The Cedar Mother (Mothers of Xsan)

Written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson)
Illustrated by Natasha Donovan
HighWater Press
978-1-77492-158-6
32 pp.
Ages 9–12

February 2026

 

Eight years ago, Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, who is also known as Brett D. Huson, started his Mothers of Xsan graphic novel series to share his knowledge of the stories of the Gitxsan Nation of the Northwest Interior of BC. This series, now of eight books, has covered insects, fish, birds, amphibians, and mammals, and now I'm delighted to share his book about the cedar tree. Not only does The Cedar Mother speak to the life cycle of a cedar tree and its connection with other living things, but Hetxw'ms Gyetxw also shares his knowledge of the Gitxsan Nation and their Moons.

From The Cedar Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, illustrated by Natasha Donovan

This story of the western red cedar begins in April and the Spring Salmon's Returning Home Moon (Lasa ya'a). This tree, which has been around for over 300 years, now sits by a road that was "only a trail used by the Gitxsan, who had never seen a car, wagon, or horse." (pg. 2) Its growth from a tiny seed is helped by nutrients, rain, and sun. (Words that might be new to young readers, including nutrients, foliage, photosynthesis, and reverence, are defined in info boxes throughout the book.) 

 

But Hetxw'ms Gyetxw also explains how Nox Sim Gan (the cedar mother) is connected to other organisms in the ecosystem. She provides shelter and feeds animals with foliage and oxygen. She gives materials to the Gitxsan for clothing, for home-building, for medicines and, at the end of her life cycle, she will become a story pole. Because of her persistence and vitality, "she is a beacon of hope and a symbol of the enduring strength of the natural world. (pg. 15)

From The Cedar Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, illustrated by Natasha Donovan

Hetxw'ms Gyetxw writes with reverence for Nox Sim Gan in The Cedar Mother and for the role she plays in the environment and for the Gitxsan Nation. From birth through death, she provides. And, because of this, Hetxw'ms Gyetxw gently reminds us that attention must be paid, and our stewardship is required so that she may continue to share herself with the earth and its living things. Not a boring life cycle story, The Cedar Mother tells us how a western red cedar is a part of something far greater. It is part of a community.

From The Cedar Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, illustrated by Natasha Donovan

Natasha Donovan, who illustrated the earlier books in Mothers of Xsan series and Tasha Spillett's Surviving the City series, takes readers into the forests where Nox Sim Gan grows and flourishes, giving and sharing. Its majesty is evident from the scale at which she draws it, and the benevolence of its presence is clear in all illustrations as it interacts with other species. Natasha Donovan keeps the focus on Nox Sim Gan always, whether at the base of its trunk or buried in its foliage, preserving the natural elements in earthy colours of browns and greens. With Natasha Donovan's illustrations and Hetxw'ms Gyetxw's occasional contributions of formline art (see the spirit pole above), as well as his text, The Cedar Mother is a respectful acknowledgement of the connection between the natural world and the Gitxsan, and the reverence necessary to appreciate and to sustain its place.

 • • • • • • •

 

Mothers of Xsan series

The Sockeye Mother (2018)

The Grizzly Mother (2019)

The Eagle Mother (2020)

The Frog Mother (2021)

The Wolf Mother (2021)

The Raven Mother (2022)

The Bee Mother (2024) 

The Cedar Mother (2026) 

2026 Forest of Reading Kid and Teen Ambassador Committees: Applications now being accepted (deadline April 1, 2026)

  

Since 2017, the Forest of Reading program has organized its Forest Kid and Teen Committees to compile summer reading lists for Silver Birch, Red Maple, and White Pine readers. These reading lists are assembled every spring by young people to help their peers find great new Canadian books to read. 

 

If you are an avid reader in Grades 4 to 12, whether in school or homeschooled, there's a committee looking for you to help by sharing your opinions on Canadian books for young people. 

 

 

How to get on a committee:

• Any Canadian student (from any province or territory) in Grades 4 to 12 (including those homeschooled) can apply. 

 

• Applications are completed online HERE

        In addition to contact details, you will be asked about your favourite Canadian authors and books. (Make sure you know whether the author is Canadian.)

