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) 

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.

Visions From the Fire (Dreams, Book 2)

Written by Wanda John-Kehewin

Illustrated by nicole marie burton

Colour by Rhael McGregor 

Lettering by Kielamel Sibal

HighWater Press (Portage & Main)

978-1-77492-065-7

80 pp.

Ages 12+

Releases February 24, 2026 

 

Visions From the Fire starts with a bang. Damon and his classmates are preparing to graduate from high school. And Damon, his mom, and his friend Journey are then heading out to his mom's reserve, which she hasn't visited for fifteen years, for a powwow. And Damon's classmate and bully, Marcus, who'd taunted the teen relentlessly about his Indigenous heritage, has recently learned this his own mother is Cree, part of the Sixties Scoop, though she shrugs it off as "not a big deal." (pg. 2) If that isn't enough happening in Damon's life, then there is the gifting of a bear claw necklace made by his mom that gives him visions of her abandonment on the reserve. He asks her but she doesn't want to talk about it.

What's there to talk about? When stuff hurts, Indians try to forget about it. They bury it deep inside 'til it stops hurting. Counsellors call it suppression. I call it survival. Still not ready, son. (pg. 13)

From Visions From the Fire, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by nicole marie burton

Unfortunately, they do have a blow up when Damon's mom inadvertently learns her son has contacted his dad and intends to meet up with him at the powwow. She's angry at him for not trusting her enough to tell her, and he's angry at her for her reaction and trying to control him. It's not a good way to arrive at the reserve. 

 

Soon after, Damon's mom takes off in his car, and he worries she might be drinking and driving. He goes for a walk and meets an older man who seems almost otherworldly, turning rain off and on, making fire of wet wood, and knowing more than Damon thinks he should. 

From Visions From the Fire, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by nicole marie burton

But this man is wise, and he has some choice words for Damon about listening instead of talking, about sitting on the fence, and more. When the man is gone, Damon finds the bear claw necklace in his pocket and is transported by vision to see what his mother experienced, what Journey experienced, and even what his ancestors discussed when faced with starvation or signing a treaty.  

When you don't know who you are, life becomes a tough journey. Same for your mother and your father. (46) 

Still, it's what happens afterwards, meeting family he'd never known but who know him and his gifts, attending a sweat lodge, and learning that he has been chosen, that leads Damon into his next story.

From Visions From the Fire, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by nicole marie burton

Road trips are often transformative. They give opportunities for discussions either previously avoided or finally deemed necessary. A little thing, like Damon asking his mother why she hated being called, "Ma," opens up a lot about her mother, about Damon's dad and about his mom's relationship with him and with drink. Unfortunately, with the arrogance of youth, Damon goes after his mother, accusing her of trying to control him, never recognizing she knows more than he does about her situation. But this journey is but one step in Damon's exploration of self: where he comes from, and perhaps where he is going. Wanda John-Kehewin, who introduced Damon and Journey and others in Visions of the Crow is taking Damon slowly to where he needs to find himself. And while he sees himself through his experiences and through those of his mother, of Journey, and of others who interact with him, his visions of what has happened to them and his ancestors give him insight into his own actions and needs. This richness of self is embedded in Damon's Cree heritage, especially once he arrives at the reserve in Saskatchewan. From the language—kindly translated as needed—to the cultural traditions like the sweat and the offering of tobacco, Wanda John-Kehewin lets us know that being Cree is part of Damon, though there is still much for him to learn.

From Visions From the Fire, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by nicole marie burton

nicole marie burton, who also illustrated Book 1 in the Dreams series (Visions of the Crow, 2023), blends realism with the intangible. Damon is a contemporary teen who listens to his music, goes to school, argues with his mom, and deals with life. But, he sees into the past and into the lives of others, experiencing surreal episodes that nicole marie burton makes believable. They use darkness and textured iridescence to transport the reader to different places and times, convincing us that Damon's vision has shifted. There are hints in the clothing and the scenery, as well as in Wanda John-Kehewin's words, but nicole marie burton shows us without telling us that Damon is going through something cathartic.

