Books & Bannock

Before the angels stars grew dim And wondering hunters heard their hymn One mystic flute - one hundred drums One message clear, "A King has come!" Not one had ever seen the like By light of day or moon of night Before the angels stars grew dim And wondering hunters heard this hymn. . . An Aboriginal Carol is the ultimate Aboriginal collaboration: Poetry by Metis poet David Bouchard, Paintings by First Nations artist Moses Beaver, and Music by Inuit performer Susan Aglukark.

A visionary and beautiful book, Ancient Thunder celebrates wild horses and the natural world in which they lived in harmony. Using an extraordinary technique, artist of Ojibwa ancestry, Leo Yerxa makes paper look like leather, so that his illustrations seem to be painted on leather shirts. Each shirt is accompanied by a rich, wild song of praise for the wild horses that came to play such an important role in the lives of the First Peoples.

Never having seen trees, the children in Repulse Bay decide that the funny things delivered to them one year for Christmas must actually be for making baseball bats.

Chuck and his mom are heading to the city. Chuck has an exciting escapade as he befriends and provokes some furry, fourlegged city critters, dodges skaters, gets lost and then uses his wiles to find his way back home.

Two tales, set in a time "when animals and human beings still talked to each other," display Thomas King's cheeky humor and master storytelling skills. Freshly illustrated and reissued as an early chapter book, these stories are perfect for newly independent readers. In Coyote Sings to the Moon, Coyote is at first the cause of misfortune. In those days, when the moon was much brighter and closer to the earth, Old Woman and the animals would sing to her each night. In Coyote's New Suit, mischievous Raven wreaks havoc when she suggests that Coyote's toasty brown suit is not the finest in the forest, thus prompting him to steal suits belonging to all the other animals.

BUMP, BUMP - SLAP, river sockeye salmon are pulled onto shore! Set in the beautiful landscape of the Cariboo Chilcotin region, DIPNETTING WITH DAD is a delightful and colourful story of a father teaching his son the Secwepemc method of fishing known as dipnetting.

Joe and Cody, the two young brothers first introduced in caribou Song, may live far from other people.but that does not mean they are lonely. The surrounding wildlife make wonderful friends. But the dragonflies are their favourites. Transforming them into gossamer kites, Joe and Cody laugh and dance and even fly magically in their dreams. Tomson Highway's story, told in both English and Cree, is a tale of simplicity and wonder.

"Based on a popular Northwest Coast Native tale, this book recounts the story of Eagle Boy. Born an orphan, the title character grows up to love eagles, despite the fact that the people of his tribe distrust eagles. In return he is ridiculed and made an outcast. The gorgeous illustrations and tales of adventures and bald eagles will thrill children, while also instructing them about individualism and humanity, as well as Northwest Coast Native life.

Eight-year-old Margaret Pokiak has set her sights on learning to read, even though it means leaving her village in the high Arctic. Faced with unceasing pressure, her father finally agrees to let her make the five-day journey to attend school, but he warns Margaret of the terrors of residential schools. At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. She immediately dislikes the strong-willed young Margaret. Intending to humiliate her, the heartless Raven gives gray stockings to all the girls -- all except Margaret, who gets red ones. In an instant Margaret is the laughingstock of the entire school. In the face of such cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated and bravely gets rid of the stockings. Although a sympathetic nun stands up for Margaret, in the end it is this brave young girl who gives the Raven a lesson in the power of human dignity. Complemented by archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton’s collection and striking artworks from Liz Amini-Holmes, this inspiring first-person account of a plucky girl’s determination to confront her tormentor will linger with young readers.

When you're a young fish among many, life in the underwater garden grows tiresome. Small Fry hears many stories about hooks, cooks and fishing rods. He decides to investigate and realises that they are all true.

Go Show the World is a tribute to historic and modern-day Indigenous heroes, featuring important figures such as Tecumseh, Sacagawea and former NASA astronaut John Herrington.

