Title search results
Showing 281 - 300 of 383 items
Time of the Thunderbird
By John Mantha, Diane Silvey. 2008
Kaya and Tala, the adventurous twins, are back from their exploits in Spirit Quest on a new mission to discover…
why children are disappearing from one of their tribe’s villages. Earth dwarves are being blamed for the missing children, but the twins are sure they’re not at fault. Something very sinister is happening, so once again the sister and brother set out with Yahet (Y for short), their friend and companion, to rescue the kidnapped children. Along the way they meet a mysterious owl, a cedar ogre, demons galore, Aixos, the most ferocious of all sea serpents, and the Thunderbird himself!Soapstone Signs (Orca Echoes)
By Jeff Pinkney, Darlene Gait. 2014
One spring, a nine-year-old Cree boy is visited by a master soapstone carver named Lindy, who gives him four pieces…
of soapstone. The primary secret to carving, the boy learns, is recognizing that each piece of soapstone already holds its true form inside. Lindy teaches the boy to listen to the soapstone and look to the world around him for signs as to what to carve. As the seasons change, the young boy's experiences lend him opportunities to develop his carving skills and become attuned to the signs around him. He eagerly awaits the following spring, which will bring Lindy's return and a chance to show off his carvings.Voices on the Bay
By Ginny Russell. 1993
Winner of the Canadian Children's Book Centre Choice: Best Books for Kids & Teens. Dave gets more excitement than he…
bargained for on his summer holidays to British Columbia's Gulf Islands while visiting his grandparents. He meets THAA, WEN, an elderly member of the Saanich Native Band and Rick, a new friend from Mayne Island. Together they discover an old Native campsite and THAA, WEN tells stories of the raiding parties that swept down the west coast long before the first white man arrived. Adventure begins when Dave is caught up in a search for the truth about what happened long ago at the ancient site.Shadows Cast by Stars
By Catherine Knutsson. 2012
Old ways are pitted against new horrors in this compellingly crafted dystopian tale about a girl who is both healer…
and seer.Two hundred years from now, blood has become the most valuable commodity on the planet--especially the blood of aboriginal peoples, for it contains antibodies that protect them from the Plague ravaging the rest of the world. Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Mercredi might be immune to Plague, but that doesn't mean she's safe--government forces are searching for those of aboriginal heritage to harvest their blood. When a search threatens Cassandra and her family, they flee to the Island: a mysterious and idyllic territory protected by the Band, a group of guerilla warriors--and by an enigmatic energy barrier that keeps outsiders out and the spirit world in. And though the village healer has taken her under her wing, and the tribal leader's son into his heart, the creatures of the spirit world are angry, and they have chosen Cassandra to be their voice and instrument.... Incorporating the traditions of the First Peoples as well as the more familiar stories of Greek mythology and Arthurian legend, Shadows Cast by Stars is a haunting, beautifully written story that breathes new life into ancient customs.Forever Birchwood: A Novel
By Danielle Daniel. 2022
The middle-grade debut of star picture-book author and illustrator Danielle DanielAdventurous, trail-blazing Wolf lives in a northern mining town and…
spends her days exploring the mountains and wilderness with her three best friends Penny, Ann and Brandi. The girls’ secret refuge is their tree-house hideaway, Birchwood, Wolf’s favourite place on earth. When her beloved grandmother tells her that she is the great-granddaughter of a tree talker, Wolf knows that she is destined to protect the birch trees and wildlife that surround her.But Wolf’s mother doesn’t understand this connection at all. Not only is she reluctant to engage with their family’s Indigenous roots, she seems suspiciously on the wrong side of the environmental protection efforts in their hometown. To make matters worse, she’s just started dating an annoying new boyfriend named Roger, whose motives—and construction company—seem equally suspect.As summer arrives, so do bigger problems. Wolf and her friends discover orange plastic bands wrapped around the trees near their cherished hangout spot, and their once stable friendship seems on the verge of unravelling. Birchwood has given them so much—can they even stay together long enough to save this special place?With gorgeous yet understated language, Danielle Daniel beautifully captures an urgent and aching time in a young person’s life. To read this astonishing middle-grade debut is to have your heart broken and then tenderly mended.Encounter
By Brittany Luby. 2019
Two people navigate their differences with curiosity and openness in this stunning picture book that imagines the first meeting between…