 

There is still story to be told, including Damon meeting his father, Damon and Journey's relationship, and Marcus's identification as Cree. But I know that, like Damon's journey, it will happen in due course, with help from those past and present, and be revealed as necessary. Wanda John-Kehewin cares enough to ensure the story is told in its time, making sure that Damon's self-actualization is real, personal, and complete.

 

• • • • • • •

 

Dreams 

 

Visions of the Crow (2023)

Visions From the Fire (2026)

 

Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?: Celebrating Fall

Written by Tyna Legault Taylor

Illustrated by Michelle Dao 

HighWater Press

978-1-774921470

40 pp.

Ages 5–8

October 2025 

 

When Tyna Legault Taylor introduced Joshua in her series Joshua Learns from the Land, her focus was on traditional and seasonal practices of her Indigenous family and ancestors. In Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? (2025), Joshua looked forward to summer and gathering mint for his mother's mint iced tea, though there were other seasons filled with activities like fishing, foraging, and hunting. That picture book celebrated all the seasons while Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks? focuses on the fall alone with the boy spending time with his Kokum (grandmother) tracking animals. 

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

Joshua and Kokum have a special intergenerational relationship. But Tyna Legault Taylor's dedication indicates that it was even more memorable as Joshua's Kokum was the author's mother, Mary (Okimawinninew) Legault. And when fall comes, Joshua is delighted to join his Kokum or Nookomis (grandmother in both Omushkegomowin [Swampy Cree language] or Anishinaabemowin [Ojibwe language] respectively) in hunting moose, all for her delicious moose meat stew.

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

As the two explore forests close to streams, muskeg and lakes, they watch for tracks. Dressed safely in orange and walking quietly, the two find multiple footprints. First there are the tracks of the red fox (osawakaysho / miskowaa waagosh), then the wolf, and the black bear before the moose tracks are spotted. With each animal track found, and all identified in both Omushkegomowin (Swampy Cree language) and Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language), Kokum reminds Joshua of the attributes of each. There's the fox's tail that is used for balance, the wolf that runs on its toes, and the black bear that stocks up on food in the fall. 

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

Finally, they spot the tracks of a moose; in fact, they spot the tracks of a cow moose and a calf. And though Kokum uses her birchbark call, the day ends without finding a bull moose. Still, there is a full fall of hunting, fishing and foraging, and ultimately they bring home a bull moose for stew and a new pair of moccasins. 

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

I know that many teachers and parents will use this book for teaching Indigenous traditions and fall activities, but I think it's important to see Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks? and the series as more. There is a great story here of a charming grandmother-grandson relationship, of an outing into the natural world to learn about animals, while picking up some words of Omushkegomowin and Anishinaabemowin. Tyna Legault Taylor, a member of Attawapiskat First Nation (Kattawapiskak), gives readers a lot to think about, discuss, and appreciate.

From Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

As she did in Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?: Celebrating the Seasons, illustrator Michelle Dao drops us into the natural world through her use of colour and shape, and welcomes us in joining her characters on their hike. Her blend of golden shades with some reds and greens reflect the striking character of the season outside, while her characters give us the joy of togetherness and discovery.

 

I hope we get to enjoy more seasonal visits with Joshua and his family in the Joshua Learns from the Land series. After all, I know we'd love to experience winter or spring or summer activities with the boy and his moshom or perhaps his nimâmâ, and enjoy vicariously his jaunts outdoors and his exploration of traditional Indigenous practices.

Miya Wears Orange

Written by Wanda John-Kehewin

Illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

HighWater Press

978-1-77492-125-8

40 pp.

Ages 6–8

August 2025 

Miya loves school and is far removed from experiencing the trauma that too many Indigenous youth had when sent to residential schools. But when her teacher reads a story of one little girl who had such an experience, it all becomes deeply personal for Miya.

 

Miya, the only Indigenous child in her class, is shocked to hear about the child in the book having her hair cut, having her doll taken away, and not being allowed to see her family. 

Miya thinks about how she is the only Indigenous kid in her class, and her chest feels tight.

From Miya Wears Orange, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

The story read by the teacher was an introduction to the upcoming National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. But Miya cannot focus on the importance of September 30th. Instead, she wonders if she will be sent to residential school because she is Indigenous.

