Description: A poem by acclaimed Ojibway author Richard Wagamese is reimagined as a stunning picture book in the skilled hands of Anishinaabe artist Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley. Thoughtful, healing and hopeful, Canada is a testament to the transformative power of enduring identity and belonging.
"Listen. Can you hear the voices of the Old Ones speaking to you in a language you've forgotten?" An Indigenous child struggles with a school assignment that asks, "What makes you proud to be Canadian?" To find the answer, they call on the strength of their ancestors. The ancestors' warm presence reminds them that we are in this together and we always have been -- "every soul that has fallen head over heels in love with the spell of this country." This powerful and timeless poem written by Richard Wagamese is seen through the eyes of an Indigenous child in the captivating illustrations by Anishinaabe artist Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley. As the poem speaks to a new generation of Indigenous children, it welcomes everyone to honor the past, find belonging here and now, and look toward the future in this place now called Canada.Review Quotes: "Dedicated to celebrating Indigenous peoples of Canada [and] offers specific information about their diversity and their ongoing presence. . . . This haunting and beautiful testament to links between past and present should be shared between young readers and the adults who care for them."--Imaginary Elevators
"Through a tapestry of illustrations drenched in deep color, the ancestors, at times filling the entire page with their ghostly faces, urge a new generation of Indigenous children to embrace every aspect of what it means to be themselves and to be part of something larger. Themes of belonging and inheritance are explored in images of Canada's landscape and wildlife and in its First Nations and immigrant communities. . . . Through shared stories, a history and appreciation emerge that explores past and present, legacy and understanding." --The Horn Book