When Pumpkins Fly

Written By: Margaret Lawrence Illustrated by: Amanda Sandland & Margaret Lawrence For Ages: 4-8 years Language: English & some Inuktitut Topics Covered: First Nations, Indigenous Voices, Halloween, Holiday Celebrations, Folklore. Summary: Happy Indigenous People’s Day! We are currently on occupied Massachuset/Nipmuc land. I wanted to share this book today because it not only talks about…

Birdsong

Written & Illustrated by: Julie Flett For Ages: 3 years and up Language: English & some Cree Topics Covered: Indigenous Voices, Own Voices, Intergenerational Stories, Single-Parent Families, Moving, Nature, Seasonal Changes, Drawing. Summary: Katherena is a young Cree girl who moves with her mother from a little house by the sea into a little house…

Surviving the City (Vol I & II)

Written By: Tasha Spillett-Sumner Illustrated by: Natasha Donovan For Ages: YA Language: English, some & Cree Topics Covered: Friendship, Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), Gender Identity, Indigenous Voices, First Nations, Cree, Two-Spirit, Family, Foster Care, Growing Up, Mentors. Summary: Surviving the City is a two-part (so far! I want more already!) graphic novel series…

Kamik Takes the Lead

Written by: Darryl Baker Illustrated by: Ali Hinch For ages: 4-8 years Language: English & Inuktitut Topics Covered: First Nations, Inuit, Outdoors, Dog-Sledding, Growing Up, Own Voices. Summary:  This is the 4th installment of the Kamik books, but still worth checking out if it’s the first one you come across! The series is about Jake, a young boy interested…

This Place: 150 Years Retold

Written by: Assorted Indigenous authors Illustrated by: Assorted Indigenous illustrators For ages: YA & Middle Grades Language: Majority English, Topics Covered: Own Voices, First Nations, Indigenous Voices, Graphic Novels, First Contact, History, Summary:  This Place is a graphic novel produced by one of my favorite Indigenous publishers, Highwater. It is an anthology of comics retelling history from a First Nations…

The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World’s Largest Land Biome

Written by: L.E. Carmichael Illustrated by: Josée Bisaillon For ages: 8-12 years  Language: English Topics Covered: STEM, Biology, Pint-Sized Professor, Nature, Non-Fiction, Animals, Boreal Forest, Indigenous Voices.  Summary:  This is a really fascinating book that spans a whole year in the world’s largest biome.  I really liked how it’s designed for older elementary readers, because everyone loves beautifully illustrated books…

In My Anaana’s Amautik

Written by: Nadia Sammurtok Illustrated by: Lenny Lishchenko  For ages: 3 years and up  Language: English & Inuktitut  Topics Covered: Indigenous Voices, Family, Love, Comfort, Emotional Support, Social-Emotional Learning, Own Voices.  Summary:  In My Anaana’s Amautik is an incredibly sweet story that celebrates the calm and cozy emotional support that a child feels while in their mother’s amautik.  An amautik…

The Eagle Mother [released 4/21]

Written by: Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) Illustrated by: Natasha Donovan For ages: 7/8 years and up Language: English & Gitxsan Topics Covered: First Nations, Natural World, Global Community, Animals, Traditions, Gitxsan Culture. Summary:  Folx, it’s here!  You might remember how much we loved The Grizzly Mother this past winter, and were excited for the next volume to come out.  And…

Northwest Resistance [A Girl Called Echo Vol 3]

Written by: Katherena Vermette Illustrated by: Scott B. Henderson, color by Donovan Yaciuk  For ages: 12 years and up Language: English, minor French.  Topics Covered: History, First Nations, Military Action, Growing Up, Family, Fantasy, Time Travel, Métis History. Summary:  This is the third installment about the time-traveling adventures of Echo Desjardins, a Métis teenager learning about her own history. Echo…

Tanna’s Owl

Written by: Rachel & Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley Illustrated by: Yong Ling Kang For ages: 4 years and up Language: English, some Inuktitut (pronunciation guide in back as well) Topics Covered: First Nations, Residential Schools, Own Voices, Responsibility, Pets, Growing Up, Indigenous Voices.  Summary:  This is a lovely book based on author Rachel’s own life experience raising an owl.  Tanna, or main…