From Miya Wears Orange, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

So begins a discussion between mother and daughter. Miya's mother explains more about the residential schools and that those schools are closed, and Miya would never be taken from her. With her big heart and much compassion, Miya feels so much for the children who were taken, and her mother reassures her that that would never happen to her and that wearing an orange shirt would honour those children. 

Though Erika Rodriguez Medina gives illustrations that are endearing, the story of Miya Wears Orange is a sobering one, and it is one based in the circumstances Wanda John-Kehewin experienced with her own child. This is not a worry a child should ever have. But by answering her questions, reassuring her with her words and her actions—letting her stay home one day and continuing with their daily routines, including picking her up from school—Miya's mom, and probably Wanda John-Kehewin, did everything right. With time and reassurance, Miya will worry less, though I believe she will always think about and feel for those children who suffered. For her, wearing an orange shirt could be for any and every day.

From Miya Wears Orange, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

Just as I have previously reviewed a book by Wanda John-Kehewin (Visions of the Crow, Book 1 of Dreams series), so too have I reviewed those illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina. (In fact, the last book I reviewed, The Friendship Blanket, was illustrated by her.) Her ability to keep the warmth of her art no matter the nature of the story speaks to her creativity and skill. In Miya Wears Orange, Erika Rodriguez Medina does not emphasize the horrors of the residential schools, the source of Miya's anxieties. Instead, her focus is on the child and her mother and the good things about school. Her colour palette is limited with much burnt orange and purples and burgundy, and occasional blue or turquoise, keeping the tone of a story about remembrance and empathy. 

From Miya Wears Orange, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina

Miya Wears Orange may become an important read for introducing young children to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and also why we wear orange on September 30th. But I think it will also open discussions about children sharing their worries so those concerns might be lessened or alleviated. For little children, worries can become magnified very quickly, and for children of Indigenous heritage, for whom generational trauma is a potential, it's incumbent upon parents, teachers and those who care for them to be aware of their responses to texts and news related to residential schools. Those stories are horrific, even when adjusted for a younger audience, and attention and compassion must be applied to ensure an affirmative outcome.

Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?: Celebrating the Seasons

Written by Tyna Legault Taylor

Illustrated by Michelle Dao 

HighWater Press

978-1-774921227

36 pp.

Ages 5-8

May 2025 

 

A boy and his father walk the land through the seasons. With each season, there are new things to forage or fish or gather but always the child asks his Notawe/Baabaa, "Dad, is it time to gather mint?" That mint, a key component in his mother's teas, both cold and hot, drives this child to ask each time they head out to walk the land.

From Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

The text of Joshua's story is told in English but it is peppered with translations into Omushkegomowin, Swampy Cree, as well as Anishinaabemowin which is Ojibwe. As Joshua learns about the land and its plants and animals, so too do the readers in multiple languages.

 

Although Joshua would love for it to be summer (nipin in Swampy Cree, niibin in Ojibwe) when he can gather mint (katakipanik, gaaminomaagobagak in Swampy Cree and Ojibwe respectively), it is still fall when this story begins. His father (Notawe, Baabaa) reminds him that now it is a time of hunting, gathering Labrador tea (the plant), and fishing for whitefish.

From Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

As he and his father venture out into the season of winter, Joshua asks again and is reminded of those winter activities like snowshoeing, fishing for lake trout and herring, and gathering cedar branches for tea and for cleansing the indoor air. 

From Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

When winter turns to spring and the animals and the plants respond to the warming temperatures, Joshua is reminded that it is a time for hunting geese and gathering spruce buds and fishing for lake trout. Alas, it is still not time to gather the mint.

 

But when it finally is summer, Joshua rejoices, not just for the pickerel they'll fish and the sweetgrass, blueberries and cranberries they pick but for that much-anticipated walk with his father and the inevitable mint iced tea–recipe included–that his mother will share with the family.

From Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao

There are many picture books about the seasons, but Tyna Legault Taylor's story has a richness of Indigenous heritage that makes it unique. Tyna Legault Taylor, a member of Attawapiskat First Nation, ensures a completeness of the year of seasons with the abundance of activities that Joshua and his dad enjoy together with the changing weather and circumstances. She brings us to Joshua's traditional lands in northeastern Ontario and to the culture of his Omushkego Cree and Anishinaabe family.

