. One morning, Picu, the youngest sister, is sent to get a marrow bone from a neighbor. The bone will add flavor and nutrition to the lunchtime soup. Her mother warns her not to dawdle on the two-hour walk, each way, through the wild landscape.

But Picu can’t help it! She marvels at the butterflies, samples the cactus fruit, and daydreams about using the marrow bone as a football. Will the neighbor let her family keep the bone after the soup is made? Will her mother let her play with it? And will she be punished for being so late?

Picu is a child of joie de vivre and resourcefulness. This story, like Picu herself, is tough, hard, and honest. And moving. And fun.

The Youngest Sister features a glossary of Quechuan terms that are used throughout the story.

Reviews
“The vibrant illustrations are eye-catching and have the look of vigorously applied pastels. Could possibly find use within social studies units on South America.”—School Library Connections

"A memorable story alive with the voice of an Indigenous people seldom heard from." - Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 8.

Curriculum Connections: Global Indigenous Peoples / Poverty / Cultural Diversity / Exploration & Imagination / Resourcefulness

Additional Information
40 pages | 7.00" x 9.50" | 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

In this beautifully illustrated book, a determined young Anishnaabe girl in search of adventure goes on a transformative journey into a forest on her traditional territory. She is joined by a chorus of her ancestors in red dresses, who tell her they remember what it was like to be carefree and wild, too. Soon, though, the girl is challenged by a monster named Hate, who envelops her in a cloud of darkness. She climbs a mountain to evade the monster, and, with the help of her matriarchs and the power of Thunderbird, the monster is held at bay. Together the young girl and her ancestors beat their drums in song and support, giving the girl the confidence she needs to become a changemaker in the future, capable of fending off any monster in her way.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 8.

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

A lively look at the journey of a West Coast tugboat towing a log boom, as seen through the eyes of a young boy. 

"I’m helping Dad on the tugboat. We’re going to tow a log boom to the sawmill on the river… I look out for ferries and other boats in the harbor… Then I see it — a deadhead!"

Follow a child and his father through their workday on a tugboat on the West Coast as they watch a log boom being made, then tow it to a mill upriver. The pair must steer clear of other ships, race against the tide and weather a storm along the way. 

Told from a child's perspective, this fun, accessible picture book explores the key role of a tugboat in the logging process. As explained in the author's note, the story is inspired by Scot Ritchie’s childhood memories of seeing tugs and log booms off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, with additional information provided in the note about forestry on the West Coast today.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 6.

Key text features: author's note, diagrams, glossary, illustrations, facts, map, speech bubbles, writing inspiration

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.75" x 10.75" | Hardcover

In this reimagined version of The Twelve Days of Christmas, winter wildlife is observed as the snow comes. What animals do you think you might see? Do you think bears will be included? Why or why not? The only way to find out is to read or sing along as animals watch their world get blanketed by gentle layers of snow.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 8.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.31" x 10.38" | Hardcover

Ukpik’s mother is eager to teach Ukpik how to prepare caribou skin, dry it, and use it to sew a pair of simple, useful mitts. But Ukpik can’t stop thinking about the beautiful new beads her mother traded the Captain for on his last visit. They are so bright and beautiful! Anaana knows it is more important for Ukpik to learn the skills she will need to make her own clothing in the cold Arctic climate, so she insists that Ukpik sit with her and learn the basics, while having a bit of fun, too. Though Anaana won’t let Ukpik sew with the new beads just yet, she does have a surprise for Ukpik that will let her enjoy the new-found treasures while also learning the skills she will need to provide for herself and her family.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

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

Niaqualuk and Haugaaq live in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. There is a big blizzard coming! Haugaaq wishes she could play outside more, but Niaqualuk is excited about playing inside. See what fun things the sisters do all day as the blizzard howls outside.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This book is the French and Inuktitut version of The Big Blizzard.

Additional Information
9.00" x 8.00" | Paperback

A quirky and uplifting guide to making new friends for kids 4 to 7 from a beloved, internationally renowned author.

This “sublime picture book” (Kirkus STARRED Review) offers a hilarious and insightful guide to making new friends at your own pace. For kids aged 4 to 7, Ways to Make Friends will bolster compassion and make kids laugh on their way back to school.

What’s the best way to make friends? Toad has the most magnificent ideas! Sometimes they don’t go according to plan… but that’s okay. Eventually Toad tires of making new friends, but comes to a marvelous conclusion: sometimes being with yourself is a good way to pass the time too.

A hilarious and heartfelt read for kids who are starting school or experiencing other unfamiliar social situations, Ways to Make Friends will give them the courage to stand on their own—and maybe try one of Toad’s unconventional methods to make a friend for themselves.

Reviews
"An intelligent glimpse at how a friendship between unlikely candidates might be possible. A stellar addition for all collections."—School Library Journal, STARRED Review

“This sublime picture book offers gentle guidance to all readers, from reluctant youngsters in prickly social situations to more experienced friendship seekers needing a refresher. Peppered among moments of pure hilarity and suggested creative outlets are nuggets of encouragement meant to bolster compassion.”—STARRED Kirkus Review

"This whimsical playbook for making friends explores a universal theme in a humorous and appealing way.” —Booklist

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 7.

Additional Information
40 pages | 8.00" x 10.50" | Hardcover

A celebration of the bond between parent and child, this is the perfect song to share with your little ones.

