Browse Books for Adults

Brendell Kisêpîsim Meshango is of Métis heritage and a PhD university professor in Prince George, British Columbia. When Brendell resigns from the university and retreats to her isolated cabin to repair her psyche, she is confronted by a masked intruder. His racial comments lead her to believe she is the solitary victim of a hate crime. However, is all as it appears? After two bizarre days inflicting a sadistic captivity, the intruder mysteriously disappears.

Taught by her mother to fear and distrust the mainstream-based power structures, and with her stalker possibly linked to a high level of government, Brendell conceals the incident from the police. But will keeping quiet keep her safe?

Then her beloved daughter, Zoë, is threatened — and Brendell takes matters into her own hands. To save Zoë, Brendell searches for the stalker and confronts not just a depraved madman but her own fears and prejudices.

This second novel by Joylene Nowell Butler will keep you spellbound, taking you on suspenseful journey as the hunter becomes the hunted and the disturbing truth is discovered.

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281 pages | 5.90" x 9.05"

Many promote Reconciliation as a “new” way for Canada to relate to Indigenous Peoples. In Dancing on Our Turtle’s Back: Stories of Nishnaabeg Re-Creation, Resurgence, and a New Emergence activist, editor, and educator Leanne Simpson asserts reconciliation must be grounded in political resurgence and must support the regeneration of Indigenous languages, oral cultures, and traditions of governance.

Simpson explores philosophies and pathways of regeneration, resurgence, and a new emergence through the Nishnaabeg language, Creation Stories, walks with Elders and children, celebrations and protests, and meditations on these experiences. She stresses the importance of illuminating Indigenous intellectual traditions to transform their relationship to the Canadian state.

Challenging and original, Dancing on Our Turtle’s Back provides a valuable new perspective on the struggles of Indigenous Peoples.

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168 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback

On a wintry day in December 1890, near a creek named Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, the Seventh Cavalry of the U.S. Army opened fire on an encampment of Sioux Indians. This assault claimed more than 250 lives, including those of many Indian women and children. The tragedy at Wounded Knee has often been written about, but the existing photographs have received little attention until now.

Eyewitness at Wounded Knee brings together and assesses for the first time some 150 photographs that were made before and immediately after the massacre. Present at the scene were two itinerant photographers, George Trager and Clarence Grant Morelodge, whose work has never before been published. Accompanying commentaries focus on both the Indian and the military sides of the story. Richard E. Jensen analyzes the political and economic quagmire in which the Sioux found themselves after 1877. R. Eli Paul considers the army’s role at Wounded Knee. John E. Carter discusses the photographers and also the reporters and relic hunters who were looking to profit from the misfortune of others.

For this Bison Books edition each image has been digitally enhanced and restored, making the photographs as compelling as the event itself. Heather Cox Richardson tells the story behind the endeavor to present a meaningful account of this significant historical event.

While games of chance have been part of the Aboriginal cultural landscape since before European contact, large-scale commercial gaming facilities within First Nations communities are a relatively new phenomenon in Canada. First Nations Gaming in Canada is the first multidisciplinary study of the role of gaming in indigenous communities north of the 49th parallel. Bringing together some of Canada’s leading gambling researchers, the book examines the history of Aboriginal gaming and its role in indigenous political economy, the rise of large-scale casinos and cybergaming, the socio-ecological impact of problem gambling, and the challenges of labour unions and financial management. The authors also call attention to the dearth of socio-economic impact studies of gambling in First Nations communities while providing models to address this growing issue of concern.

Accompany Bobbie as she traces back the path of her life; from her Ojibwa roots to her rejection of her culture following the horrific abuse she endured during her childhood. She reflects on her life with sadness and humor recalling her tumultuous marriage and divorce, her life as a single parent, her battle with drugs and alcohol and the long road back to her traditions that took decades. God don’t Make No Junk will stay in the readers mind long after they finish reading it.

This exciting title introduces readers to the folktale genre. Readers will learn that folktales are often passed down and retold from generation to generation. Readers will discover the similarities and differences between folktales from around the world. The title also includes guided writing activities to help readers write their own folktales.

Educator & Series Information
Reading Level: Gr. 3
Interest Level: Gr. 3-6
Guided Reading Level: P

This book is part of the Text Styles series. Myths, folktales, legends, and fables—each kind of story has a set of rules for its construction. This engaging new series shows young readers how to look at stories in a whole new way. Children will develop their reading comprehension and critical reading skills by learning to identify the characteristics of different literary genres, or styles, in stories from around the world. Writing guides show students how to create their own stories in each particular style. 

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32 pages | 7.80" x 9.60"

A legend is a story about a hero, a people, or a natural phenomena. Popular legends include King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Blackbeard, and Robin Hood. This exciting new title teaches readers about the common characteristics found in legends from around the world. Engaging writing activities guide readers as they use these characteristics to create their own legends.

Ruben Anton Komangapik is one of the Arctic's most gifted sculptors.

His work has been exhibited across Canada with pieces on permanent loan to the Museum of Nature and Culture in Montreal. In Isuma, Ruben's vibrant, provocative sculpture, and his artistic process, are brought to life by photographer Estelle Marcoux Komangapik's arresting images.

Part autobiography, part art object, this book will introduce Canadians to one of the Arctic's most talented young artists.