an Indigenous fisher and a European sailor.Based on an actual journal entry by French explorer Jacques Cartier from his first expedition to North America in July 1534, this story imagines the first encounter between a European sailor and a Stadaconan fisher. As the two navigate their differences (language, dress, food) with curiosity, the natural world around them notes their similarities. The seagull observes their like shadows, the mosquito notes their equally appealing blood, the mouse enjoys the crumbs both people leave behind. This story explores how encounters can create community and celebrates varying perspectives and the natural world. It is at once specific and universal. It's a story based on a primary document and historical research, but it is in equal measure beautifully imagined. It makes room for us to recognize our differences while celebrating our shared humanity.Debut author Brittany Luby's background in social justice and history brings a breathtaking depth of insight and understanding to this story and Michaela Goade's expressive art brings equal life to the creatures and landscapes. An author's note outlines the historical context as well as situates the story in the present day.Lord of the Sky
By Linda Zeman-Spaleny. 2009
A breathtakingly illustrated tribute to the art and mythology of West Coast native culture.In this exquisitely illustrated picture book, based…
on the animated short film of the same name, Linda Zeman-Spaleny transports young readers to a bygone time when nothing lived in the universe, when “out of the darkness came the Great Raven, who brought the Sun to the children of the North Pacific Coast.” Legend tells of a boy, living by the sea, who befriends the ravens, sharing his food with them. But some of the ravens are greedy, and the village boys decide to teach them a lesson by sending a swift and fatal arrow. When darkness descends upon the land, the wise elder tells the villagers that only the Lord of the Sky can restore the Sun, so the boy begins an arduous journey in search of him. . . .In this riveting folktale, Linda Zeman-Spaleny pays tribute to her emigration from Eastern Europe and her arrival in British Columbia, where she saw beautiful totem poles for the first time. Award-winning artist Ludmila Zeman’s lush, vibrant artwork complements this timeless tale with modern themes and the message that we need to care for our world in order to preserve it.Alis the Aviator
By Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail. 2019
Come along on an aviation journey with Alis! This spunky female guide will take you through an ABC of planes…
featuring gorgeous cut-paper art.An A to Z of planes past and present, this book has stunning cut-paper art and a cute-as-a-button guide named Alis. Named for Dr. Alis B. Kennedy, likely one of the first Indigenous women to obtain a commercial pilot licence with land and sea ratings in Canada, Alis will take you on an aviation tour from the Avro Arrow to the Zeppelin and everything in between. Meticulously researched and uniquely crafted, this is a one-of-a-kind book that will delight aviation fans big and little.Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer
By Leslie Gentile. 2021
Winner of the 2021 City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize It’s the summer of 1978 and most people think Elvis…
Presley has been dead for a year. But not eleven-year-old Truly Bateman – because she knows Elvis is alive and well and living in the Eagle Shores Trailer Park. Maybe no one ever thought to look for him at on the Eagle Shores First Nation on Vancouver Island. It’s a busy summer for Truly. Though her mother is less of a mother than she ought to be, and spends her time drinking and smoking and working her way through new boyfriends, Truly is determined to raise as much money for herself as she can through her lemonade stand … and to prove that her cool new neighbour is the one and only King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. And when she can’t find motherly support in her own home, she finds sanctuary with Andy El, the Salish woman who runs the trailer park.Anne of Green Gables: Anne's Age: 11-16) (Anne of Green Gables #1)
By L. M. Montgomery. 2017
'Oh, it seems so wonderful that I'm going to live with you and belong to you. I've never belonged to…
anybody'When a scrawny, freckled girl with bright red hair arrives on Prince Edward Island, Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are taken by surprise; they'd asked for a quiet boy to help with the farm work at Green Gables. But how can you return a friendless child to a grim orphanage when she tells you her life so far has been a 'perfect graveyard of buried hopes'? And so, the beguiling chatterbox stays. Full of dreams, warmth and spirit, it is not long before Anne Shirley wins their hearts.This collection of the best children's literature, curated by Virago, will be coveted by children and adults alike. These are timeless tales with beautiful covers, that will be treasured and shared across the generations. Some titles you will already know; some will be new to you, but there are stories for everyone to love, whatever your age. Our list includes Nina Bawden (Carrie's War, The Peppermint Pig), Rumer Godden (The Dark Horse, An Episode of Sparrows), Joan Aiken (The Serial Garden, The Gift Giving) E. Nesbit (The Psammead Trilogy, The Bastable Trilogy, The Railway Children), Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Little Princess,The Secret Garden) and Susan Coolidge (The What Katy Did Trilogy). Discover Virago Children's Classics.On the Trapline