 

• The deadline for applications is Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

(Note: These committees will only move forward if there are significant applications for each program. )

 

 

What the committee will do:

• Committees will meet virtually in May via ZOOM (9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. EST; times may be subject to change depending on locations of committee members) to discuss books.

• Silver Birch Kid Committee (students in Grades 4–6) will meet on Tuesday, May 5, 2026
• Red Maple Kid Committee (students in Grades 7 and 8) will meet on Wednesday, May 6, 2026
• Teen Ambassador Committee (students in Grades 9–12) will meet on Thursday, May 7, 2026

• Committee members will be sharing and championing books written by Canadian authors from the last 2 years (and not previously included on Forest of Reading lists of nominees or on Forest Kid Committee summer reading lists). 

 

If you love books, specifically Canadian books, this is your chance to talk to other readers about what you love and help others find great books to read over the summer. You can include fiction, non-fiction, short story collections, graphic novels, etc. appropriate for the age group of your committee.

 

 

Full details, including past lists, are available at https://forestofreading.com/kid-teen-committees/

You can check out earlier reading lists at the links below:

• 2019 (Silver Birch, Red Maple, White Pine)
• 2020 (Silver Birch, Red Maple, White Pine)
• 2021 (Silver Birch, Red Maple, White Pine)
• 2022 (Silver Birch, Red Maple, White Pine)
• 2023 (Silver Birch and Red Maple)
• 2024 (Silver Birch and Red Maple)
• 2025 (Silver Birch and Red Maple)
• 2025 (White Pine) 

Apply before April 1^st, 2026

for your chance to be on 

one of thse exciting and worthwhile committees

 

Canada: We Are the Story

Written by Richard Wagamese

Illustrated by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

Swift Water Books (An imprint of Tundra Books)

978-1-77488-638-0

32 pp.

Ages 3–7

Releases March 17, 2026

 

The cover of Canada: We Are the Story announces this book as bold, beautiful, and powerful. From its flow of luminous colours and glowing shapes, this picture book, one of the first releases from Tundra's new Indigenous imprint, Swift Water Books, declares itself to be what it is: momentous.

From Canada: We Are the Story, written by Richard Wagamese, art by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

Based on a poem by Richard Wagamese, Canada: We Are the Story speaks to a child tasked with a school assignment, "What makes you proud to be Canadian?" Struggling, the child is guided to listen and feel so that they might sense their ancestors and what they could impart.

Close your eyes and tell me if you can hear your Ancestors in the Spirit World exhaling all at once. They are standing beside you even now. They are talking. Listen. (pg. 7)

From Canada: We Are the Story, written by Richard Wagamese, art by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

It doesn't matter whether the ancestors speak in Dene, Cree, Inuktitut, or German, Mandarin or English, because they are the Old Ones and their souls had "fallen head over heels in love with the spell of this country." (pg. 13) More importantly, the ancestors tell us that we are all in this together, no matter whether we're on the East Coast, on the prairies, or at the Arctic Circle. (Richard Wagamese mentions more than several place names like Belle Isle, Labrador; Wynyard, Saskatchewan; Revelstoke, BC; Okotoks, Alberta; the archipelago Haida Gwaii, and Pangnirtung on Baffin Island.) The message is that the ancestors come from throughout the country, and if we just listen, they'll tell us its story.

We are the story of our time here,

they have come to say.

 

It is all we bring with us

and all we leave behind. (pg. 24)

From Canada: We Are the Story, written by Richard Wagamese, art by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

Richard Wagamese's message is one of inclusivity and acknowledgement. His free verse poetry recognizes that everyone is part of the land and part of its story, whether Indigenous or immigrant. And this child, once they listen to the ancestors and hear their stories, can accept and cultivate themself as part of it. The voice of Richard Wagamese's narrator is profound and sweepingly affirming of all. They want this child to feel connected and embraced from their ancestors and from the people of the country to which they belong.