 

Michelle Dao, a Vietnamese Canadian illustrator, gives both a storytelling flavour and a non-fiction character to Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? Her digital artwork conveys the deep relationship between Joshua and his father, as well as the rest of the family, but also details the important elements that are hunted, fished, or gathered through the seasons.

 

Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? is but the first book in the Joshua Learns from the Land series, with the second book set to be released this October. For teachers of young students who are just learning the way seasons work, Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? would be a fabulous and sensitive introduction, with an Indigenous emphasis on language–two languages in fact–and traditional practices of hunting, fishing, gathering and more.

 

• • • • • • •

 

Joshua Learns from the Land

 

Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?: Celebrating the Seasons (May 2025)

Kokum, Are These Moose Tracks?: Celebrating Fall (October 2025)

Mom, Is It Time for the Spring Niska Feast?: Celebrating Spring (forthcoming)

The Rez Doctor

Written by Gitz Crazyboy

Illustrated by Veronika Barinova

Coloured by Azby Whitecalf

Lettered by Toben Racicot

HighWater Press

978-1-55379-924-5

64 pp.

Ages 12+

September 2024

Though this is Ryan Fox's story, it is also the story of any Indigenous person who has been disregarded in their health care, undervalued in their education, and an heir to a history of social injustice. It's also the story of those who endure, persevere, challenge, and succeed.

From The Rez Doctor, written by Gitz Crazyboy, illustrated by Veronika Barinova, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Toben Racicot

Ryan recalls what it was like going to the walk-in clinic as a child with his mom. From his experiences and those of the other patients seeking medical help, the non-Indigenous doctor finds it easier to condemn their lifestyles and push painkillers on them rather than really try to help. At school, his classmates dream of careers like lawyers and doctors but with teachers who criticize his work, either telling him he isn't working hard enough or not to become conceited because he'd done well, Ryan couldn't imagine himself achieving much.

From The Rez Doctor, written by Gitz Crazyboy, illustrated by Veronika Barinova, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Toben Racicot

Thankfully, Ryan finds much comfort in his family and their traditions. Even with an uncle who struggles with alcoholism, Ryan values the support and encouragement he receives. Still, it's a school visit from Dr. Esther Tailfeathers, a former student, who recalled the words of her grandfather that "You always have to prove yourself to your community" that helps Ryan focus on medicine.

Through hard work, Ryan graduates from high school and is admitted to the University of Lethbridge. With new responsibilities come new challenges. He's living away from family, he wants to fit in with his peers, and he's responsible for motivating himself. And while there's good that happens to him, like meeting Charm, Ryan is convinced he's messing everything up. Only his uncle, now at a remand centre, reminds him to not let his chance at a good life slip away. Ryan heeds his sage advice.

The Rez Doctor is an inspiring story of self-empowerment. For Indigenous youth who are faced with prejudice at school and outside of their community, The Rez Doctor reminds them that regardless of their circumstances, like having family with addictions, studying far from home, struggling with finances, and clashing with those who diminish their capabilities–Ryan is encouraged to switch from medicine to geology so he can get a job in the oil fields–they can work hard and try their best to reach their goals. As with all of us, they may not get what they want but they may, as does Ryan, who is able to return to his community and work in a Tribal Clinic making things better for the health of his Indigenous community.

From The Rez Doctor, written by Gitz Crazyboy, illustrated by Veronika Barinova, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Toben Racicot

Gitz Crazyboy is a Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot) and Dene writer who works as a youth facilitator in Calgary. The story he tells in The Rez Doctor is a literary exemplar to Indigenous youth about what can be. Though Ryan's family shows him wonderful support, encouraging his culture and traditions and his aspirations, he still is responsible for his choices. He has big ones to make, but Gitz Crazyboy has Ryan demonstrate that, even when distracted by good and bad, he steps up.

