Browse Books for Kids

Using age-appropriate and empathetic language, Tess’s Red Dress introduces young children to Red Dress Day and the importance of remembering the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2 Spirit People. Backmatter pages include resources to support parents and educators through this important and difficult conversation with their children.

Six-year-old Tess is excited to welcome her new baby sibling into the world! She asks her mom what it was like growing up with a sibling. Tess’s mom tells her stories about baking in the kitchen, singing loudly in the bathtub, sharing a bedroom, and braiding her sister’s hair.

Despite their excitement over their growing family, they have experienced loss: her Auntie is one of the missing. The loss of any family member makes a drastic change for those left behind and the generations to come. As the family gets ready for the Red Dress Day march, Tess's mom and dad show her how to honour her Auntie by wearing her red dress and keeping the stories and memories of her family alive.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Additional Information
32 pages | 11" x 8.5" | Hardcover 

The Mighty Muskrats' new case is a real showstopper!

School's out for the four Cree cousins, but this is no ordinary summer-a movie is being filmed in Windy Lake First Nation. With superheroes in their backyard, the cousins can't wait to show the actors and stunt doubles all that Windy Lake has to offer-as soon as they actually meet them, that is. On a film set, everyone has a job. Even the Muskrats, who are helping Mavis, owner of Windy Lake's well-loved House-taurant, with the film's catering.

As Sam, Otter, Atim, and Chickadee take care of the cast and crew, a truck filled with specialty props and equipment disappears. Filming is halted-a disaster for everyone, including Mavis-and Windy Lake's reputation is suddenly at stake. It's up to the Mighty Muskrats to find the culprits and get the filmmaking back on track!

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 9-12.

This book is part of the fun and adventurous A Mighty Muskrat Mystery Series. This series puts an Indigenous spin on the classic Hardy Boys and Three Investigators books. 

Additional Information
152 pages | 5.25" x 7.5" | Paperback 

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 

When the mighty oak whispers, you will hear
That our loved ones are still very near.

The Trees Talk is a lyrical poem that teaches children about the wisdom of the trees. When our loved ones pass on to the next world, author Jennifer Scott encourages us to sit with the trees. They carry messages from our ancestors for each of us, if we just take the time to listen.

Sweeping and lush paintings by Carla Joseph move readers through a journey to learn about the relationship between our ancestors and the nature around us.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Additional Information
32 pages | 11" x 8.5" | Hardcover 

Observe animals and celebrate wildlife in this seasonal twist and reimagined version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” In Twelve Days of Spring, each day reveals the wonders of wildlife and nature's vibrant transformations as we ease into spring.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 8.

This book is part of the Twelve Days Series.

A rabbit hops through the pages of Twelve Days of Spring.

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

Ruined oatmeal, an unexpected rainstorm, forgotten lunch . . . Tana's day is going terribly. As she faces one disappointment after another, she feels sad and angry, uncertain how to turn her mood around. Can finding the good in even bad days lead Tana back to her happy self?

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

This book is part of the Tana Cooks! series.

Additional Information
64 pages | 5.25" x 7.50" | Paperback 

When Tana hears that there is a big dog running loose in her school, she freezes. She remembers a day a few years earlier when a strange dog jumped up on her while she was on a hike. Since then, she’s been afraid of dogs. But she doesn’t want to be afraid anymore. Is there a way for Tana to cure her fear of dogs?

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

This book is part of the Tana Cooks! series.

Additional Information
64 pages | 5.25" x 7.50" | Paperback 

Tête pleine de feuilles, c’est une légende qui précède celle de la Femme Tombée du Ciel, le mythe fondateur de la création du monde chez les Wendat. C’est l’histoire d’un bâton qui a fait plusieurs fois le tour de la Terre, bâton de paix, bâton de guerre, avant de devenir arbre. Comment un bâton aussi mystérieux et légendaire a-t-il fini par atterrir à Montréal, au parc Nicolas-Viel?

Educator Information
Juvenile Fiction 

Additional Information
38 Pages | Paperback 

When English thirteen-year-old Rosemary is evacuated to her grandmother in America at the start of World War II, she uncovers the family secret—they are Anishinaabe and passing as white.

Life in England is all Rosemary has ever known. . . but as WWII changes the world, no one’s life is left unscathed. Suddenly, she’s sent away to escape the devastation of London. Her grandmother’s house on Lake Superior is safe, but unfamiliar, especially as she discovers her parents have kept a tremendous secret.

Rosemary and her family are Anishinaabe—and no one is supposed to know.

Far from home but newly connected to a once-hidden part of her family, Rosemary develops a warm, close relationship with her grandmother… and a local boy whose love of gardening helps her to see the beauty in her unexpected circumstances. As Rosemary grows into her new life like a flower in bloom, she realizes that maybe she’s not as far from home as she thought.

Tender, sophisticated, and sweet, this is a beautiful story about memory, family, and identity. Rising Ojibwe author Anna Rose Johnson addresses the trauma of World War II and the legacies of hidden indigeneity alongside coming-of-age milestones like first crushes, new schools, and beginning to imagine the life you want. Hand The Blossoming Summer to fans of Christine Day, L.M. Montgomery, and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley!

