June 2019

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June Reading List: Indigenous History

Our reading list this month featues Indigenous books for young people. These books can be read in the classroom, in libraries or at home.

Picture Books
Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock  Written by Dallas Hunt Illustrated by Amanda Strong HighWater Press, 2018 ISBN 978-1-55379-779-1 IL: Ages 3-8 RL: Grades 1-3 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 book includes a pronunciation guide and the recipe for Kôhkum’s world-famous bannock. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Bear for Breakfast/Makwa kidji kijebà wìsiniyàn Written by Robert Munsch Illustrated by Jay Odjick Scholastic Canada , 2019 ISBN 978-1-4431-7511-1 IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3 It’s breakfast time and Donovan knows exactly what he wants this morning! Not eggs, not pancakes, not cereal. No, what he wants is BEAR, just like his grandfather used to eat for breakfast!  When Donovan finally meets a real, big and growling bear, he quickly learns that sometimes breakfast tastes best when it doesn’t have any teeth! Includes Algonquin text. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes Written by Wab Kinew Illustrated by Joe Morse Tundra, 2018 ISBN 978-0-73526-292-8 IL: Ages 5-9 RL: Grades K-3 Celebrating the stories of Indigenous people throughout time, Wab Kinew has created a powerful rap song, the lyrics of which are the basis for the text in this beautiful picture book, illustrated by the acclaimed Joe Morse. Including figures such as Crazy Horse, Net-no-kwa, former NASA astronaut John Herrington and Canadian NHL goalie Carey Price, Go Show the World showcases a diverse group of Indigenous people in the US and Canada, both the more well known and the not- so-widely recognized. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Nibi’s Water Song Written by Sunshine Tenasco Illustrated by Chief Lady Bird North Winds Press/Scholastic, 2019 ISBN 978-1-44310-789-1 IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3 forthcoming July 30, 2019 In Nibi’s Water Song, an Indigenous girl named Nibi is on the search for clean water to drink. Though she faces repeated obstacles, Nibi’s joyful energy and perseverance shines through. She becomes a catalyst for change and action as her community, and then in widening circles the country and government, rally to make clean drinking water available for everyone. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
The Pencil Written by Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula Illustrated by Charlene Chua Inhabit Media, 2019 ISBN 978–1-77227-216-1 IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3 Susan and her sister, Rebecca, love watching their mother write letters to people in other camps. Their mother has one precious pencil, and she keeps it safe in her box for special things. One afternoon, Mom leaves the iglu to help a neighbour, and Susan, Rebecca, and their brother Peter are left with their father. They play all their regular games but are soon out of things to do—until Dad brings out the pencil! As Susan draws and draws, the pencil grows shorter and shorter. What will Mom think when she comes home? Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	When We Were Alone Written by David Alexander Robertson Illustrated by Julie Flett HighWater Press, 2016 ISBN 978-1-55379-673-2 IL: Ages 6-9 RL: Grades 2-3 A young girl is curious about her grandmother’s long braided hair and beautifully coloured clothing. Why does she speak another language and spend so much time with her family? Nókom (grandmother) explains about life in a residential school long ago, where everything was taken away. A story about a difficult time in history and, ultimately, of empowerment and strength. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Junior & Intermediate
Fatty Legs Written by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton Illustrated by Liz Amini-Holmes Annick Press, 2010 ISBN 978-1-55451-246-1 IL: Ages 9-12 RL: Grades 4-5 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. But in the face of cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	He Who Dreams (Orca Limelights) Written by Melanie Florence Orca Book Publishers, 2017 ISBN 978-1-4598-1102-7 IL: Ages 11-14 RL: Grades 4-5 John stumbles into an Indigenous dance class and, after he attends his first powwow, he is hooked. But if he really wants to dance, he’ll have to stop hiding it from his friends, teammates and family. Now he must learn to balance his responsibilities, confront his fears and embrace both his Irish and Cree heritage. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Young Adult Fiction
Fire Song Written by Adam Garnet Jones Annick Press, 2018 ISBN 978-1-55451-977-4 IL: Ages 14 and up RL: Grades 8-9 Shane is reeling from his sister’s suicide, but he can’t turn to his friend David for comfort because they must hide their relationship from everyone on the rez. His mother’s grief and David’s refusal to move to the city threaten his dream of going away to university. But when another tragedy strikes, Shane and David have to make difficult choices about their future together. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Strangers (The Reckoner, Book 1) Written by David Alexander Robertson HighWater Press, 2017 ISBN 978-1-55379-676-3 IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8 When 17-year-old Cole returns to Wounded Sky First Nation, he finds his community in chaos. With the aid of an unhelpful spirit, a disfigured ghost and his two oldest friends, Cole tries to figure out his purpose and unravel the mysteries he left behind a decade ago. Will he find the answers in time to save his community? Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Surviving the City Written by Tasha Spillett Illustrated by Natasha Donovan HighWater Press, 2019 ISBN 978-1-55379-756-2 IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 6-7 Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan is Anishinaabe; Dez is Inninew. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape –— they’re so close, they even completed their Berry Fast together. However, when Dez’s grandmother becomes too sick, Dez is told she can’t stay with her anymore. With the threat of a group home looming, Dez can’t bring herself to go home and disappears. Miikwan is devastated, and the wound of her missing mother resurfaces. Will Dez’s community find her before it’s too late? Will Miikwan be able to cope if they don’t? Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	This Place Edited by the editors of HighWater Press Highwater Press, 2019 ISBN 978-1-55379-758-6 IL: Ages 15 and up RL: Grades 9-10 Explore the past 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators in this groundbreaking graphic novel anthology. Beautifully illustrated, these stories are an emotional and enlightening journey through Indigenous wonderworks, psychic battles, and time travel. See how Indigenous peoples have survived a post-apocalyptic world since Contact. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Non-Fiction
#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women Edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale Annick Press, 2017 ISBN 978-1-55451-957-6 IL: Ages 14 and up RL: Grades 8-9 What is it like to be an Indigenous woman or girl today? In this compelling collection of art, essays, poems and interviews, more than 50 contemporary artists come together to shatter stereotypes, reveal hurt from the past and celebrate hope for the future. This compilation showcases the strength, diversity and talent of Native American girls and women. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Carey Price: How a First Nations Kid Became a Superstar Goaltender (Recordbooks) Written by Catherine Rondina James Lorimer, 2018 ISBN 978-1-4594-1276-7 IL: Ages 8 and up RL: Grades 3-4 Twenty years ago, Carey Price was flying 319 kilometres across British Columbia in his father’s plane so he could play on the nearest organized hockey team. Today, he is one of the most recognizable figures in hockey! Throughout his incredible career, Carey has taken every opportunity to encourage all young people, especially those who share his Indigenous background, to follow their dreams. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Meet Tom Longboat (Scholastic Canada Biography) Written by Elizabeth MacLeod Illustrated by Mike Deas Scholastic Canada, 2019 ISBN 978-1-4431-6391-0 IL: Ages 6-10 RL: Grades 1-3 On a cold and windy April day in 1907, Tom Longboat beat a crowd of top runners to win the famous Boston Marathon. His exhilarating, record-breaking performances earned him legions of fans in Canada and around the world. But there is more to his story than being a famous athlete. Tom volunteered and bravely served in WWI. He was dedicated to his family and community. Tom didn’t always win, but he always worked hard with his head held high. Tom did things the way he knew was right . . . and achieved success on his own terms. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation Written by Monique Gray Smith Orca Book Publishers, 2017 ISBN 978-1-4598-1583-4 IL: Ages 10 and up RL: Grades 5-6 The relationship between Indigenous people and Canada has suffered as a result of both the residential school system and the lack of understanding of the historical and current impact of those schools. Guided by acclaimed Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith, readers will learn about the lives of survivors and learn from the allies who are putting the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into action. Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers

