Browse Books for Kids

On the News gently introduces young children to the realities of natural disasters, terrorism and other forms of tragedy. In age-appropriate language and tone, Dr. Roberts explains what tragedy is, the feelings it may create and how to manage those feelings. She also emphasizes the good that can come out of tragedy, looking at how people help one another in caring, compassionate and heroic ways. The book's question-and-answer format will help parents have a meaningful conversation about these difficult topics with their children and equip them to better handle questions that arise when children are exposed to the news.

Educator & Series Information
The World Around Us series introduces children to complex cultural, social and environmental issues that they may encounter outside their homes, in an accessible way. Sidebars offer further reading for older children or care providers who have bigger questions. For younger children just starting to make these observations, the simple question-and-answer format of the main text will provide a foundation of knowledge on the subject matter.

Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

This book is available in French: Et si on parlait des TRAGÉDIES ?

Additional Information
32 pages | 10.00" x 8.50"

Following on the success of their bestselling board book Hello Humpback!, the celebrated and award-winning authors Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd are back with One Eagle Soaring, the second volume in their exciting new series, First West Coast Books. One Eagle Soaring, a “first numbers” book, explores counting and numbers with the help of West Coast animals—from a single eagle aloft, to a pair of swimming whales, as well as leaping frogs, honey-hungry bears and a group of ten dozing marmots. Combining Roy Henry Vickers’ vivid illustrations, a glossy tactile finish and a simple yet catchy text, this sturdy board book introduces babies and toddlers to the spectacular scenery and wildlife of British Columbia.

Educator & Series Information
This is the second installment of the First West Coast Books series.

Additional Information
20 pages | 6.00" x 6.00" | Board Book

As climate change is warming our planet, the ice in Earth's cryosphere is melting --- from glaciers to mountaintop patches to permafrost. An unexpected result of this melting has been the discovery of artifacts that were long preserved in the ice's depths. Tools, clothing and, perhaps most remarkable, human bodies have been revealed at the edges the retreating ice. Examining these discoveries, along with traces of plants and animals also melting out of the ice, is the work of researchers in a brand-new scientific field called glacial archaeology. This one-of-a-kind introduction to the work of these researchers examines some of the fascinating artifacts that have been uncovered and the insights they provide into how our ancestors lived. It also describes the urgency of this work; as soon as these clues to the past become exposed to the elements, they begin to disintegrate.

Award-winning author Claire Eamer keeps the interest level high with her intriguing stories, organized into thirteen chapters. The accessible text is complemented by loads of eye-catching visuals, such as photos of actual artifacts and mummified remains, along with Drew Shannon's full-color illustrations. The table of contents, timeline, references, glossary and index enhance the book's classroom utility. This timely book is an excellent choice for updated lessons on the impacts of changes in the environment. Information here covers subjects ranging from science and technology to environmental studies to history and geography.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.87" x 10.87"

Echo Desjardins, a 13-year-old Métis girl adjusting to a new home and school, is struggling with loneliness while separated from her mother. Then an ordinary day in Mr. Bee’s history class turns extraordinary, and Echo’s life will never be the same. During Mr. Bee’s lecture, Echo finds herself transported to another time and place—a bison hunt on the Saskatchewan prairie—and back again to the present. In the following weeks, Echo slips back and forth in time. She visits a Métis camp, travels the old fur-trade routes, and experiences the perilous and bygone era of the Pemmican Wars.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 12+ by the publisher.

Pemmican Wars is the first graphic novel in the A Girl Called Echo series.

Books in this series include: 
Volume 1: Pemmican Wars
Volume 2: Red River Resistance
Volume 3: Northwest Resistance
Volume 4: Road Allowance Era

The Canadian Indigenous Books for School list recommends this for Grades 5-12 for these subject areas: Arts Education, English Language Arts, Social Studies.

This book is available in French: Elle s'appelle Echo Tome 1: La guerre du Pemmican

Additional Information
48 pages | 6.50" x 10.00"

Il y a très longtemps, dans un pays lointain, deux bandes d'oiseaux vivaient sur des territoires voisins : les paons et les cygnes. Leurs différences firent peu à peu naître la méfiance et chaque groupe se mit à accumuler des armes pour se défendre en cas de danger... 

Puis, un jour, aveuglés par leur propre frayeur, les paons déclenchèrent une guerre sanglante, jusqu'à ce qu'il ne reste que deux oeufs.

Comment se comporteront les oisillons qui en naîtront ?

Educator Information
This resource is also available in English: Feathers and Fools

Additional Information
Dès 7 ans | 32 pages | 28 x 21 cm

What creatures lurk beneath the sea ice? Putuguq and Kublu – two siblings who can’t seem to get along- are about to find out! On their way to the shoreline, Putuguq and Kublu run into their grandfather, who has a stern warning for the pair: always beware when playing on the shore, because you never know if a qalupalik, a mythical creature that snatches children, is lying in wait under the ice. Kublu is pretty sure their grandfather is just trying to spook them with a scary story from the past….but maybe not?