From The Rez Doctor, written by Gitz Crazyboy, illustrated by Veronika Barinova, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Toben Racicot

The realism of Ryan's story is unmistakable, though I don't know if Gitz Crazyboy is telling someone's story. It reads like a creative biography, and the artwork by Veronika Barinova, now also of Calgary, reflects that. Her artwork, coloured by Azby Whitecalf and lettered by Toben Racicot, manifests that realism in the stark clinic examination room, the austere classroom, and the grimness of the remand centre. She also brings joy through Charm and Ryan's relationship, the connections Ryan experiences with family, and the heart that he demonstrates when he returns to serve his community.

It's not necessarily easy or possible to break away from a legacy of prejudice and discrimination. However, Ryan of The Rez Doctor was able to do so, and in doing so he did good for more than himself. He brought compassion and understanding and true service to his community that could only bring more goodness and success for all.

Little Moons

Written by Jen Storm

Illustrated by Ryan Howe

Coloured by Alice RL

Lettered by Nickolej Villiger

HighWater Press

978-1-774921074

64 pp.

Ages 12–18

September 2024

 

Little Moons is a story of great loss. It's also a story of family and connection, even after loss. Sadly, it's also a story based too much in reality.

From Little Moons, written by Jen Storm, illustrated by Ryan Howe, coloured by Alice RL, lettered by Nickolej Villiger

Reena lives on the reserve with her mom, Andrea, 15-year-old sister Chelsea, young brother Theo and grandmother Koko. The kids' dad, Anthony, also lives there though Mom and Dad are not together anymore. Mom works tirelessly at traditional bead work which Chelsea learned to do, beading her own regalia after her woman's ceremony. 

 

And then Chelsea does not return from going shopping after school. Even with a community helping in the search and getting news out via social media and with involvement of the police, she is not found. The seasons come and go and still no Chelsea. 

From Little Moons, written by Jen Storm, illustrated by Ryan Howe, coloured by Alice RL, lettered by Nickolej Villiger

But what changes is the family. While Reena tries to connect with Chelsea, wearing her regalia to a Pow Wow, beading, and watching flickering lights that may mean Chelsea's spirit is around, Mom has gone beyond her depression and has headed to the city. First, it's just for a break but then she decides to move there. 

"I don't want to live and die on the Rez." (p. 23)

From Little Moons, written by Jen Storm, illustrated by Ryan Howe, coloured by Alice RL, lettered by Nickolej Villiger

Mom may think this will work to alleviate her grief, meeting new people, getting a non-Indigenous boyfriend–who is both a jerk and racist–and getting a job away from the Rez but Dad convinces her to let the kids remain with him. And Theo reveals to Reena that he sees ghosts that look like little moons, and that "Sister" has told him that she's sorry.

When Chelsea's bag is found buried in the forest near the highway, the family finds a way to connect with each other and to follow their traditions "to light her way to the other side." (p. 52)

From Little Moons, written by Jen Storm, illustrated by Ryan Howe, coloured by Alice RL, lettered by Nickolej Villiger

Little Moons may be another story of another missing or murdered Indigenous woman but it's not just another story. Jen Storm, an Ojibwe writer from Couchiching First Nation, has put her own experiences with a loved one who went missing and was later found dead into her story. She witnessed the range of expressions of grief and guilt and coping that family and friends showed. Most just do their best with what they have available and with what is familiar. Running away, looking for answers, insulating from others, these are just some ways, and Jen Storm does not judge. She just shows what it can be like. But she always shows that there is solace in spirituality and in traditions. Theo, based on Jen Storm's own son, is reassured when he connects with Chelsea who approaches him via his toys and the orbs that he sees. Reena buries medicine pouches, burning her cut braid in the sacred fire, and more. We all know there is no one way to grieve but it all changes when it is a missing and then presumed murdered Indigenous woman. Connecting with their sacred traditions and each other worked for this family.