Collaborating to Support All Learners in Mathematics and Science

Grade: for grades 5-12

In this second volume of It’s All About Thinking, the authors focus their expertise on the disciplines of mathematics and science, translating principles into practices that help other educators with their students.

How can we help students develop the thinking skills they need to become successful learners?
How does this relate to deep learning of important concepts in mathematics and science?
How can we engage and support diverse learners in inclusive classrooms where they develop understanding and thinking skills?
In this book, Faye, Leyton and Carole explore these questions and offer classroom examples to help busy teachers develop communities where all students learn. This book is written by three experienced educators who offer a welcoming and “can-do” approach to the big ideas in math and science education today. In this book you will find:

insightful ways to teach diverse learners (Information circles, open-ended strategies, inquiry, manipulatives and models)
lessons crafted using curriculum design frameworks (udl and backwards design)
assessment for, as, and of learning
fully fleshed-out lessons and lesson sequences; inductive teaching to help students develop deep learning and thinking skills in Math and Science
assessment tools (and student samples) for concepts drawn from learning outcomes in Math and Science curricula
excellent examples of theory and practice made accessible
real school examples of collaboration — teachers working together to create better learning opportunities for their students

The play-based learning and individualized strategies in this practical book build on the wide range of literacy skills present in the kindergarten classroom. This valuable resource explores simple ways to use traditional learning centres to provide children with real and authentic reasons to listen, speak, read, write, and view. Teachers will find a wealth of resources for creating meaningful learning experiences, including:

• answers to often-asked questions
• milestones to inform teaching instruction
• activities and games for both individuals and groups
• literacy extensions that involve children with quality literature, authentic artifacts, and recordings

This highly readable book will support teachers as they move beyond worksheets and nurture students on their journey to lifelong literacy.

Each volume in the Kappianaqtut series provides readers with an in-depth academic examination of two mythological creatures from Inuit mythology. The series examines Inuit myths from an ethnographic perspective and fosters discussion on the variations and multiple representations of the myths and creatures in question.

This volume, which explores the giants of the North and the mother of the sea mammals, has been fully revised and updated.

Kappianaqtut represents the first book-length study of Inuit mythological beings written from a Northern perspective.

A rare and inspiring guide to the health and well-being of Aboriginal women and their communities.

The process of "digging up medicines" - of rediscovering the stories of the past - serves as a powerful healing force in the decolonization and recovery of Aboriginal communities. In Life Stages and Native Women, Kim Anderson shares the teachings of fourteen elders from the Canadian prairies and Ontario to illustrate how different life stages were experienced by Métis, Cree, and Anishinaabe girls and women during the mid-twentieth century. These elders relate stories about their own lives, the experiences of girls and women of their childhood communities, and customs related to pregnancy, birth, post-natal care, infant and child care, puberty rites, gender and age-specific work roles, the distinct roles of post-menopausal women, and women's roles in managing death. Through these teachings, we learn how evolving responsibilities from infancy to adulthood shaped women's identities and place within Indigenous society, and were integral to the health and well-being of their communities. By understanding how healthy communities were created in the past, Anderson explains how this traditional knowledge can be applied toward rebuilding healthy Indigenous communities today.

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Midnight Sweatlodge tells the tale of family members, friends and strangers who gather together to partake in this ancient healing ceremony. Each person seeks traditional wisdom and insight to overcome pain and hardship, and the characters give us glimpses into their lives that are both tearful and true. Rice captures the raw emotion and unique challenges of modern Aboriginal life. It’s a hard-hitting and genuine look at the struggles First Nations people face.

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These seven tales are the traditional teaching stories of Nenapohs, the Saulteaux culture hero and trickster. Oral in origin, they have been passed on through generations by the traditional teachers, the Elders.

For the first time, they are published and made available in Nahkawewin or Saulteaux, the westernmost dialect of the Ojibwe language. Each story is illustrated and is presented in both Standard Roman Orthography and syllabics, with English translation. The book also includes a pronunciation guide and a Saulteaux-to-English glossary.

Educator & Series Information
Nenapohs Legends is part of the First Nations Language Readers series. With a mix of traditional and new stories, each First Nations Language Reader introduces an Indigenous language and demonstrates how each language is used today. The University of Regina Press’s long-term goal is to publish all 60+ Indigenous languages of Canada.

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112 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Narrated by Saulteaux Elders, Transcribed and Translated by Margaret Cote

In Nobody Cries At Bingo, the narrator, Dawn, invites the reader to witness first hand Dumont family life on the Okanese First Nation. Beyond the sterotypes and clichés of Rez dogs, drinking, and bingos, the story of a girl who loved to read begins to unfold. It is her hopes, dreams, and indomitable humour that lay bear the beauty and love within her family. It is her unerring eye that reveals the great bond of family expressed in the actions and affections of her sisters, aunties, uncles, brothers, cousins, nieces, nephews, and ultimately her ancestors.

It’s all here — life on the Rez in rich technicolour — as Dawn emerges from home life, through school life, and into the promise of a great future. Nobody Cries At Bingo embraces cultural differences and does it with the great traditional medicine of laughter.

Educator Information
Young adult fiction.

Recommended English First Peoples resource for grades 11-12 in the unit What Creates Family.

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136 pages | 5.48" x 8.48"