Second Story Press: New logo (sort of)

I know it's been a bit since Second Story Press changed its logo (Spring, 2025) but, in reviewing Ellis on Guard, I have noticed it for the first time on a printed book. 

Second Story Press, founded in 1988, has always been a publisher dedicated to feminist-inspired literature, and has evolved into one that upholds all themes of social justice, particularly equity, inclusion, and diversity. Some of its best known titles include Hana's Suitcase (written by Karen Levine, 2002), Stolen Words (written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard, 2017), and The Magician of Auschwitz (written by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Gillian Newland, 2014). Second Story Press is well known for their Holocaust Remembrance Series for Young Readers, their kids activism books, and Indigenous stories, including dual language books.

Hana's Suitcase (Karen Levine, 2002)

The Magician of Auschwitz (Kathy Kacer and Gillian Newland, 2014)

The Secret of the Village Fool (Rebecca Upjohn and Renée Benoit, 2012)

Stolen Words (Melanie Florence and Gabrielle Grimard, 2017)

The Case of Windy Lake (Michael Hutchinson, 2019)

The Water Walker (Joanne Robertson, 2017) 

 

 

Our Rights: How Kids are Changing the World (Janet Wilson, 2013)

Every Day is Malala Day (Rosemary McCarney and Plan International, 2014)

Shannen and the Dream for a School (Janet Wilson, 2011)

 

Last year, the co-founder and owner of Second Story Press, Margie Wolfe, a recipient of the Order of Canada, transferred ownership of Second Story Press to independent publisher Phuong Truong. But to honour Margie Wolfe's dedication and extraordinary contributions, Second Story Press created a new logo last year. Not only does it commemorate Margie Wolfe's critical role in leading Second Story Press, it plays on the same whimsy that she always showed in her eye wear choice. Congratulations to Margie Wolfe and Second Story Press on starting their new chapters.

 

Ellis on Guard

Written by Sal Sawler

Illustrated by Nandita Ratan

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-444-3

24 pp.

Ages 6–8

February 2026 

 

Ellis had so many worries that if they wrote them all down, the list would wrap around their house three times. (pg. 2) 

That single line explains a lot about how Ellis conducts themself. It's not what defines them—they are far more than their worries—but they are a child who makes a lot of decisions based on those concerns. And Ellis is worried about a lot of things, from meeting new people to catching colds, and losing their puppy Peanut. To their benefit, Ellis notices a lot, because they are always aware or worried that danger is present.

From Ellis on Guard, written by Sal Sawler, illustrated by Nandita Ratan

When Ellis sees a poster about a missing dog named Walter, their worries are intensified. They become Big Worries. Now they have to worry about a dognapper, about Peanut being taken, and where Peanut might go. So, Ellis devises a plan to catch the dognapper with a trap. But now there are more worries because they needs supplies from the Creepy Closet and the Frightening Forest, and they have to talk to the Noisy Neighbor. With some support from Peanut and their mom, Ellis creates a trap. But what Ellis finds is that there is more to discover than a dognapper. There is more beyond worries. In fact, there is goodness.

From Ellis on Guard, written by Sal Sawler, illustrated by Nandita Ratan

Sal Sawler, the Nova Scotia writer of When the Ocean Came to Town (Nimbus, 2023), seems to understand a child's worries and how they can spiral out of control to the point at which they impact activities and thought. Worries are protective. They are there to help us avoid injury, dangerous circumstances, and bad people. Whether it's our own traumas or those of our ancestor, our bodies remember. But when they misremember, seeing peril everywhere, life is negatively impacted, and this is especially concerning for children. This child obviously knows some strategies for dealing with their anxieties like making a plan, putting on imaginary armour, or asking for help, but worries can be inescapable when they overwhelm. Still Sal Sawler sensitively takes Ellis in small steps from worrisome to attentive beyond the worries. Once Ellis realizes that they can do good, they put aside the worry and step up to be the protector they envision themself to be. I think kids would gain from discussions of how Ellis changes their outlook and sets aside a worry, perhaps helping to cope with their own concerns and see the positives where they exist.

From Ellis on Guard, written by Sal Sawler, illustrated by Nandita Ratan

Nandita Ratan is a Vancouver-based artist whose digital art keeps with the playful rather than the threatening nature of worries. Even when Ellis fears monsters or a dognapper or a  Spiky Shrub, Nandita Ratan does not make it scary. Instead, she makes the child's fears simple but embedded in the realism of a dark closet or a shaded forest. She keeps most of the illustrations light and colourful, never terrifying, and thus helps to convey the message that worries can be dispelled by not catastrophizing and with a change in perspective.