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Author’s Corner: Monique Gray Smith

First, tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get your start as an author? What is your writing process like?

I’ve always enjoyed telling and listening to stories. As a child, I’d share something with my Dad and he’d often say to me, “Now did that really happen? Or is that just another one of your stories?” It wasn’t until I was 44, though, that I turned to writing down and capturing some of my lived experiences and the stories I was thinking about.

I am grateful to Diane Morris of Sono Nis Press who took a risk on me in 2013 and published my first novel, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience. Through that process, I had the privilege to work with editor extraordinaire, Barbara Pulling and learned a huge amount from her that continues to influence everything I create!

I am trained as a Psychiatric Nurse and one of the key things I learned both as a student and then as a nurse, was the importance of paying attention. This has been a huge gift for me in life and in my writing. Everything I’ve written has been inspired through this teaching of paying attention.

My writing process is quite subversive and I don’t have a daily discipline. Instead, I feel like my discipline is to the story. When an idea strikes or a story emerges, I do my best to clear my calendar and work on what is asking to be told. I know this may not be an ideal way to write, but at this time with my family and my work schedule, it is the best way for me to create.

What does Indigenous History Month mean to you as a person and as a creator?

For me, Indigenous History Month is every month. There is not a day or week or month that history does not influence me, my family and whatever I am working on at the time. However, with that said, Indigenous History Month is a time when there is a concentrated focus in schools, and somewhat in society, which can open doors for new awareness and learning.

A few years ago, I stopped referring to it as Indigenous History because for me that gives a sense that this history is only relevant to and/or only impacted Indigenous people. When the reality is, this is Canada’s history. It’s a history of legislative decisions and discrimination that has profoundly impacted Indigenous people. It’s a history and current day reality that also impacts the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people living in this country we call Canada.