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Additional Information
288 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Hardcover

An engaging introduction to the wide world of wild bees

Say the word "bee," and most kids think of honeybees or bumblebees. But there are around 20,000 discovered species of bees-and most of these are wild, solitary bees that don't live in hives. Readers will discover fascinating facts about these lesser-known bee species, from mason bees and mining bees to leafcutter bees and vulture bees.

Using clear, concise language and plenty of fun word play, this introduction to wild bees describes their life cycles, habitats, and behaviors ... some of which are weirder than others! It also explains the importance of wild solitary bees to many ecosystems, the challenges these bees face, and the things we can do to be part of the solution.

Vibrant, detailed illustrations created with pencil, crayon, and watercolor provide close-up views that are buzzing with life. Full of fun facts, The Buzz on Wild Bees invites readers to celebrate and protect all the world's bees.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 7 to 10.

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

Piujuq is a kind young woman who loves to take long walks on the tundra and dance by her favourite lake surrounded by butterflies. But one day, she encounters a stranger on her walk. When this person asks a favour of Piujuq, she happily obliges, and that kindness leaves Piujuq stuck in the body of a caterpillar. Alone, and thinking that no one could ever love her because of how she looks, Piujuq does not return to her camp. Instead, she lives a lonely life on the tundra as a caterpillar. Until one day, when another stranger appears . . .

Based on a traditional Inuit story, this tale of inner beauty, kindness, and magic is a perfect addition to any young reader's bookshelf.

Awards

• 2017 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens

Reviews
"Carolyn Gan's rich full-page images allow readers to better understand first Piujuq's beauty and connection to nature, and then her crippling loneliness. The immersive illustrations also make this text ideal for group read-alouds, a setting that would be useful for fully teasing out the nuances of this deceptively simple story's themes. More than just its moral, The Caterpillar Woman also emphasizes the importance of preserving Inuit traditions and language, particularly at the book's end when Piujuq draws on the "magic that existed when the world was new" (p. 27). The book closes with an Inuktitut Pronunciation Guide that helps readers to correctly pronounce the characters' names. A solid selection for school libraries, this book supports the social studies curriculum, as well as character education. Even more importantly, however, it strives to share and preserve the traditional Inuit lifestyle."— Resource Links

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.25" x 7.30" | Paperback

Vibrant traditions, rich histories, and strong voices—that’s the Cherokee Nation. In this inspiring nonfiction book for young readers, discover more about the people, places, and culture of one of the United States’ largest Indigenous groups. Explore how the Cherokee people still survive—and thrive—by safeguarding their language, reviving customs, and upholding celebrations, like the annual Cherokee National Holiday that honors their heritage. Through interactive activities and engaging features—including maps, timelines, recipes, and crafts—Cherokee author Twila M. Barnes provides young learners with important insights into the past, present, and future of the Cherokee people.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Peoples series.

Additional Information
32 pages | 7.00" x 9.00" | Paperback 

A thought-provoking picture book about the ways we create our own realities through the words and actions that we put out into the world.

In the early morning hours, two young children go on a journey of discovery with their grandfather, a great chief. After offering prayers to Creator, Grandfather leads Aiyanna and Little Wolf separately to the river gorge to meet the Echo People. There, surrounded by the beauty of Mother Earth, the children connect with the Echo People in a way that reveals something about themselves and learn a valuable lesson that will guide them throughout their lives.

The Echo People gently teaches young readers that if we meet the world with love and kindness then that kindness is echoed back to us.

Reviews
"True to traditional Indigenous teachings, Grandfather shares his wisdom about life ("Your actions, your words, even your thoughts all come back to you") but lets his grandchildren make meaning from their experiences. . . . A visually appealing and carefully told tale that will linger."- Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.75" x 8.75" | Hardcover 

Edwin loves his sister Patsy's closet. He adores dresses and earrings and boots with high heels. And when he's finished getting dressed, Edwin is transformed...into the fabulous Edweena!

Today is the figure skating competition at school and Edwin has decided to compete as Edweena. What will people say when they meet her for the first time? Can a boy in drag win the competition? Edweena will have to give her best performance ever to find out!

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

This books available in English and Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe): Omaamakaadendaagozi Edwiina / The Fabulous Edweena

This title is included in the Indigenous Books for Schools database from the Association of Book Publishers of BC. It is recommended for Grades 1 to 3 for English Language Arts and Physical and Health Education.

Additional Information
24 pages | 8.50" x 8.50" | Hardcover

In a surprising and heart-warming story, Etua Snowball shares his childhood experience of meeting and befriending a baby caribou.

After a chance encounter with a herd of caribou, a fawn follows a young boy back to his cabin. The boy and fawn spend the summer together exploring the northern landscape, picking berries, and swimming in the lake. Then one day the boy and fawn get an unexpected visitor, and the boy must learn how to say goodbye to his furry friend.

Reviews
"Through vivid storytelling and Shuggie Crossland’s expressive illustrations, The Fawn deepens cultural understanding and offers insight into Inuit ways of life and resilience. The book supports the BC curriculum by exploring how local environments shape identity and ways of living and encourages discussions on kindness, responsibility, and our relationship with nature. A glossary and pronunciation guide for Inuktitut words is included." - Shannon D., Elementary & Middle School Teacher, Indigenous Books for Schools

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

This book is part of the My Wild Arctic Friends series.

This book is included in the Indigenous Books for Schools database from the Association of Book Publishers of BC as a recommended resource for K to 3 for the following subjects: English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.

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