Reviews
"More playful than scary, Putuguq & Kublu and the Qalupalik! succeeds in teaching about contemporary Indigenous culture in a non-didactic, humorous way. As a supplementary text, it will easily align to curricula while helping children build their literacy skills. With brightly coloured illustrations and engaging dialogue, it’s one of those books that is highly informational without revealing as much to its young readers." 

"This graphic novel for beginners has just the right balance of mischief, excitement, and danger, with enough humor to keep things light. Bright colors, clean lines, and larger panels make for inviting, uncluttered reading. Set in a small town in Nunavut, Canada, this story centers Inuit culture in all aspects but never feels forced or didactic. Rather, readers will get a glimpse into contemporary Indigenous lives that are both different and very much like their own."

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Putuguq & Kublu series.

Recommended for ages 5+

Additional Information
32 pages | 6.00" x 8.00"

Récipiendaire du prix littéraire du Gouverneur général 2017, pour la version originale When we Were Alone.En aidant sa grand-mère à entretenir son jardin, une fillette remarque chez celle-ci des caractéristiques qui piquent sa curiosité. Pourquoi sa grand-mère porte-t-elle ses longs cheveux en tresses et des vêtements de couleurs vives? Pourquoi parle-t-elle une autre langue et passe-t-elle tant de temps avec sa famille? Ces questions amènent l’ainée à parler des années qu’elle a passées enfant dans un pensionnat autochtone, endroit où tout lui avait été enlevé. Quand on était seuls raconte une période difficile et constitue, en dernier ressort, un témoignage de courage et de prise en charge personnelle.

Educator Information
Recommended for Grades 3-7 for these subject areas: Francais langue premiere, French Immersion Language Arts, Sciences humaines.

This book is also available in Swampy Cree syllabics and Roman orthography, as well as the original English: Ispík kákí péyakoyak/When We Were Alone

This resource is also available in English: When We Were Alone.

Additional Information
30 pages | 8.50" x 8.50"

The month of Ramadan offers the opportunity to improve one's personal and spiritual behavior.

By focusing on positive thoughts and actions, Muslims build a closer connection with God and come away from the month feeling spiritually renewed. Ramadan: The Holy Month of Fasting explores the richness and diversity of the Islamic tradition by focusing on an event of great spiritual significance and beauty in the lives of Muslims. Rich with personal stories and stunning photographs, Ramadan demystifies the traditions and emphasizes the importance of diversity in a world where Islamophobia is on the rise.

Reviews
"The personal perspectives elevate this volume above an average informational book; readers, both non-Muslims and Muslims, can step into the shoes of someone from another background. Wide in scope and personal in presentation, this book is a good choice for learning about Muslims' traditions as expressed in various cultures."— Kirkus Reviews

"The book is sprinkled with many colourful photos of people praying and celebrating around the world, mosques, food and more which illustrate the joy that this holiday brings to Muslims…I would recommend Ramadan: The Holy Month of Fasting to children learning about Ramadan and the Muslim faith as well as to children who do celebrate this holiday as they will see a reflection of their lives in its pages. Recommended."— CM Magazine

"This is a comprehensive book of facts and experiences for any child who is learning about what it means to follow Islam. A solid choice for children seeking to learn more about the faith for assignments or to satisfy their own intellectual curiosity."— School Library Journal

"Ramadan provides a clear, accessible introduction to Ramadan and Islamic beliefs generally…This series has been insightfully planned and carried out: books like Khan's Ramadan make intercultural discovery and understanding fascinating and fun. I particularly like how prominent girls and women are in this text. And while the book is intended for kids, there are many adults who would benefit from reading it to dispel their misunderstandings. I emphatically recommend Ramadan: The Holy Month of Fasting to any class or community interested in reading for multicultural understanding."— Resource Links

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Orca Origins series that explores cultural celebrations throughout the world.

Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

Additional Information
88 pages | 7.50" x 9.00" | Paperback 

Echo Desjardins is adjusting to her new home, finding friends, and learning about Métis history. She just can’t stop slipping back and forth in time. One ordinary afternoon in class, Echo finds herself transported to the banks of the Red River in the summer of 1869. All is not well in the territory as Canadian surveyors have arrived to change the face of territory, and Métis families, who have lived there for generations, are losing access to their land. As the Resistance takes hold, Echo fears for her friends and the future of her people in the Red River Valley.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for grades 5 to 9.

Red River Resistance is volume two in the graphic novel series, A Girl Called Echo, by Katherena Vermette.

Books in this series include: 
Volume 1: Pemmican Wars
Volume 2: Red River Resistance
Volume 3: Northwest Resistance
Volume 4: Road Allowance Era

Recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2019-2020 resource list as being useful for grades 5-12 with regard to these subjects: English Language Arts, Art Education, Social Studies.

This book is available in French: Elle s'appelle Echo Tome 2: La guerre du Pemmican 

Additional Information
47 pages | 6.50" x 10.00"

Everyone expected Leon Kline, anchor for the 4x100 sprint relay, to secure Gilburn High's spot in the record books. But a freak accident on the final stretch changes everything. Suddenly his future is gone. No more running, no scholarship, no college. But then he meets sassy and straight-talking Casey De Vries, and life doesn't look quite so bleak. She even gets him running again. He can't sprint anymore, but he can handle longer distances. As he gets to know Casey better, he realizes that something is not quite right. How can he help her if she won't tell him what’s going on?