A finalist for the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize A young girl delights in a visit to her grandpa's farm. She and her cousins run through the fields, explore the root cellar where the salmon and jars of fruit are stored, swing on a rope out the barn loft window, visit the Appaloosa in the corral and tease the neighbor's pig. The visit is also an opportunity for this child to ask Grandpa what her grandmother,Yayah, was like, and explore the "secret room,"with its old wooden trunk of ribbons, medals and photos of Grandpa in uniform.

A boy patiently listens to his mother’s reasons for not making bannock―all the result of a beaver’s need to make a dam. Includes a bannock recipe!

Timely, Fun, Challenging and Wise! Tomson Highway's musical cabaret, The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito, couldn't be more vividly presented unless you were sitting in the middle seat of the front row watching the Cree playwright, performer, musician and poet himself.

Jimmy Tames Horses is a story about a little boy from the city who tries to fit in with his cousins who have always lived on the Kamloops Indian Reserve. Throughout the summer Jimmy works with a colt, overcoming initial fears and eventually becoming a famous horse breaker.

This inspiring children's book is based on a South American indigenous story about a courageous hummingbird who defies fear and expectations in her attempt to save the forest from fire. The illustrated story is supplemented by a natural and cultural history of hummingbirds, as well as an inspiring message from Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. The evocative artwork by internationally renowned Haida artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas complements this optimistic tale that encourages everyone to take responsibility for their home and the planet.

Igvillu is a little dog with big dreams. One of her favorite dreams is of becoming a sled dog. When Igvillu is adopted from her kennel by an Inuit storyteller and moves to northern Canada, she comes face-to-face with real sled dogs. Igvillu loves living in the North, chasing siksiks and dreaming about her future. She's a dog who believes anything is possible!

Richard Van Camp, internationally renowned storyteller and bestselling author of the hugely successful Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns, has partnered with award-winning illustrator Julie Flett to create a tender board book for babies and toddlers that celebrates the potential of every child.

The language of the Metis, Michif is a combination of French and Cree with a trace of other regional languages. Once spoken by thousands of people across the prairies of Canada and the northern United States, Michif is now so little spoken that it might disappear within a generation. This alphabet book is part of a resurgence to celebrate and preserve the traditions of the M tis people. Here Michif and English words combine with images from M tis culture to introduce all generations to the unique Michif language.

Long Powwow Nights takes you on a wonderful journey, honoring these mystical dancers who keep their traditions alive through dance and song. In its poetic verses, David Bouchard skillfully narrates the story of a mother's dedication to her roots and her efforts to impress upon her child the importance of culture and identity. Internationally revered Native American artist, Leonard Paul, brings the story alive with his beautiful renditions of powwow dancers, warriors, and stunning landscape.

This is an endearing story of a young Aboriginal foster child who is given a special gift by his foster mother. Her gift of warmth and thoughtfulness helps her young foster children by encouraging self-esteem, acceptance and love. Written as a simple story, it speaks of a positive foster experience.

Kayâs is a young Cree man who is blessed with a gift that makes him a talented hunter. He knows the ways of the animals he hunts and can even talk with them in their own languages. Includes a glossary of Cree words and phrases.

Whether you're a returning guest or a first-time visitor, enter My Arctic 1, 2, 3 and explore Michael Kusugak's world of animals and adventure in the Arctic Circle. On each two-page spread, discover counting and creatures, and learn who's predator and who's prey. Witness five Arctic foxes hunting six furry siksiks. Then watch seven fishermen catch eight Arctic char. Numbers explored include 1 to 10, 20, 100 and even 1,000,000 (millions of berries ripen in the fall). Each scene, rendered in Vladyana Krykorka's breathtaking paintings, is awash in Arctic colors and includes the depicted number in English and Inuktitut.

Provides young readers with Native American stories and games that both educate and entertain.

Nimoshom loved to drive the school bus. Every day, on the way to and from school, he had something to say. Sometimes, he told the kids silly stories. Sometimes, he taught the kids a new word in Cree. Nimoshom and His Bus introduces basic Cree words. A glossary is included in the back of the book.

