The York School Library: JS Indigenous Education: Fiction

Suggested Reading

The Circle of Caring and Sharing by Theresa "Corky" Larsen-Jonasson; Jessika von Innerebner (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781989122235
Publication Date: 2019-08-01
"When two foxes, who are best friends, have a fight, it upsets the whole community of animals. Kokom the owl knows just what to do. She brings together all the animals and holds a Sharing Circle"--Back cover.
Trudy's Rock Story by Trudy Spiller; Jessika von Innerebner (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780993869488
Publication Date: 2016-09-01
When a young girl from the Gitxsan Nation argues with her brother, she remembers the teachings of her grandmother and goes in search of a stone to share her feelings with.
When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith; Nicole Neidhardt (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781459825222
Publication Date: 2020-10-13
"Looks at how the simple act of being kind, to others and oneself, affects all aspects of a child's life"--Provided by publisher.
A Walk on the Shoreline by Rebecca Hainnu; Qin Leng (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781772272697
Publication Date: 2020-04-07
"Young Nukappia can't wait to get out to his family's campsite on the shoreline. Having spent all year in the south with his adoptive parents, Nukappia always looks forward to his summer visits with his birth family"--Back cover.
Grandpa's Girls by Nicola Campbell; Kim Lafave (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781554980840
Publication Date: 2011-09-24
The little girl in this story loves to visit Grandpa's farm where she and her cousins run through the fields, swing out the bar loft window and feed crab apples to the Appaloosa in the corral. They explore the root cellar and tiptoe into Grandpa's secret room to look at memories from the past.
On the Trapline by David A. Robertson; Julie Flett (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780735266681
Publication Date: 2021-05-04
"A boy and Moshom, his grandpa, take a trip together to visit a place of great meaning to Moshom. A trapline is where people hunt and live off the land, and it was where Moshom grew up. As they embark on their northern journey, the child repeatedly asks his grandfather, "Is this your trapline?" This is a heartfelt story about memory, imagination and intergenerational connection that perfectly captures the experience of a young child's wonder as he is introduced to places and stories that hold meaning for his family"--Provided by publisher.

Jo Jo Makoons: the Used-To-Be Best Friend by Dawn Quigley; Tara Audibert (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780063015371
Publication Date: 2021-05-11
"Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. It always seems like her mom, her kokum (grandma), and her teacher have a lot to learn--about how good Jo Jo is at cleaning up, what makes a good rhyme, and what it means to be friendly. Even though Jo Jo loves her #1 best friend Mimi (who is a cat), she's worried that she needs to figure out how to make more friends. Because Fern, her best friend at school, may not want to be friends anymore"-- Provided by publisher.
The Great Bear by David A. Robertson
ISBN: 9780735266131
Publication Date: 2021-09-28
"Eli and Morgan journey once more to Misewa, travelling back in time. Back at home after their first adventure in the Barren Grounds, Eli and Morgan each struggle with personal issues--Eli is being bullied at school, and tries to hide it from Morgan, while Morgan has to make an important decision about her birth mother. They turn to the place where they know they can learn the most, and make the journey to Misewa to visit their animal friends. This time they travel back in time and meet a young fisher that might just be their lost friend. But they discover that the village is once again in peril, and they must dig deep within themselves to find the strength to protect their beloved friends. Can they carry this strength back home to face their own challenges?"--Provided by publisher.
These are my words by Ruby Slipperjack
ISBN: 9781443133197
Publication Date: 2016
Violet Pesheens is struggling to adjust to her new life at residential school. She misses her Grandma; she has run-ins with Cree girls; at her "white" school, everyone just stares; and everything she brought has been taken from her, including her name; she is now just a number. But worst of all, she has a fear. A fear of forgetting the things she treasures most: her Anishnabe language; the names of those she knew before; and her traditional customs. A fear of forgetting who she was. Her notebook is the one place she can record all of her worries, and heartbreaks, and memories. And maybe, just maybe there will be hope at the end of the tunnel. Drawing from her own experiences at residential school, Ruby Slipperjack creates a brave, yet heartbreaking heroine in Violet, and lets young readers glimpse into an all-too important chapter in our nation's history.