Non-Fiction

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

Lexile measure: 1050L

This book is part of the Mother of Xsan series, which uses striking illustration and lyrical language to bring the poetry of the Xsan ecosystem to life. It is the eighth book in the series.

Additional Information
32 pages | 6.50" x 10.00" | Hardcover 

Grandmother, Why do we do the things we do?

How a young girl is raised by her grandmother on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. The book denotes various aspects of O'odham himdag (culture) and begins with waking up in the morning and then preparing for the day and engaging in several different responsibilities. Various daily chores and activities such as preparation of different food, basket weaving, pottery making, household chores and cultural undertakings are highlighted.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5 by the publisher, but this book contains a lot of text and may be more suitable for older children.

This book includes many O'odham words, but it is not a dual-language book. A glossary is included. O'odham is a Native American language spoken by several tribes in the American Southwest and Northern Sonoran Mexico. 

This book is part of the Tohono O'odham series.

Subjects / Themes: Daily Life, Home, Family, Community, Culture 

Additional Information
48 pages | 11.00" x 9.00" | colour illustrations | Hardcover

A middle-grade-friendly introduction to flora of the Great Lakes Region, with outdoor activities, games and quizzes that make learning about nature fun! Great for families and educators.

Get dirty digging up roots. Crouch down to look closely at a carnivorous sundew dissolving a dragonfly. Make an elderberry concoction. Test your plant ID skills with a winter twig quiz. Make a soothing plantain salve to treat an itch. Learn which berries you can eat and which to avoid.

Time spent outdoors encourages children’s self-confidence and independence, increases attention span and physical well-being, and fosters care for the environment. With the increasing intrusion of technology into daily life, and the challenges of climate chaos, it has never been more essential for parents and educators to encourage kids to engage with the natural environment. Plants are everywhere, even in urban areas where parks, empty lots and backyards offer the opportunity to learn from and connect to nature.

Drawing on their years of experience as outdoor educators, co-authors Philippa Joly and Danielle Gehl Hagel feature fifty richly illustrated plant profiles, including information on identification and ecology, cultural uses, and fun activities—all in a way that is accessible and interesting to readers of all ages.

Educator Information
Juvenile Nonfiction.

Additional Information
224 pages | 8.50" x 8.50" | Paperback

A lyrical informational picture book about how open-net pen fish farms impact wild salmon and their ecosystems

Salmon are central to their ecosystem and the lives of many Indigenous Nations, but the rapid rise of open net-pen fish farming has threatened these longstanding connections. Salmon have followed the same migration routes for thousands of years, but the fish farming industry has had a deadly impact on their annual journey. Open-net pen farms release harmful waste into the ocean that is lethal to the wild salmon forced to swim through it. Now, the salmon must battle against the human-made destruction of their habitat, and many Nations are advocating for change and creating calls of action to protect salmon for future generations.

As the young salmon journey from their gravel nests to the open ocean, readers learn about the life cycle of wild salmon, the effects of open-net pen fish farms, and the role of salmon as a keystone species.

Boldly illustrated with gorgeous Northwest Coast formline art, rhythmic poetry combines with supportive nonfiction content to illuminate the struggles faced by wild salmon populations.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 8.

Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: J 
Lexile measure: 980L

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

Discover the history of the endangered Ojibwe horse and the daring intervention of the Lac La Croix First Nation in this celebration of community, tradition, courage, and hope.

It’s a cold, snowy night at Lac La Croix First Nation, and two siblings are too excited to fall asleep. The horses are coming tonight! Amid the buzz of aunties and uncles and cousins, Nookomis tells a story that began many years ago, when their people shared the land with herds of wild ponies. In a symbiotic relationship, the people provided the horses with food and shelter, while the horses helped them run traplines and travel. But after many years had passed, and the herd had dwindled to four, the government threatened to shoot them. It was time to move the remaining horses to safety—but getting them there would be harder than they thought! Follow the true story of a “heist across the ice” from Ontario to Minnesota and learn how a small herd of hardy, indigenous horses returned years later to their native land. Rich illustrations honor the life of the Ojibwe people over time, as well as the land and living things that have survived under their stewardship.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.62" x 10.62" | Hardcover 

Learn about the southernmost community of Nunavut in this educational picture book.

Did you know that Sanikiluaq, Nunavut is named after a great hunter and leader? Or that it is the most southern community in Nunavut? You can even see wildlife like polar bears, eider ducks, foxes, and more nearby. Discover the many reasons that people in Sanikiluaq love their home in this bilingual picture book.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Dual-language: English and Inuktitut

This book is part of the Community Connections series.

Additional Information
21 pages | 8.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

Being an ally is about learning and action. It's a constant, ongoing willingness to engage in the hard, confronting work of standing alongside those who don't have the same privileges.

As a young person, it can be difficult to take a stand for others when the need to fit in is so strong. But everyone can be an ally. Learn to acknowledge the privileges you have based on your identity, the difference between allyship and being a performative ally and how to address mistakes when we make them. In this book, young readers will work through realistic scenarios that show allyship in action and develop tools to become the best allies they can be.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

Includes some Indigenous content.

Additional Information
48 pages | 6.50" x 8.50" | 39 Colour Illustrations, 1 Index, 1 Bibliography; Hardcover 

Animals Illustrated mixes fun-filled animal facts suitable for the youngest of readers with intricately detailed illustrations to create a unique and beautiful introduction to Arctic animals for young readers. This collection of material from the Animals Illustrated series gives readers a focused understanding of how land mammals survive in the Arctic, what they have in common that helps them withstand the icy cold temperatures, and how their unique behaviours and adaptations help them succeed in this habitat.