From Little Moons, written by Jen Storm, illustrated by Ryan Howe, coloured by Alice RL, lettered by Nickolej Villiger

A lot of talent went into the creation of the graphics for Jen Storm's story. Saskatoon's Ryan Howe has created people and places that reflect the reserve on which this family resides, as well as the city to which Andrea moves. He gives us a family of a wise elder, a young and playful child, a forlorn Reena, and a restless Andrea, as well as a present but reserved Anthony. We see a community that sits around a fire but will take to social media when needed. He's given us the traditional and the urban, and his concepts of people and place evoke both the familiar and the less familiar. Ryan Howe's artwork is brought to life by the colouring of Alice RL, a non-binary Ojibwe artist living in Winnipeg, and the lettering of comic book artist and illustrator Nickolej Villiger of Lethbridge. Without these, the book would not be the graphic novel that is both heartrending and uplifting. There is no happy ending but there is still family and traditions that bind and elevate.

We Are the Medicine (Surviving the City, Vol. 3)

Written by Tasha Spillett

Illustrated by Natasha Donovan

Coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson

HighWater Press

978-1-77492-110-4

64 pp.

Ages 12–18

August 2024

 

The Indigenous teens that Tasha Spillett introduced in the first two books in her Surviving the City series, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, are set to graduate from high school and they're thinking about their futures. But how can they look forward when the remains of 215 children are revealed at a former residential school in BC? What future is there when the injustices of the past continue to be disclosed, and discrimination and wrongs persist in new forms?

From We Are the Medicine, written by Tasha Spillett, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson

Now that Dez has accepted themself as a Two-Spirit person and is in a relationship with Kacey, and Miikwan is dating Riel, the teens are enjoying stronger connections with others and in their community. But when the unearthing of hundreds of unmarked graves of children at a former residential school makes the news, the impact on the teens, particularly Riel, is palpable. Speaking in their school's sharing circle with Elder Geraldine, they express their fears, dismay, hurts, and anger. Miikwan wants to help Riel as he lashes out, but Elder Geraldine recognizes the "We have a right to feel angry. We just have to find something to do with that energy so it doesn't harm us or anyone else." (p. 10)

From We Are the Medicine, written by Tasha Spillett, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson

With Riel trying to find a way to turn his anger into something healing, they come up with the idea of a powwow for people to gather safely–it's still a time of masking and social distancing–to honour those whose young lives were taken from them. But when Riel is drawn to a protest nearby and his Afro-Indigenous cousin Ginebig follows him, it's Ginebig who is accosted by the police, as is Riel who comes to his defense. It is there, in jail, that Riel, after dreaming of the spirits of those children from the residential school, realizes that they themselves are the medicine for healing.

From We Are the Medicine, written by Tasha Spillett, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson

Tasha Spillett takes on a lot of important social justice issues in We Are the Medicine, including residential schools, truth and reconciliation, police violence, monuments that are reminders of systemic racism, and more. It's a lot. But, just as they are issues that Indigenous people have been forced to experience historically and now, Tasha Spillett blends them authentically for these teens, who come from different places and narratives. Some are reminded of their own losses, like Riel whose brother Wayne was murdered by the police, or Dez whose beloved Granny had endured abuse at a residential school. They are understandably confused and angered and stymied by questions about why things have happened and are still happening, and how to make a difference and heal. The healing, for the past and for now, is imperative for them if they are to have a future for themselves and for others to make for themselves.

It's a new day. Let's do something good with it. (p. 15)

 

Natasha Donovan's illustrations, coloured and lettered by Scott B. Henderson, honour the characters in their diversity. Their experiences, at school, in relationships, with family and in the city, are distinct and reveal how they approach challenges and injustices. They may be different, but none are wrong. Natasha Donovan lets us see these teens in their struggles and their joys, from the harshness of police violence, told in sharp shapes and crushing colours, to the spirits who watch over the kids in muted blues. There's real darkness and sorrow in the news of the graves of residential school children and joy and colour in powwow regalia and in the gardening of medicinal plants. Natasha Donovan's art sets the mood and serves Tasha Spillett's story.

Dez and Miikwan and their friends carry heavy loads of history, family, fears, and abuse. The city has not made it easy for them. But their supports are growing, and they are finding ways to move forward, though never forgetting their pasts or that of their ancestors. Fortunately, they will heal and they will survive because the medicine comes from them.

 • • • • • • •

 

Surviving the City series

Surviving the City (2018)

From the Roots Up (2020)

We Are the Medicine (2024)