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Orca Sports series. Orca Sports stories engage middle-schoolers and teens with fast-paced plots and easy-to-read language. Topics include a variety of team and individual sports. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5; Interest level ages 10+.

Additional Information
176 pages | 4.25" x 7.00"

Join the authors as they lead the children through important Cree cultural experiences, tell stories, and share their wisdom and truths with compassion. Learn the protocols for building a tipi, trapping a beaver, laying the grandfather stones for a fire, smudging, and harvesting salt from the Salt Plains in Wood Buffalo National Park. In Cree, tapwe means "it is so" or "the truth." In this, Henry writes, "We can tell you what to do with the truths we share in this book, but we hope that reading our story will help you get to know us a little better so that together we can make this nation a place we can all be proud of."

Reviews
"An intimate gateway to learning about the Cree First Nations people from the perspective of its elders." - Kirkus Reviews

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for Ages 8-12.

This is the 9th book in the This Land Is Our Storybook series, which considers the diverse lands and cultures of Canada's Northwest Territories. Told in a uniquely diverse range of northern voices, with a child-centred approach, books in the series highlight each official Aboriginal language group in the NWT, revealing a richly textured picture of life in the North--on the trapline, around the campfire, in communities, at school, and within the outdoor school that is the land itself. The series celebrates the seasons, ages, genders, traditional activities, and communities of the NWT.

The stories are illustrated by the striking images of acclaimed northern photographer, Tessa Macintosh and depict the similarities in lifestyle between children of the North and South, as well as the marked cultural differences, and highlight the special relationship these First Nations people have with the land and how they are adapting to rapid change while remaining connected to the land. Images of the landscape and animals within it, of trapping, hunting, fishing, and bannock baking sit alongside pictures of children at school, swimming at recreation centres, and reading in libraries. Here is modern northern culture painted beautifully: a complex mix of the new and the old.

These wonderful books, written with a variety of provincial and territorial curricula in mind, are specially designed for the classroom and include special features such as glossaries relating details on animals biology and cultural definitions, regional and language maps. The text of the stories also have sidebars such as Our Stories, which contain the stories of the people and language group featured, and Our Words, which highlight words in the featured language that are important to the story.

Additional Information
36 pages | 8.00" x 8.00" | Library Binding

Siku and Kamik have a lot of fun together!

This book shows all the different ways the dogs have fun in their Arctic community together.

Educator Information 
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic. Siku & Kamik Like to Play is a Level 6 book in the series. 

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. This book's F&P Level is C. 

Recommended for ages 4-6.

Additional Information 
8pages | 8.00" x 8.00" 

Siku and Kamik are ready for a snack!

This humorous story describes how Siku and Kamik show they are hungry and what they will do to get a treat.

Educator Information 
This book is part of the Nunavummi Reading Series, a Nunavut-developed series that supports literacy learning while teaching readers about the people, traditions, and environment of the Canadian Arctic.  It is a Level 8 book in the series. 

Nunavummi Reading Series books have also been officially levelled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Levelling System. This book's F&P Level is F.

Curriculum Connections: Language and literacy; Diversity; Environmental Awareness; Identity.

Recommended for ages 4-6.

Additional Information 
24 pages | 8.00" x 8.00"

Siuluk is a very strong man. He’s so strong that people tell him he must be the last of the Tuniit, friendly giants who once lived in the North. Just like those giants, Siuluk is so strong that he can carry an entire walrus over his shoulder.

But not everyone believes that Siuluk is strong. One day, when a group of men tease Siuluk about his size, he has to find a way to prove his strength once and for all—but how?

Based on traditional stories from the Chesterfield Inlet area of the Kivalliq region of Nunavut, this tale of Siuluk and his legendary strength will captivate young readers.

Educator Information
Fountas and Pinnell Level N
Suggested Ages: 5-7.

Additional Information
28 pages | 8.00" x 9.00"

Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation is a nonfiction book for middle readers that examines how we can foster Reconciliation in an accessible way. Centered around the writings of Monique Gray Smith, this teacher guide is a comprehensive support for educators focusing on Indigenous teachings and looking to build an inquiry-based unit plan about Reconciliation. Activities such as essential questions from the author, metaphors for learning and cross-curricular plans are laid out clearly, with instructions and appropriate vocabulary for teachers and students to embark on this journey of Reconciliation together.

Educator Information
This resource helps teachers embark on a journey of Reconciliation in the classroom. The author, Tasha Henry, holds a Master of Education in Language, Culture and Teaching from York University and has been teaching for over twenty years.

Recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2019-2020 resource list as being a useful Teacher Resource with regard to English Language Arts, Social Justice, and Social Studies.

Find the student resource here: Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation 

Additional Information
46 pages | 8.50" x 11.00"