Presented in the form of an illustrated children’s encyclopedia, this book provides introductory information about mammals, predator and prey relationships, and how animals adapt to live in the Arctic, before providing detailed spreads with facts about each of the following animals: polar bears, Arctic wolves, Arctic foxes, muskoxen, caribou, wolverines, lemmings, and Arctic hares.

Educator & Series Information 
Recommended Ages: 6-8

This book is part of the non-fiction Animals Illustrated series, which mixes fun-filled animal facts suitable for the youngest of readers with intricately detailed illustrations to create a unique and beautiful collection of children’s non-fiction books on Arctic animals. Each volume contains firsthand accounts from authors who live in the Arctic, along with interesting facts on the behaviours and biology of each animal.

Reading Levels
Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: P 
Guided Reading Level: P

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

The Anishinaabek are a rich nation with teachings and practices passed down from generation to generation. Explore more about the people and nations through Anishinaabek author Jennifer Meness.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Indigenous Nations in North America series.

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

A bilingual Mi'kmaw-English board book promoting dental health in baby's first year.

Every morning and every night I need help brushing my teeth.
Look at me smiling so healthy and happy.

Healthy gums and teeth improve overall wellness and quality of life, and help you feel confident in your smile. Beginning during pregnancy, there are things you can do to support your child's gum and teeth health.

This informative board book written in Mi'kmaw and English will teach caregivers how to support their child's oral health through their first year of life and beyond. Develop healthy habits and learn what food and drink is best for growing teeth and gums, when to take baby to their first dental visit, and the appropriate amount of toothpaste for children.

Written by the Tui'kn Partnership with support from the Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry, Baby Smiles will make sure that baby's teeth are healthy and happy their whole life long.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 and under.

Dual-Language: Mi'kmaw-English.

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

Bison are North America’s largest land animals.

Some 170,000 wood bison once roamed northern regions, while at least 30 million plains bison trekked across the rest of the continent. Almost driven to extinction in the 1800s by decades of slaughter and hunting, this ecological and cultural keystone species supports biodiversity and strengthens the ecosystems around it. Bison: Community Builders and Grassland Caretakers celebrates the traditions and teachings of Indigenous Peoples and looks at how bison lovers of all backgrounds came together to save these iconic animals. Learn about the places where bison are regaining a hoof-hold and meet some of the young people who are welcoming bison back home.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

This book is part of the Orca Wild series that examines the intricacies of animals, ecosystems, humans and our relationships to each other.

This STEAM title examines the biology and habitat of bison, their role as a keystone species, their importance to Indigenous cultures, conservation efforts, and how kids can take action to protect bison in the future.

Reading Levels:
Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: W
Lexile measure: 1020L
Guided Reading Level: W

Contains some Indigenous content, such as a contribution from Kaleya Blackbird Runns from the Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation in Saskatchewan, as well as information on the bison's importance to many Indigenous cultures in North America.

Additional Information
96 pages | 7.50" x 9.00" | 96 colour photographs, 2 maps, 1 index, 1 bibliography | Hardcover

When the nighttime sky fills with stars, Grandmother Mouse awakens and begins her grounding ceremonies.

Inhale, exhale
Inhale, exhale
Inhale, exhale. . .

Gifted to the Nisg̱a'a People, Grandmother Mouse is a nurturing protector, tending to the hearts and minds of the people, the plants, the animals, and all of our relations. Imbuing the world with smudge, blessings, and affirmations, Grandmother Mouse is here to offer you gentle, yet profound, teachings so you may walk through life with good intention and strong spirit.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4+.

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

The Sixties Scoop is a dark part of Canada's history. Learn more about this time from someone who lived it. Jacqueline tells us more about her time as a child in the Sixties Scoop.

Educator Information
Juvenile Nonfiction

Additional Information
24 pages | Paperback

We are all connected. Whether it is with your family, the mossy earth beneath your feet, the warm guidance of your ancestors, you belong in connection with all around you.

Along the backdrop of Haida Gwaii's breathtaking landscapes, Indigenous storyteller, Ḵung Jaadee, invites you to witness the many threads of relationship that connect us across time and space.

What makes you feel connected?

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6+.

Includes a few word and phrases in the Haida language.

A teacher lesson plan is available here: I am Connected Teacher Lesson Plan.

This book is available in French: Je suis liée.

Additional Information
28 pages | 9.00" x 10.00" | Hardcover 

An evocative autobiographical picture book about Cree activist Na'kuset's life as a young girl taken from her home along with thousands of other indigenous children during the 1960s, and the journey of discovery that leads her to reclaim her life and culture.

I have come from somewhere else, where
I am Cree and I have a big sister
and another name.

One night, a very young girl was removed from her home during Canada’s Sixties Scoop, which tore children from their Indigenous communities. She woke in a new home, with a new family and a new name—her former life fading to a ghost of a memory. The only place she ever felt like she fit in was with her grandmother—her Bubbie—who listened to her and made her chicken soup and wrapped her in her loving arms. Until one day…the girl discovered the truth. And her beloved Bubbie helped her on her journey to claim her identity, her voice—and her name.

Together, Na'kuset and Judith Henderson tell the powerful story of the Indigenous experience for a child during the Sixities Scoop. Cree illustrator Onedove shared how inspired they are by Na'kuset's story and activism, and that is made evident in the tender and vivid illustrations that bring Na'kuset's story to life.

Educator Information
Recommendations for ages 6 to 9.

Lexile measure: 450L 
Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: O

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