On the Shoulder of a Giant by
This pan-Arctic Inuit legend, which tells the story of a friendly giant, is lightheartedly retold, featuring sweeping illustrations. Inukpak was big, even for a giant. He loved to walk across the tundra, striding over the widest rivers and wading through the deepest lakes. He could walk across the Arctic in just a few days. But being so big, and travelling so far, Inukpak was often alone. Until one day when he came across a little hunter on the tundra. Thinking that the hunter was a little boy alone on the land, Inukpak decided to adopt him. And so, from the shoulder of one of the biggest giants to ever roam the Arctic, this hunter experiences the world from Inukpak's perspective.
Warbird by
Etienne is called on an adventure in the new world... In 1647, ten-year-old Etienne yearns for a life of adventure far from his family farm in Quebec. He meets an orphan destined to apprentice among the Jesuits at Fort Sainte-Marie. Making the most impulsive decision of his life, Etienne replaces the orphan and paddles off with the voyageurs into the north country. At Sainte-Marie, Etienne must learn to live a life of piety. Meanwhile, he also makes friends with a Huron youth, Tsiko, who teaches him the ways of his people. When the Iroquois attack and destroy the nearby village, Etienne must put his new skills into practice. Will he survive? Will he ever see his family again?
Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by
Born of Mohawk and Cayuga descent, musical icon Robbie Robertson learned the story of Hiawatha and his spiritual guide, the Peacemaker, as part of the Iroquois oral tradition. Now he shares the same gift of storytelling with a new generation. Hiawatha was a strong and articulate Mohawk who was chosen to translate the Peacemaker's message of unity for the five warring Iroquois nations during the 14th century. This message not only succeeded in uniting the tribes but also forever changed how the Iroquois governed themselves--a blueprint for democracy that would later inspire the authors of the U.S. Constitution.Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Shannon brings the journey of Hiawatha and the Peacemaker to life with arresting oil paintings. Together, the team of Robertson and Shannon has crafted a new children's classic that will both educate and inspire readers of all ages.Includes a CD featuring an original song written and performed by Robbie Robertson.
Journey to the Winter Camp by
Winter is coming, and it's time for Qulaut's family to leave their summer home behind. They will need to use their land skills and work together to stay safe. This book introduces the historical fiction genre and features a pre-contact Inuit family travelling to their winter camp by dogsled.
Qanuq Pinngurnimata by
Two gifted northern writers, Rachel A. Qitsualik and Sean A. Tinsley, have collaborated to produce mesmerizing prose interpretations of Inuit creation stories. Readers will be drawn in by the humour, wisdom, and depth of these inspired tellings, which invite a contemporary audience to learn from and be moved by the complex spiritual metaphors of ancient Inuit knowledge. Illustrated in full colour.
The Raven and the Loon by
In the time before animals were as they are today, Raven and Loon were both white. Their feathers had no colour at all. Raven spent his days swooping through the sky trying to fight off his incessant boredom, while loon spent her days in her iglu working away on her sewing. One day, too bored to even fly, Raven visited Loon and suggested a sewing game that would give their feathers some much-needed colour. The results - not at all what the two birds expected - led to Raven and Loon acquiring their now-familiar coats. This whimsical retelling of a pan-Arctic traditional story features lively, colourful illustrations from Kim Smith.