 

Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, whose illustrations I first enjoyed in Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This is How I Know (written by Brittany Luby, 2021) and Biindigen! Amik Says Welcome (written by Nancy Cooper, 2023), has acknowledged the message of Canada: We Are the Story with his simple but weighty dedication: "For all my relatives, Indinawemaaganidog." His Ojibwe (Anishinaabemowin) words invite all of his people to enjoy the art of this book, just as all readers will. Every page is a delight of colour and shapes. Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley draws his main character as a unique individual, wearing a personalized jacket with badges like a thunderbird, an NDN sweater, and a plaid skirt. They are unique and fit in because they belong. Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley has made this child any child, from an Indigenous community or one of a diverse background. They are Canadian by being part of the land. And with their meaningful background of ancestors, from all cultures and traditions, Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley urges us to see ourselves as part of the story.

From Canada: We Are the Story, written by Richard Wagamese, art by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

From words to art, Canada: We Are the Story is a stunning picture book, as valuable in its message for young children as it would be as a visual art book for the adults who might purchase it. It should give us all pause to think about how we belong, perhaps in our way, perhaps like others, to this country, and our stories will become part of it, now and forever.

My Language Is a Garden

Written by E.G. Alaraj

Illustrated by Rachel Wada

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-4598-4065-2

32 pp.

Ages 6–8

February 2026 

 

How a child begins to learn a language is a complex process of exposure and comprehension. It involves being introduced to it from those who speak it and who cherish it. And when it's taught with love and reverence, it almost sacred. For this father sharing his language with his child, it's everything.

From My Language Is a Garden, written by E.G. Alaraj, illustrated by Rachel Wada

In evocative rhyming verse, E.G. Alaraj gives a father voice to embody his language with memories and meaning as he shares it with his daughter. It's obvious how much his language means to him, reminiscent of people and places, and tastes, smells, and sounds. E.G. Alaraj gives weight to this parent's words, both tender and passionate.  

My language roams the desert

And fills its pails with sand.

Builds castles, forts, and shelters

That stretch across the land. (pg. 12) 

From My Language Is a Garden, written by E.G. Alaraj, illustrated by Rachel Wada

This father is determined, but not vehement, drawing on images of cities and mountains, shores and markets, to convey what language can bring and conjure. There is magic in language, and he is earnest about sharing this with his child.

Our language, it will bloom—

Add sweetness to the air,

And tie my heart to yours,

 

So I'm with you everywhere. (pg. 27–29)

E.G. Alaraj's poem is emotional, as is the premise upon which it is based. Her author's note explains her husband's efforts to help their children learn and then retain their Arabic language. But My Language Is a Garden could speak to any parent or educator teaching a heritage language, hopeful of children holding that connection with culture and ancestry, as they balance contemporary influences outside of that language. But instead of drilling that language and forcing communication by using it, this father invites and illustrates with much affection and safety, coaxing his child to see and feel the language, just as the reader does with E.G. Alaraj's expressive words. The rhyming verses soothe and transport, as well as entice inwards and open worlds beyond. 

From My Language Is a Garden, written by E.G. Alaraj, illustrated by Rachel Wada

As dramatic as E.G. Alaraj's words are, Rachel Wada's illustrations give them artistic substance. Her art was created digitally and feels like watercolours, suspending people and places in different times and spaces. Rachel Wada, whose art has honoured books like I Am Wind: An Autobiography (Rachel Poliquin, 2024) and Shizue's Path (Mark Sakamoto, 2023), expresses strength and sensitivity with her use of line and shape. Whether in her gloriously lush gardens of poppies, in the rolling dunes of sand, or in the branches and stems of trees, Rachel Wada makes big locales seem personal and intimate, and the people within them connected.

 

As teachers and parents in Canada, we often use English language acquisition and learning as milestones for children, but learning a heritage language should be similarly appreciated. Beyond its purpose in communication, those languages help connect children with their families, their cultures, and their ancestors. It gives their lives colour and history, heart and identity. This father's language, depicted as a living entity that grows and feels, nurtures and responds, already enriches his life, connecting him with so much, and E.G. Alaraj makes us hopeful that he is able to cultivate that same abundance for his child.