You have multiple picture books that now feature the text in Cree as well as in English. How did this come about?

One of my greatest joys came the day I saw both My Heart Fills with Happiness and You Hold Me Up in Cree. Tears slid down my cheeks and words don’t really do justice to how precious and important those books are to me and my family. Part of why I write is to make the invisible, visible. Having Cree on the pages for all children, their families and teachers to see is a significant step in this. I have to give credit to Orca Book Publishers and Richard Van Camp, they were the initial creators of our books being translated and to Mary Cardinal Collins for all her work in translating.

The resilience of Indigenous people is a recurring theme in your books. How does this resilience inspire you as a writer?

I write about resilience because I think it is important to read and be witness to the stories of challenge, pain and triumph. It is in the journey that teachings and life lessons are revealed that can help the reader sort through something that might be going on in their life or in the life of someone they love.

I am in awe of the power of the human spirit and our ability to be resilient. It is this awe that inspires all my writing and was especially emergent in my last novel, Tilly and the Crazy Eights. In this story we witness the remarkable resilience, strength and humor of eight elders who Tilly accompanies on a road trip from Vancouver to Albuquerque, NM for the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow.

What projects are you working on now? Can you tell us about any upcoming books?

As I write this, I am currently on Faculty at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in a new program called, Writing and Animating our Stories. I am privileged to be working with Julie Flett and Amanda Strong and we have an incredibly talented cohort of Indigenous creators!

In Fall 2020, I have a new children’s picture book coming out, When We Are Kind. It’s illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt and published by Orca Book Publishers. The book is a gentle reminder for children about what it feels like when we are kind to ourselves, our family, elders, pets and the earth as well as what it feels like when we are on the receiving end of kindness.

2021 will see the release of another children’s picture book called, I Hope. This little book shares a few of my hopes for children, including such messages as:

I hope that you and those you love have healthy food, clean water and a safe place to sleep.
I hope that when sad tears leave your eyes, there is someone there to catch them.
I hope you are a caretaker of Mother Earth.

Find out more about Monique on her website at moniquegraysmith.com

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YA Write with Amy Mathers

In 2014, Amy Mathers read and reviewed 365 YA books to raise funds to create the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award.

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Illustrator’s Studio: Natasha Donovan

Natasha is a self-taught illustrator from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with a focus on comics and children’s illustration. Her work has appeared in The Other Side Anthology (2016), edited by Melanie Gillman and Kori Handwerker, and This Place Anthology (2018), published by Portage & Main. She illustrated the award-winning children’s book The Sockeye Mother (written by Brett Huson) and the graphic novel Surviving the City (written by Tasha Spillett). She has a degree in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, and has worked in academic and magazine publishing. She currently lives in Bellingham, Washington. Natasha is a member of the Métis Nation of British Columbia.

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get your start as an illustrator?

I’ve always loved drawing and storytelling, but my journey to illustrating professionally has been a roundabout one. I did a degree in Anthropology at the University of British Columbia and started submitting to comics anthologies while working in academic publishing at the University of Victoria. I eventually got connected with HighWater Press after Brett Huson saw my work and asked to collaborate on The Sockeye Mother, and I’ve been learning on the go ever since.

You worked on This Place: 150 Years Retold. What was it like working on a project of this caliber?

I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with such an impressive collection of creators – it was very intimidating at first, but there was a sense of shared wonder between all of us as we came together and each did our part to help shape a different perspective on this country’s history.

What does Indigenous History Month mean to you as a person and as a creator?

Personally, as an illustrator and as a Métis woman, I feel that Indigenous History Month calls us to tell – and listen to – the untold stories that are the foundation of this place we call home.

How does working on a project like The Sockeye Mother differ from working on a graphic novel like Surviving the City?

Working on The Sockeye Mother allowed for a lot more time to indulge my inclination toward painstaking detail, trying to encapsulate each paragraph in a single image. Working on Surviving the City forced me to change the way I envisioned and carried out my work; each page contained so much of the narrative, so it was necessary to try to see the bigger picture and emphasize movement, both through space and through time. In practice, the graphic novel was much more time-consuming and difficult, and it frequently brought about a nasty combination of hand cramps and imposter syndrome…but of course, as things tend to do, it eventually came together. When it finally did, it was immensely satisfying to have finished such an intense process.

What is next for you? What projects are you working on now?

I’m just getting started on the next book in the Mothers of Xsan series with Brett Huson, and I have a couple of other projects beginning as well – a potential second graphic novel with HighWater Press, and a set of book covers. Eventually I hope to expand into editorial illustration; I’m also toying with the idea of writing my own graphic novel. All in good time…more items for the never-ending Freelancer’s To-Do List.

Find out more about Natasha and her work at natashadonovan.com

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