 

While Ellis on Guard is not a how-to story about dealing with worries, it is a picture book that might help a few children understand their own worries. Child have worries, as do the rest of us, and some of those worries don't disappear because we will them to do so. It might be enough for children to learn that there are positive thoughts that can help prevent over-the-top worries that anticipate the worst and turn things around enough to do good and see goodness beyond the worries.

 

 • • • • • • • 

 

Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story

Written and illustrated by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn

Second Story Press

978-1772604542

70 pp.

Ages 9–12

Releases February 10, 2026 

 

Shirley, who originally came from Moose Factory, before moving with her family to the southern area of Treaty 9, on the Missinaibi River, remembers being happy. They hunted, fished, trapped, gathered food, and grew food in their garden. But when she was five, the Indian agent came, declaring that since her parents had separated, she and her siblings, which included three-year-old Billy and older sister Frances, would be going with him.  

From Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story, written by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn, illustrated by Joanne Robertson

They were taken by canoe to St. John's Indian Residential School in Chapleau. The first order of business was separating the children into different areas, and Shirley declares that "separating us was their first act of cruelty." (pg. 11) As Shirley and her little brother were too young for school, she became the companion for the minister's young daughter, and Billy was kept outside with the chickens.

From Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story, written by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn, illustrated by Joanne Robertson

When she was finally able to go to school, Shirley loved learning and felt that "being in the classroom took away some of the loneliness." (pg. 17) She saw her siblings at church and at mealtimes, but never being allowed to speak to them was difficult. 

From Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story, written by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn, illustrated by Joanne Robertson

When St. John's Residential School was condemned, the children were moved to Shingwauk Indian Residential School in Sault Ste. Marie. They were able to see their father again, who presented them with generous bags of apples and oranges—which the supervisors took to oversee—and their aunt and uncle who "filled up more than our bellies in our brief visit. They filled up our spirits with good feelings." (pg. 18)

 

At their new school, their routines were quite strict. (The inside front and back covers display "Pupils' 'Timetable,' Shingwauk Home" with times, bells and activities, from workers to work  to the marching to dormitories and the saying of grace, laid out.) And, though Shirley and her friends find ways to endure the rigorous nature of their lives—having competitions, daring each other, and grabbing moments of joy when possible—Shirley missed her family very much. Not surprising that Shirley with others attempted several escapes, though hers were not successful being children so far from home. 

From Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story, written by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn, illustrated by Joanne Robertson

The stories of residential schools are plentiful and always horrific. For children to be taken from those who loved them and to be forced to dissociate from family and their culture and heritage is heartbreaking. Shirley (Fletcher) Horn's story, as shared with Joanne Robertson (who wrote and illustrated The Water Walker, 2017), is an honest portrayal of her experiences, but still told in an age-appropriate tone. Enough stories of survivors of residential schools and of those who were victimized in those schools are plentiful and tragic. But, because Joanne Robertson and Shirley (Fletcher) Horn take Shirley's reminiscences, good and bad, and focus on her perspective on them and how she dealt with everything, what comes across most importantly is her resilience. As a child, she made herself think of other things, to delve into her learning, and to "shut off my loneliness." (pg. 30) She fought off bullies, fear, and, most of all, that loneliness. She is strong and gutsy, and she endured.

 

The images in Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story are a unique blend of photographs, many from Algoma University archives of Shingwauk Residential School Centre and from Joanne Robertson, and drawings by Joanne Robertson. By mixing two media, she helps us focus on Shirley and the other children, and less on their grim circumstances. By limiting colour to the children and any positive circumstances they appreciated like a confirmation dress, or the river banked by trees, Joanne Robertson reminds us of where the goodness is. 

 

Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story is an important addition to all compilations of middle grade stories about Indigenous children in residential schools. By telling her story, just as she did to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Shirley (Fletcher) Horn's has found a way to share for those who endured the same and for those who cannot imagine it and need to be informed. 

Memory Stones

Written by Kathy Kacer
Illustrated by Hayley Lowe
Second Story Press
978-1-77260-421-4
24 pp.
Ages 6–8
September 2025

Kathy Kacer, award-winning author of historical novels and non-fiction as well as picture books, often embeds her stories in the Holocaust. Being the daughter of Holocaust survivors, her stories reflect the courage and trauma of this genocide and its generational impact. In Memory Stones, her latest picture book, which is illustrated by Vancouver’s Hayley Lowe, Kathy Kacer again entwines multiple generations and shows how a child honours a special intergenerational relationship after her grandmother is gone.