By David A. Robertson. 2021
A picture book celebrating Indigenous culture and traditions. The Governor General Award--winning team behind When We Were Alone shares a…
story that honors our connections to our past and our grandfathers and fathers.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?" Along the way, the boy finds himself imagining what life was like two generations ago -- a life that appears to be both different from and similar to his life now. 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.The Song That Called Them Home
By David A. Robertson. 2023
From the award-winning author of On the Trapline comes a cinematic fantasy-adventure story inspired by Indigenous legends.One summer day, Lauren…
and her little brother, James, go on a trip to the land with their Moshom (grandfather). After they've arrived, the children decide to fish for dinner while Moshom naps. They are in their canoe in the middle of the lake when the water around them begins to swirl and crash. They are thrown overboard and when Lauren surfaces she sees her brother being pulled away by the Memekwesewak — creatures who live in and around water and like to interfere with humans. Lauren must follow the Memekwesewak through a portal and along a watery path to find and bring back James. But when she finally comes upon her brother, she too feels the lure of the Memekwesewak&’s song. Something even stronger must pull them back home.Melt: A breathless adventure story of courage and survival in a warming climate
By Ele Fountain. 2021
A breathless adventure story of courage and survival in a warming climate, from the multi-award-winning author of Refugee 87Yutu lives…
in a remote Arctic village with his elderly grandmother. Their traditional way of life is threatened by the changing snow and ice, which melts faster every year.Bea is trying to adapt to yet another new school. Worse still, her father's new job takes up any spare time, and his behaviour has become odd and secretive. On a trip she hopes will fix things, their fates take a drastic turn and Bea's life becomes entwined with Yutu's in a way she could never have imagined.Together, they become locked in a desperate race for survival.Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes
By Wab Kinew. 2018
"We are a people who matter." Inspired by President Barack Obama's Of Thee I Sing, Go Show the World is…
a tribute to historic and modern-day Indigenous heroes, featuring important figures such as Tecumseh, Sacagawea and former NASA astronaut John Herrington.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. Individually, their stories, though briefly touched on, are inspiring; collectively, they empower the reader with this message: "We are people who matter, yes, it's true; now let's show the world what people who matter can do."Quand j'avais huit ans
By Christy Jordan-Fenton, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. 2013
See below for English description.Une adaptation du roman à succès Les bas du pensionnat pour les lecteurs débutants! Olemaun a…
huit ans et elle sait beaucoup de choses. Mais elle ne sait pas lire. Faisant fi des avertissements de son père, elle effectue un long voyage pour aller à l'école des étrangers. Au pensionnat, les religieuses lui retirent son nom. Elles rasent ses cheveux et la forcent à faire des tâches ménagères, mais Olemaun demeure imperturbable. Sa ténacité attire l'attention d'une religieuse vêtue d'une longue robe noire, qui tente de briser son esprit à la moindre occasion. Mais Olemaun est plus déterminée que jamais à apprendre à lire. Basé sur la vraie histoire de Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, cet album rend le roman à succès Les bas du pensionnat accessible aux lecteurs plus jeunes. Maintenant, eux aussi peuvent faire la rencontre de cette jeune fille remarquable qui nous rappelle tout le pouvoir que l'on détient quand on sait lire.Bestselling memoir Les bas du pensionnat (Fatty Legs) for younger readers. Olemaun is eight and knows a lot of things. But she does not know how to read. Ignoring her father's warnings, she travels far from her Arctic home to the outsiders' school to learn. The nuns at the school call her Margaret. They cut off her long hair and force her to do menial chores, but she remains undaunted. Her tenacity draws the attention of a black-cloaked nun who tries to break her spirit at every turn. But the young girl is more determined than ever to learn how to read. Based on the true story of Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, and complemented by stunning illustrations created by Gabrielle Grimard, Quand j'avais huit ans makes the bestselling Les bas du pensionnat accessible to younger readers. Now they, too, can meet this remarkable girl who reminds us what power we hold when we can read. Original title: When I Was EightLes bas du pensionnat
By Christy Jordan-Fenton, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. 2010
See below for English description.Margaret supplie son père de la laisser aller à l'école des étrangers. Il finit par accepter.…