In this sweet and lyrical picture book from the creators of the bestselling Little You, gentle rhythmic text captures the wonder new parents feel as they welcome baby into the world.

Internationally renowned storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp teams up with award-winning illustrator Julie Flett for a second time to create a stunning book for young readers.

Reviews
"Both Van Camp's words and Flett's illustrations are economical, but We Sang You Home is not a quick read. Instead, each of the paired pages of text and illustration truly demands that the reader pause and reflect on the pages' contents. Highly recommended." — CM Magazine

"The emotions of parenthood—including feelings of love, elation, and gratitude—are certain to be conveyed to [children] by the parents who share this tale with them. A lovely picture book that will resonate with parents and show young readers the profound, positive impact they have on their parents' lives." — School Library Journal

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 2 and under.

This book is available in a board book format: We Sang You Home 

This book is available in a dual-language format: We Sang You Home / Ka Kîweh Nikamôstamâtinân

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

Authenticity Note: This story is meant to appeal to and honour a variety of families, not only Indigenous families.  This is why we have labelled it as not containing Indigenous text content; it may still work as an Indigenous text for your purposes, though, as the author and illustrator are in Indigenous.

Little Wolf, grown up with children of her own, moves to the country where her mother, White Raven, shares a sad story from her childhood.

All grown up with a family of her own, Little Wolf moves from the big city to the island of her ancestors. She wants to share the beauty and mysteries of nature with her children, and she wants them to learn as much about their culture as possible. One day, Little Wolf’s mother, White Raven, visits and begins to tell her grandchildren stories from her own childhood. But the stories are not happy ones. As a child, White Raven left her family to attend St. Michael’s Residential School in Alert Bay, BC. While there, she experienced hunger, loneliness, shame, and isolation from her language and her culture. Even years later, as a grown woman and Elder, she has nightmares about her time at the school. But by sharing her story with Little Wolf and her grandchildren, White Raven begins to heal and brings the family closer together. Through simple, heartfelt text and vivid illustrations that combine contemporary and traditional Indigenous motifs, White Raven is an engaging teaching tool as well as a relatable narrative about the impact of intergenerational trauma on families. Based on the author’s own life and her mother’s residential school experience, the central message of this book is one of healing and family unity.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

This is the second book in the Little Wolf trilogy. 

This book is available in French: Corbeau Blanc

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

As they await the birth of a new foal, a man teaches his grandchild about the Ojibwe Horses that used to roam the forests of northwestern Ontario. The horses once ran wild and free, but when Grandfather was a boy, they almost disappeared. Now he is the caretaker of his own small herd, keeping the breed alive for future generations and teaching his grandchild about the loving bond between human and animals.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

Translated by Kelvin Morrison.

This is the dual-language version of Runs with the Stars.

Subjects: Character Education; Family & Friendship; History & Social Studies; Canadian History; First Nations & Indigenous Peoples; Science; Environmentalism; Conservation and stewardship; Reflecting Diversity

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

A moving picture book for ages 3 to 8 about a daisy who is told she’s “just a weed”—and embarks on a journey to find her place in the garden.

Daisy is new to the garden and just opening her petals to the sun when Rose tells her that she's just a weed. What’s a weed? Daisy asks. Weeds aren't planted on purpose, Rose explains, and they only get in the way. Soon Daisy compares herself to other plants in the garden: she isn't tall like Sunflower, nor sweet like Strawberry, nor fragrant like Rose. Daisy worries that Rose might be right—that she is a weed after all—until a strange and beautiful plant offers Daisy a different perspective. Maybe Daisy can choose her own purpose! And why do others get to decide who she is?

This sweet and empowering story is the perfect gift for teaching young children about:

• Self-compassion and confidence. Daisy learns that she is so much more than “just a weed” and that it’s up to her to define who she is, not others.
• Everyone has something special about them, and supporting one another can help us grow.
• The importance of loving yourself exactly as you are.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 8.

Curriculum Connections: Features of Plants / How Plants Are Used / Plant Adaptations / Positive Peer Relationships / Bullying / Self-Awareness

The Rainbow Fish for kids who love the garden.

Additional Information
36 pages | 8.00" x 11.00" | Hardcover 

Wolf Pup Finds His Pack is about a young wolf pup who moves from home to home looking for a safe place to stay while Mother and Father Wolf get healthy. As Wolf Pup left his family with his brother, Mother Wolf gave the Pups Sweetgrass. Mother Wolf taught them that Sweetgrass, a Sacred Medicine, would give them peace when they felt scared and alone. On their journey to find a new home, the pups visit Grandmother and Grandfather Wolf. They tired easily and had no room for Wolf Pup. As Wolf Pup was leaving, Grandfather Wolf handed him some Cedar for strength as he continued his journey. Wolf Pup then stayed with Auntie Wolf a while but then had to leave. Auntie Wolf gave him some Sage. Learn with Wolf Pup as he continues to find a safe place to stay.

Algonquin author S.P. Joseph Lyons, from Kitigan Zibi First Nation has also written Little Bear in Foster Care. Wolf Pup Misses His Pack is a second book in his Foster Care Series.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 1 to 4.

This is the second book in S.P. Joseph Lyon's Foster Care Series.

Keywords / Themes: Medicine, Wolves, Family, Foster Care, Home, Safety, Adoption.

Additional Information
42 Pages | Paperback