Picture Books

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

Educator Information
Recommended for grades 3 to 6.

Additional Information
28 Pages | Hardcover 

From an acclaimed Ojibwe artist comes a story that offers an empowering universal message about finding inner strength.

Zoon’s shadow is always in his way. It makes a mess of his room, disrupts his class at school, and trips him on the soccer field. Zoon doesn’t know what to do! Until he tells his grandmother about it, and she gives him his grandfather’s drum. Its rhythm is like a heartbeat. If only Zoon can listen to the drum’s song, and ultimately to his own heart, he may yet find a way to thrive alongside his shadow.

Pawis‑Steckley's striking, graphic art brings to vibrant life both the challenges of controlling our trickster impulses and the luminosity of ancestral and inner wisdom, paving the way for us all to listen to our hearts.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

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

In this charming debut, a feather from a red-tailed hawk finds its home in a little girl's dreamcatcher

When a gust of wind blows a feather off a flying red-tailed hawk, it marks the beginning of that feather's quest to find a new home. The feather ends up in a squirrel's nest, a woman's hat, and atop a sandcastle-but none of these spots feel right.

Soon, the feather is picked up by a little girl who lovingly takes it home to join two other feathers as part of a special craft project. When the project is complete, the reader discovers that the feather has found its home in a dreamcatcher.

Bright illustrations bring young readers along on this lost feather's search for purpose, and the heartwarming conclusion weaves in a tribute to an Indigenous cultural object.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 7.

Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: M 
Lexile measure: AD630L

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.75" x 7.75" | Hardcover

Learn about Nalijuit night, also known as Old Christmas night, a tradition in Inuit communities across Labrador!

In They Come Off the Ice, debut Inuit author Andrea Andersen introduces young readers to a unique celebration that takes place in Inuit communities across Labrador: Nalujuit night!

Each January 6th, also known as Old Christmas night, something comes lurking off the ice and into town. With their faces hidden, long sticks in their hands, and carrying bags full of . . . candy? The beings approach in the snowy darkness. What do they want?

Knock, Knock, Knock

Open the door if you dare!

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

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

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

Educator Information
Recommended for Grade 1 students.

Additional Information
Hardcover 

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

Educator Information
Recommended for Grades 1 to 3.

Additional Information
Hardcover

This tenderly told follow-up to the acclaimed To My Panik: To My Daughter highlights the unique beauty of a mother-son bond. In this lovingly told book, a mother recounts for her son all the things she loves about him, connecting each attribute to an element of the Arctic landscape or Inuit traditional life. Her son is strong, like a polar bear carrying its cubs across the frozen sea. He is gentle, like a delicate blade of cottongrass. He’s as steadfast as the spark that lights the campfire, and as invigorating as a sip of icy river water. This beautiful narrative of connection and love will warm the hearts of all readers.

Reviews
"This tender story, told in a poetic question-and-response structure, celebrates the bond between a mother and child and between an Inuit family and the Arctic landscape. Ideal for shared reading in K–1 classrooms, the story invites connections to seasonal cycles while encouraging personal reflections on strength, gentleness, integrity, compassion, and humour. The illustrator’s use of soft textures and muted tones contributes to the emotional tone of the story. In English Language Arts, it supports vocabulary development and oral language comprehension. In Science, it can prompt comparisons between Arctic and British Columbian flora and fauna. In Arts Education, Pang’s use of space and perspective to express scale can be explored through watercolour or pastel art techniques." - Bonny-Lynn D., Elementary School Teacher, Indigenous Books for Schools

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

This title is included in the Indigenous Books for Schools database from the Association of Book Publishers of BC as a recommended resource for kindergarten and Grade 1 for the following subjects: English Language Arts, Art, Science, and Social Studies.

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

Explore a forest with a curious classroom in this breathtaking new picture book, and experience the essential beauty of diversity in humanity and nature.

Joy and her peers are eager to visit a nearby forest for a class trip. But Joy's excitement quickly turns into anxiety when she is asked to choose one thing in the area for a school assignment.

Seeing her classmates connecting with the natural environment, Joy discovers how each of their choices reflect the ways they relate to and interact with the world.

Together, a Forest begins as an exciting journey into nature and blossoms into a meditation on how our unique personalities and ways of being help create a more vibrant and beautiful world. The forest reveals that everyone—including those of us with disabilities and neurodivergence—belong to nature. There is no one right way for a mind, body, or person to be.

Perfect for classrooms and home libraries with accessible social-emotional and STEM themes, this picture book highlights the importance of interdependence, inclusion and celebrating diversity in our communities.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.00" x 11.20" | Hardcover 

Go on an enchanting journey with The Twelve Days of Autumn, where each day reveals the wonders of wildlife and nature's vibrant transformations in this delightful seasonal twist on a classic tale!

This companion to Twelve Days of Winter is another book to read or sing along with children. In Twelve Days of Autumn, each day reveals the wonders of wildlife and nature's vibrant transformations as we ease into fall. Observe how animals prepare for colder months in this seasonal twist and reimagined version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” celebrating wildlife. "On the first day of autumn we looked around to see a wild turkey trotting down the trail."

Look for a curious turtle watching the changes come!

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 8.

This book is part of the Twelve Days Series.

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

A pair of friends, Umingmak and Fox, haven't seen the sun for a long time.