Every Space Between

Written by Naseem Hrab

Illustrated by John Martz 

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-710-0

48 pp.

Ages 3–7

March 2026

 

There are big, big moments in life that we can't help but acknowledge. For a child, it might be a special birthday, the first day of school, or a new home. Sometimes though big moments are not as positive. But they're all the kind of moments that children don't forget. But not everything is a big moment. And, in order to get the big moments, those other moments have to happen too.

From Every Space Between, written by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by John Martz

Every Space Between is less story and more insight. As two siblings, a younger sister and an older brother, go about their day, there are moments of heightened emotion and moments in between. We might recognize when we start something and anticipate how it will end but what of the space in between? From playing with her dog to reading to going out for ice-cream, this child's day is filled with moments: expected, unexpected, memorable, and forgettable. But there are also bothersome moments—a tuba mishap with the dog ball, a demolished house of cards, a tumbling ice cream—and will these calamities wash out the good?

Certain in-betweens

are as breathtaking

as the shift from

day to night

just before

the starts wake up

and the light scatters

and the sky glows . . . (pg. 46)

From Every Space Between, written by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by John Martz

Naseem Hrab, author of Weekend Dad (2020), Otis & Peanut (2023), and How to Be Brave Like a Snail (2025), takes an almost philosophical approach to the idea of moments in time and the circumstances of those moments. But, though it could be a heavy topic, Naseem Hrab just makes young readers think about those in-betweens. We all remember the great and the horrific moments, but they are rare when we consider all the time and experiences spent in between them. Although it's not a mindfulness practice, thinking about those in-betweens while we're in the in-betweens can give us a different perspective on the big moments and the beginnings and endings of experiences. It's actually insightful to have kids think beyond, or rather between, the occasions. Focus on everyday school work not the exam at the end. Enjoy the moments of camaraderie and comfort of team play rather than the outcome of the game. There is so much special in the in-betweens.

From Every Space Between, written by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by John Martz

I'm embarrassed to say that I've never reviewed a book illustrated by John Martz though his artwork has been nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award, the Eisner Award, and the Doug Wright Award. This Toronto cartoonist, illustrator, and writer creates digital art that is both simple and filled with details that may be ordinary but say a lot. Two kids reading on a couch is more because of the kiss on a forehead, a scratching of a knee, a hamster hiding, a stray playing card, and a dog and a cat napping. And every John Martz illustration makes the reader think about what is happening, what could happen, and what it all means.  

 

There's always more to life than the highlights that others or we remember. There's much more to this sibling relationship than some accidents and bickering. And Naseem Hrab wants us to see all those extras that aren't just in-between but rather the stuff that gives substance and content for the rest. 

10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras

Written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

North Winds Press (An imprint of Scholastic Canada)

978-1-0397-16179

 48 pp.

Ages 3–8

January 2026 

 

Mélanie Watt, the creator of Scaredy Squirrel and cheeky Chester, the cat with the red pen, returns with another fun book that blends facts with humour and playfulness. (FYI, there may be 10 facts explained in 10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras, but there's loads more that is included. Pizza is at the heart of those discussions.)

From 10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras, written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

In a series of double-page spreads, Mélanie Watt informs young readers about capybaras, starting with the basic info that they are the biggest rodents in the world. And, with each new spread, readers will learn something new. There are facts about their bodies, from their ever-growing teeth to their webbed feet. There are details about their behaviour, from what they eat to how they communicate and interact with others. 

From 10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras, written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

But after the ten facts, the book takes an odd turn. Instead of revealing the unusual way in which capybaras get essential nutrients, Mélanie Watt's capybara interjects with pizza as his answer. The author has to try to get the information back on track with "Fact 11: Capybaras DO NOT eat pizza," though the capybara responds with "Fact 12: Capybaras order PIZZA every day!" And so begins a clever repartee between writer and capybara, and then also a monkey,

From 10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras, written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

Mélanie Watt is an author-illustrator who not only entertains but also teaches, and she does it with humour and much quirkiness. Her capybara is adorable, as is her monkey, and young readers and a few old ones like me will learn more about these unusual rodents than expected from a picture book. Narrative non-fiction is a fabulous way to share information in an engaging story, and 10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras works persuasively to do so. 