Mais avant, il met sa fille en garde : comme l'eau façonne la pierre, les étrangers vont façonner son esprit et le rendront étroit. Au pensionnat, Margaret ne tarde pas à faire la connaissance du Corbeau, une religieuse au nez crochu et aux doigts longs et osseux comme des serres. Bien vite, le Corbeau se heurte à la fillette au tempérament fort. Pour lui montrer à quel point elle lui déplaît, le Corbeau distribue des bas gris à toutes les filles... sauf à Margaret qui en reçoit des rouge vif. La fillette devient aussitôt la risée de toute l'école.The moving memoir of an Inuit girl who emerges from a residential school with her spirit intact. 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. At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. She immediately dislikes the strong-willed young Margaret. Intending to humiliate her, the heartless Raven gives gray stockings to all the girls -- all except Margaret, who gets red ones. In an instant Margaret is the laughingstock of the entire school. In the face of such cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated and bravely gets rid of the stockings. Although a sympathetic nun stands up for Margaret, in the end it is this brave young girl who gives the Raven a lesson in the power of human dignity. Complemented by archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton's collection and striking artwork from Liz Amini-Holmes, this inspiring first-person account of a plucky girl's determination to confront her tormentor will linger with young readers. Original title: Fatty Legs: A True StoryÉtrangère chez moi
By Christy Jordan-Fenton. 2011
See below for English description.Margaret a dix ans et elle se réjouit à l'idée de rentrer à la maison après…
avoir passé deux ans dans un pensionnat. Mais quand elle retrouve enfin sa famille, sa mère ne la reconnaît pas et crie : « Pas ma fille! » Cet accueil n'est pas celui que Margaret espérait. Elle a oublié la langue de son peuple et a du mal à avaler la nourriture de sa mère. Margaret n'a même pas le droit de jouer avec son amie Agnès parce que les gens trouvent qu'elle ressemble trop aux étrangers détestés. Elle est devenue une étrangère parmi les siens. Dans ce deuxième livre extraordinaire, Margaret dépeint le portrait de son apprentissage difficile pour retrouver sa place et réconcilier son ancienne personnalité avec la nouvelle.Ten-year-old Margaret can hardly contain her excitement. After two years in a residential boarding school, she is finally headed for home. But when she stands before her family at last, her mother doesn't recognize her, shouting, "Not my girl!" This was hardly the homecoming Margaret expected. She has forgotten her people's language and can't stomach her mother's food. She isn;t even allowed to play with her friend Agnes, besause she is now seen as too much like the despised outsiders. She has become a stranger to her own people. In this extaordinary sequel to Fatty Legs (Les bas du pensionnat) Margaret must begin a painful journey of learning how to fit again, how to reconcile her old self with the new. Original title: A Stranger at Home: A True StoryCatching Spring (Orca Young Readers)
By Sylvia Olsen. 2004
The year is 1957, and Bobby lives on the Tsartlip First Nation reserve on Vancouver Island where his family has…
lived for generations and generations. Bobby loves his weekend job at the nearby marina. He loves to play marbles with his friends. And he loves being able to give half his weekly earnings to his mother to eke out the grocery money, but he longs to enter the up-coming fishing derby. With the help of his uncle and Dan from the marina his wish just might come true.Belle of Batoche (Orca Young Readers)
By Jacqueline Guest. 2004
Belle, an 11-year-old Metis girl, and Sarah both want the coveted job of church bell ringer. An embroidery contest is…
held to award the position, and Sarah cheats. Before Belle can expose her, the two are caught up in the advancing forces of General Middleton and his troops as they surround Batoche in the 1885 Riel Rebellion. The church bell disappeared that day and remains missing to this day.Mnoomin maan'gowing / The Gift of Mnoomin
By Brittany Luby. 2023
In this bilingual book, an Anishinaabe child explores the story of a precious mnoomin seed and the circle of life…
mnoomin sustains. Written in Anishinaabemowin and English, the story opens at harvest time. A child holds a mnoomin seed and imagines all the life that made a single seed possible—Mayfly, Pike, Muskrat, Eagle and Moose, all had a part to play in bringing the seed into being. What will happen if the seed sprouts? Underwater leaves will shelter young fish, shoots will protect ducklings, stalks will feed larvae, in turn providing food for bats…until finally mnoomin will be ready to harvest again. We follow the child and family through a harvest day as they make offerings of tobacco, then gently knock ripe seeds into their canoe. On shore, they prepare the seeds, cook up a feast, and gratefully plant some seeds they’d set aside. This beautifully written and illustrated story reveals the cultural and ecological importance of mnoomin. As the author’s note explains, many Anishinaabeg agree that “wild rice” is an inaccurate term for this plant relation, since part of the harvest is sown every year to help sustain human and non-human beings. Includes a translator’s note. Key Text Features explanation illustrations informational note translations translator’s note Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.