Umingmak the muskox watches the sky growing darker in the winter months. Umingmak is surprised and a little scared! He asks his friend Fox: Why is it dark? Fox explains why it is so dark during the winter and brighter in the summer. Will talking to Fox help Umingmak feel better about his fear of the dark?

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 8.

This book is part of the Umingmak and Fox series. Umingmak and Fox: Why Is It Dark? takes a playful look at seasons in the North, where winter can be long and dark.

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.00" x 7.50" | Hardcover 

Bahe and Dezba are helping their grandmother, Nali, move from her sheep camp home to their house. The family is packing up, carrying heavy boxes, and settling into a new life together, which isn’t always easy. At every frustration, they throw up their hands and exclaim, “Yaadila!” Good grief!

Bahe sees that this big change is hardest for Nali. But he has a secret plan. Whatever can he be doing with a bucket of water, all that yarn, and Dezba’s dollhouse?

In this heartwarming and quintessentially Navajo (Diné) story, author Laurel Goodluck (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Tsimshian) and illustrator Jonathan Nelson (Diné) together show a big change for an Elder made easier with a creative gesture of love and care.

Reviews
"Exasperation and love go hand in hand in this humorous yarn....Diné words are sprinkled into the text and defined in a glossary. Though the narrative could have benefited from a fuller explanation of the titular term at the outset, young readers will understand “Yáadilá!” by book’s end and will be amused by the interplay between Bahe and the “Helpful Narrator,” who breaks the fourth wall with comic book–style interjections. Underscoring Diné language and heritage, the tale touches on family and homesickness in a context many will relate to." — Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

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

A modern-day twist to The Giving Tree, this book chronicles the changes brought upon a beloved family tree that must be uprooted and planted on new land. This debut picture book by Staci Lola Drouillard (Grand Portage Band of Ojibwe descendant) celebrates resiliency, family bonds, and our deep connection to and responsibility for nature.

Grandma’s garden was not just any garden. It was where a spruce tree, only as tall as baby Francis, reached her roots into the soil and stretched her branches toward the sky. Here, on the shore of Gichigaming, is where Francis and the sapling felt right at home.

But when Grandma and Grandpa decide to move away, Francis wants to take the tree with them—can they?

Brimming with tenderness, this story from Staci Lola Drouillard (Grand Portage Band of Ojibwe descendant), with illustrations by Kate Gardiner (Chaubunagungamaug band of Nipmuck Indians), traces the journey of one family, and a little tree, as they adapt to change by drawing on the strength of their roots.

Reviews
"Drouillard, a Grand Portage band of Ojibwe descendant, and Gardiner, a member of the Chaubunagungamaug band of Nipmuck Indians, expertly weave together Francis and Gawaandagoonce’s grief and growth, conveying the heartbreak and resilience that often accompany transition while honoring Ojibwe values and language. A poignant illustration of how our roots keep us grounded amid change." — Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 10.00" x 10.00" | 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 

Aloha Everything is a magical story that will take you on a thrilling journey through the breathtaking islands of Hawaiʻi!

In this exciting adventure, you'll encounter mighty canoes crashing over ocean waves, regal hawks soaring high above the clouds, and brilliant lizards jumping nimbly through forest trees! Most importantly, you'll meet a courageous young girl named Ano who learns, grows, and comes to love her island home with all her heart.

Since the day that Ano was born, her heart has been connected to her home. But, this adventurous child has a lot to learn! When Ano begins to dance hula — a storytelling dance form that carries the knowledge, history, and folklore of the Hawaiian people — Ano comes to understand the true meaning of aloha.

Aloha Everything is both a captivating read and a fantastic educational resource for learning about Hawaiian history, ecology, and culture. With breathtaking hand-painted illustrations and beautiful rhyming poetry that will lull little ones into brilliant dreams of vibrant adventure, this book is sure to capture the hearts of both children and parents alike.

The beautiful poetry—weaving its way through every page—artfully blends 25 Hawaiian words into the English prose and provides a thoughtful exploration of the meaning of aloha in relation to the land, the people, and the lore. There is also a pronunciation guide and glossary providing additional information for those looking to learn more about the rich language and culture of Hawai’i.

Reviews
"Mesmerizing, metered verse combines English and Hawaiian words for a rich tale of Hawaiian history, culture, ecology, and legends. Making deft use of light and shadow, the vibrant images bring the text to life... A stunning tribute to Hawaiian culture and identity."–starred review, Kirkus

"Lush illustrations by Waite and rhythmic quatrains by Melia George paint the story of a Hawaiian girl who learns about her cultural heritage through hula. . . . acrylic and gouache paintings linger on the eye in this gossamer work." –Publishers Weekly

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 11.25" x 9.75" | Hardcover

A festive, joyful Indigenous picture book that explores both Christmas traditions and Anishinaabe culture, for fans of Santa in the City and Go Show the World.

One winter solstice, Mommy says, "Baby, we're going home to the Rez. We're going to have an Anishinaabe Christmas." But this is Baby's first Christmas away from the city, and they're worried! They have a lot of questions:

How will Santa know where to find them?

Why do we have presents on Christmas?

How come they're going home to the Rez but don't live there?

On the long trip to Mooshom's and Kookom's, Baby learns about animals being part of their family, about the North Star leading them home and even the meanings of some Anishinaabe words. Will this Anishinaabe Christmas be Baby's best yet?

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is available in French: Un Noël anichinabé 

Additional Information
48 pages | 9.00" x 10.25" | Hardcover