From 10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras, written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

Of course, with any Mélanie Watt book, the humour is in the art as well as the text. The capybara's cheekiness is reflected in his words but also in his robust and textured form, his big eyes, and his smile. The focus is always on the capybara, so Mélanie Watt uses few other elements—pizza, monkey, cell phone, legs of birds—to feature him. It's simple but it's fun and informative.

 

I often used Mélanie Watt's books for teaching because they're so entertaining, and 10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras will work just as effectively to teach animal characteristics and to captivate. Add the activities at the Scholastic Canada website for the book, including connect-the-dots, an easy quiz, and a drawing activity, and you've got a nice little package of learning fun for young children.

The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne

Written by Sonya Ballantyne

Illustrated by Rhael McGregor

Coloured by Azby Whitecalf

Lettering by Kielamel Sibal 

HighWater Press

978-1-77492-137-1

64 pp.

Ages 12–14

Releases March 10, 2026 

 

Sonya Ballantyne, a Swampy Cree filmmaker based in Winnipeg, did not just spring onto the scene with her first movie Crash Site or as a writer for The Walking Dead: Last Mile or Acting Good. Her origin story helped make her who she is. But what is that story?

From The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne, written by Sonya Ballantyne, illustrated by Rhael McGregor, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Kielamel Sibal

As a child, Sonya Ballantyne had a lot of dreams of what she would be when she was older. She considered being Bret Hart or a marine biologist or a musician, but becoming a writer was a special dream. Problem was that Sonya knew that girls like her—Indigenous—didn't often finish high school or get to fulfill their dreams. And though she had incredible support from her parents and much family love, there were others who reminded her that her options were limited by being an Indigenous girl. Sonya was determined to find a way.

 

Sonya imagined herself as a superhero who'd arrived on Earth as an alien whom her parents found and protected, along with her grandparents. After all, the origin stories of all superheroes were clouded with tragedy, and they still went on to do good.

From The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne, written by Sonya Ballantyne, illustrated by Rhael McGregor, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Kielamel Sibal

From her connection with her mother through a shared love of movies—"The trouble with seeing your life as a movie is that nothing can ever live up to your expectations" (pg. 33)—to her love of hockey, Sonya started to see her life in terms of what she could get, not what she wanted. Her journal writings speak of her questioning her sexuality, her anger, depression, and suicidal ideation. But she finds a way to make her anger her superpower, becoming an activist, finishing high school, going to university, and never limiting herself as others might. 

From The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne, written by Sonya Ballantyne, illustrated by Rhael McGregor, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Kielamel Sibal

Sonya Ballantyne's story is laid out in The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne, though it is not presented as a linear one. I suspect that, as with the challenges of racism and bullying she faced, it wasn't straightforward. There were those who set her back time and time again and then circumstances that propelled her forward in her self-discovery. She works to explain her own origins and understand them as they might have been and how they were. It's obvious that there is still much story to be told of Sonya Ballantyne, but this is a good start, particularly for older middle grade and young teen readers who might better understand some of her challenges and the grittiness of a world in which bullying, racism, abuse, and crass language exist.

 

Because The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne is a graphic novel, the art gives much of the story, supporting it with visuals of Sonya's real life and that of her superhero alter ego. Rhael McGregor shows us both a child and then teen who enjoys the warmth of those who care for her but also has struggles against those who bully, anger, insult, or wrong her. And they give us very real depictions of Sonya from a young child to middle grader to teen so that she is recognizable and still changing as she grows up. But it is the context of that development, from Sonya imagining herself as a superhero rescued as a baby, to a child enjoying play—versus an overprotective grandmother—and a teen journalling her angst that Rhael McGregor makes us see Sonya through all her phases and faces. With the art coloured by Azby Whitecalf and lettered by Kielamel Sibal, these graphic elements enhance the storytelling of the life of Sonya Ballantyne, while making us want to know more.