A young child, her grandmother and mother are going out to pick wild yarrow. As Grandmother gets ready, the child and her mom wait. Grandmother leads the way to the field of blossoms, where they can finally start to pick ... only now they have to wait for Mom! The simple story, written in Cree and English and accompanied by rich acrylic illustrations, shows the patience, love and humor involved as three generations accommodate one another on a family outing. nipêhon / ᓂᐯᐦᐅᐣ / I Wait was translated by Leona Morin-Neilson, who was the inspiration for the book. This companion volume to niwîcihâw / ᓂᐄᐧᒋᐦᐋᐤ / I Help includes a recipe for yarrow tea, known for its refreshing and soothing effects.

Written and illustrated by members of the Tahltan and Cree nations, this sweet, simple story looks at a very special relationship. A young boy goes for a walk with his kohkom, or grandmother, listening, picking, praying, eating . . . just as she does. In doing so, he begins to learn the rich cultural traditions and values of his Cree heritage. Leona Neilson's thoughtful text and Caitlin Dale Nicholson’s acrylic-on-canvas illustrations blend beautifully to show both the deep bond between the boy and his grandmother and the beauty of their world. Poetic, resonant text makes this an ideal read-aloud for young ears.

Nokum Is My Teacher is the poetic story of a young aboriginal boy, posing questions to his grandmother, his "Nokum", about the wider world beyond the familiarity of their home and community. Through a series of questions, Nokum guides her grandson towards an understanding of his need to fit into and learn more about this large world beyond the reserve. Nokum offers her grandson a vision of a world he can enter through imagination and reading, while retaining respect for the ways of his people. By the conclusion of the book, the young grandson has learned many new ideas from his grandmother and discovered his own wisdom in dealing with the changes in his life.

This story explores the Inuit belief that the Northern Lights are the souls of the dead, playing soccer in the sky. 

In this Inuit tale, the actions of a hare and a fox change the Arctic forever by creating day and night. In very early times, there was no night or day and words spoken by chance could become real. Passed orally from storyteller to storyteller for hundreds of years, this beautifully illustrated story weaves together elements of an origin story and a traditional animal tale.

It's the day of the first salmon ceremony, and P'ésk'a is excited to celebrate. His community, the Sts'ailes people, give thanks to the river and the salmon it brings by commemorating the first salmon of the season. Framed as an exploration of what life was like one thousand years ago, P'ésk'a and the First Salmon Ceremony describes the customs of the Sts'ailes people, an indigenous group who have lived on the Harrison River in British Columbia for the last 10,000 years.

This unique counting book introduces Cree numbers, from one to ten. Featuring powwow imagery that reflects the rich culture and tradition of the Cree people, rhyme, rhythm, and glowing illustration combine to make language learning a joyful experience for young readers. A pronunciation guide is included in the back of the book.

When Allashua disobeys her parents and goes fishing on the sea ice, she has to use her wits to escape the Qallupilluit--the troll-like creatures her parents have always warned her about that live beneath the frozen surface of the sea. But the only way to break out of their grasp is if she brings her brothers and sisters back to the sea ice instead.

Before two leggeds walked on Mother Earth there was a great cold. The animals formed a council; someone had to seek help from the Creator. Rainbow Crow, a most colourful bird, was selected because he had a beautiful voice that would surely impress the Creator. He flew into the heavens and won fire from above. But on the way back the fire began to burn his plumage black and destroy his beautiful voice. But Rainbow Crow persevered, bringing the life-saving fire safely back to his friends. This Lenape legend of courage and sacrifice is masterfully retold by award-winning author David Bouchard. The stunning art, painted on traditional drums by celebrated Canadian artist, David Jean, will inspire young and old alike.

Canada's three most well known and respected MÚtis artists collaborate in this heart wrenching telling of what it means to be MÚtis. Best selling, award winning MÚtis poet David Bouchard, once again makes books and culture available to all ages in The Secret of Your Name. Bouchard's heartfelt story is illustrated by Canada's most prominent MÚtis artist Dennis Weber. Included on the accompanying CD, with reading in English/French and Michif, is the Red River Jig performed by acclaimed Master MÚtis Fiddler John Arcand.

Anecdotal notes explaining the life lessons the First Nations and Natives living on the NW Coast learned from animals that share their space, with colorful illustrations by multiple different artists. The images and text in this book are the work of First Nations and Native artists from communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. Through their art and words, each artist has shared the importance of their personal and cultural relationship to the natural world.

Finalist for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the Ruth Schwartz Award In just four days young Shi-shi-etko will have to leave her family and all that she knows to attend residential school. She spends her last days at home treasuring the beauty of her world -- the dancing sunlight, the tall grass, each shiny rock, the tadpoles in the creek, her grandfather's paddle song. Her mother, father and grandmother, each in turn, share valuable teachings that they want her to remember. And so Shi-shi-etko carefully gathers her memories for safekeeping. Richly hued illustrations complement this gently moving and poetic account of a child who finds solace all around her, even though she is on the verge of great loss -- a loss that native people have endured for generations because of the residential schools system.

Winner of the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award and finalist for the Governor General's Award: Children's Illustration This moving sequel to the award-winning Shi-shi-etko tells the story of two children's experience at residential school. Shi-shi-etko is about to return for her second year, but this time her six-year-old brother, Shin-chi, is going, too. As they begin their journey in the back of a cattle truck, Shi-shi-etko tells her brother all the things he must remember: the trees, the mountains, the rivers and the salmon. Shin-chi knows he won't see his family again until the sockeye salmon return in the summertime. When they arrive at school, Shi-shi-etko gives him a tiny cedar canoe, a gift from their father. The children's time is filled with going to mass, school for half the day, and work the other half. The girls cook, clean and sew, while the boys work in the fields, in the woodshop and at the forge. Shin-chi is forever hungry and lonely, but, finally, the salmon swim up the river and the children return home for a joyful family reunion.

Though her sisters ridicule her, Sootface sets off to try her luck, never looking back. Her courage and good nature bring her the husband she has longed for.

Once a young woman who refused to marry, the lies and deceit of a treacherous bird and her own father's cowardice lead Nuliajuq to a life of solitude at the bottom of the ocean as the powerful, at times vengeful, spirit of the sea. The Spirit of the Sea provides young readers with an authentic retelling of one of the most important Inuit traditional stories.

Littlechild draws on his Plains Cree background in this presentation of 17 of his full-color paintings that focus on Native American history.

A Walk on the Tundra follows Inuujaq, a little girl who travels with her grandmother onto the summer tundra. There, Inuujaq learns that these tough little plants are much more important to Inuit than she originally believed. In addition to an informative storyline that teaches the importance of Arctic plants. This book includes a field guide.

In this sweet and lyrical board book from the creators of the bestselling Little You, gentle rhythmic text captures the wonder new parents feel as they welcome baby into the world. A celebration of the bond between parent and child, this is the perfect song to share with your little ones.

Based on the true story of Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, and complemented by stunning illustrations, When I Was Eight makes the bestselling Fatty Legs accessible to younger readers. Now they, too, can meet this remarkable girl who reminds us what power we hold when we can read.

When a young girl helps tend to her grandmother's garden, she begins to notice things that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long, braided hair and beautifully coloured clothing? As she asks her grandmother about these things, she is told about life in a residential school a long time ago, where all of these things were taken away. When We Were Alone is a story about a difficult time in history, and, ultimately, one of empowerment and strength.

Children in an urban school are curious about a classmate’s moccasins. Explains how moccasins are made.

Wild Berries is the beautiful tale of a young boy who spends a summer day picking wild blueberries with his grandmother. The Metis and Cree are indigenous peoples based across Canada and North America with a rich history and culture. Exploring the important tradition of berry-picking for Metis and Cree people, it also honours a unique, endangered language. Includes a recipe for a delicious blueberry pie.

Consultant, international speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote You Hold Me Upto prompt a dialogue among young people, their care providers and educators about reconciliation and the importance of the connections children make with their friends, classmates and families.

During an unfortunate mishap, young Awâsis loses Kôhkum's freshly baked world-famous bannock. Not knowing what to do, Awâsis seeks out a variety of other-than-human relatives willing to help. What adventures are in store for Awâsis?

The dreaded amautalik haunts two Inuit communities, terrifying five young but resourceful children. With luck, courage, and the knowledge of their ancestors, these young adventurers are able to face one of the most frightening beings to roam the Arctic.