From Memory Stones, written by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Hayley Lowe

“Sophie loved her granny more than she loved stars or books or her hamster.” With this opening line, Kathy Kacer introduces readers to the meaningful ways Sophie and her grandmother spend time together: going to the ice cream parlour, swinging on swings in the park, skipping stones in the ravine, and tending to a vegetable garden. But when her grandmother dies, Sophie is dismayed to see how the flowers she takes to the cemetery wilt and fade so quickly. Her mother tells her of the tradition of laying stones on the grave as a message to the angels that the person buried there is remembered. Sophie takes that tradition and adapts it to reflect the personal attachment she had with her granny.

From Memory Stones, written by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Hayley Lowe

For many children, the first death they may experience is that of a grandparent. If it’s a grandparent with whom they’ve had a special bond, as Sophie did with her granny, it can be especially distressing. Kathy Kacer ensures that this connection is recognized by Sophie’s mother who gives the child the opportunity to express her grief as she chooses. By guiding her while encouraging her to make it personal, Kathy Kacer has provided a template on how to help a child through their grief. While the death of a grandparent is often tied up with heartache, illustrator Hayley Lowe uses pencil, gouache and digital tools in subdued but heartfelt colours to blend the sombreness of bereavement with the memories of pleasure derived from a special relationship.

From Memory Stones, written by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Hayley Lowe

For children who will experience a loss, Memory Stones will reassure them that they can be empowered to make personal choices that may offer comfort and even uplift, whether with the placement of memory stones or with reminiscing about cherished moments.

The Warmest Blanket in the World

Written by Tamara Levine

Illustrated by Ellie Arscott

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-410-8

24 pp.

Ages 6-8

February 2025 

 

While most of us are already thinking about the warmth of spring and summer, there will be many, particularly the elderly, for whom the change of seasons will not necessarily bring that which would warm their fingers and toes. For those with poorer circulation and other health issues, particularly those associated with aging, cold feet and hands can be problematic. And young Frida wishes she could do something to help her amazing great-grandmother Ama who says she feels like she lives in a refrigerator.

From The Warmest Blanket in the World, written by Tamara Levine, illustrated by Ellie Arscott

Frida enjoys visiting her great-grandmother as much as the older woman relishes seeing the child, telling her each time, "Do you know you've made my day? You're one special kid!" Ama tells Frida stories about her life and the importance of women fighting for their rights. (Frida even attended a protest with Ama once.) They sing songs together and they snuggle under her blanket. But even that blanket doesn't keep Ama warm enough. So, Frida gets some advice from her mom, her grandmother and her aunt.

From The Warmest Blanket in the World, written by Tamara Levine, illustrated by Ellie Arscott

Frida recalls what she'd learned of muskoxen which reminds her aunt, a knitter, of a mill in Nisku, Alberta where Tanis, an Inuk woman from NWT, prepares qiviut, the wool that comes from muskoxen. This wool is said to be the warmest in the world. 

From The Warmest Blanket in the World, written by Tamara Levine, illustrated by Ellie Arscott

Frida writes Tanis and explains how much she loves her great-grandmother and how much Ama has done to make things better for girls and women. Now Frida wants to help her. The response she gets is far greater than some skeins of wool.

From The Warmest Blanket in the World, written by Tamara Levine, illustrated by Ellie Arscott

There are a lot of layers to Tamara Levine's story of The Warmest Blanket in the World. There is a sweet intergenerational relationship between Ama and Frida. There is a story of activism and doing good and supporting the rights of others, particularly women and girls. There is also a story of compassion and sharing. And there's the story of the muskoxen and how the Inuit have spun the wool of these Arctic animals into yarn and clothing. That's a lot of stories, and Ottawa's Tamara Levine weaves them all together in a story of family. This is more than a story of a blanket. It's about who needs what, who can help, and why we should help. 

Ellie Arscott, who illustrated the award-winning Night Walk, keeps the lightness of family and the warmth of a blanket and affection in her artwork, done in watercolour and ink. There is realism, when she depicts the muskoxen on the tundra and in the sepia images of suffragettes fighting for the right to vote. But there is a quaintness in the patterns of blankets and bed linens, in the calico cat and in the coziness of their homes. Ellie Arscott keeps it all bright and homey.

 

The Warmest Blanket in the World is a tender story of family and kindness. It's wrapped in qiviut and embedded with affection and humanity. It doesn't get any more warm-hearted than that.

Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment

Written by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua

Illustrated by Natalya Tariq

Second Story Press

978-1-772603651

24 pp.

Ages 4-9

February 2024

Today, February 11th, is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment, a book about a little Muslim girl who takes on a big experiment, seems like the perfect picture book to review today. 

From Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment, written by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua, illustrated by Natalya Tariq

Khadija is excited to take her parents and little brother Omar to her school to see the science fair. But this isn't a science fair where children display their projects. This is one in which professional scientists discuss their research and demonstrate experiments and do cool things. Khadija is impressed with all the scientists in their lab coats and safety goggles but wonders why not one is wearing a hijab.

From Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment, written by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua, illustrated by Natalya Tariq

At the fair, Khadija is given a boxed experiment which she is excited to try, mostly to prove that she could be a true scientist. But the family is expecting many guests for Eid, and she is told to wait. But wait she cannot. So as Amma cooks up delicious foods, Khadija heads into the bathroom armed with some ingredients, including food dye, and her Abba's favourite mug.

From Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment, written by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua, illustrated by Natalya Tariq

She follows the directions and is, at first, delighted with the foamy mixture, until it expands beyond the mug and onto the counter and onto the floor. This gaffe gives Khadija's parents an opportunity to talk to her about what it means to be a scientist, including the need for curiosity and patience, and that there is not just one way to be a scientist. In fact, they get her a little something for Eid that gets her started on her own journey to becoming one.

From Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment, written by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua, illustrated by Natalya Tariq

Authors Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua know about the curiosity that compels a child to become a scientist as this is something which they both achieved. That inquisitiveness is natural to young children. They want to learn and know and try things. I recall my own young niece and nephews who wanted to do "sparimenting" and even arranging a science-based birthday party for one. For some, that curiosity is sadly extinguished when they are led to believe that they cannot "do science" whether because of their gender, their experiences, or something else. Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua shows young readers that a little Muslim girl who wants to be a scientist can achieve that dream, because their message in Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment is all about opportunity and inclusion. 

Ottawa illustrator Natalya Tariq uses cartoon art to give brightness and innocence to Khadija's story. There's a wide-eyed wonder to the child that is infused in every illustration. From her eager acceptance of the boxed experiment to observing all the different scientists at the fair and to her delight at a very special gift for a budding scientist. Natalya Tariq makes us see Khadija's wonder and interest in science, but also her heritage and her family, and, like the text, reminds us that the two are wholly compatible.

On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment supports Khadija in her ambition to become a scientist, starting with an experiment that any child can undertake (check online for instructions). This can only inspire all children to follow their dreams, whether into science or into the arts.

Naaahsa is an Artist!

Written and illustrated by Hali Heavy Shield

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-346-0

24 pp.

Ages 6-8

October 2023 

 

Hali Heavy Shield's story, the winner of the Second Story Press Indigenous Writing Contest, is a special one for the depth of the child-grandmother relationship, but it is given life, colour, and texture through the author-illustrator's artwork.

From Naaahsa is an Artist!, written and illustrated by Hali Heavy Shield

A child recalls spending time with her grandmother, whom she calls Naaahsa, an artist. Naaahsa doesn't just babysit her grandchild. She opens doors for creativity and connection to culture, always encouraging the child to try her best. They bead together, sing together, draw together, cook, and paint, and more. They take walks to inspire them, with Naaahsa telling stories in Blackfoot, especially meaningful for her as she had been prohibited from using her language when forced into residential school. Now Naaahsa makes art to help her feel better.

From Naaahsa is an Artist!, written and illustrated by Hali Heavy Shield

Her art is healing but it extends beyond herself, earning her accolades and a show at the National Gallery. She shares that experience with her grandchild, the two travelling by plane to Ottawa. The child hears the praise for Naaahsa, proud of her accomplishments and the recognition she deserves, but it's the little things like her hugs and her inspiration that mean all the world to this child.

Hali Heavy Shield is a member of the Blood Tribe of Southern Alberta and the daughter of an acclaimed sculptor and installation artist. Perhaps Hali Heavy Shield took seeds of her story from life with her mother or a grandmother or someone else but what parts of Naaahsa is an Artist! are true or imagined is irrelevant. (We never see the grandmother's artwork.) What is important is the connection the child has with her Naaahsa that inspires her to do her art, and perhaps fuels the author-illustrator in her own artwork.  Naaahsa was able to use her art to heal and live beyond the tragic circumstances of the residential school experiences, and find work and joy in her art, while imparting those important lessons onto her grandchild.

Art is a language everyone understands.

From Naaahsa is an Artist!, written and illustrated by Hali Heavy Shield

Hali Heavy Shield is a multidisciplinary artist who has used digital media here to evoke both the simplicity and the intricacy of this grandmother-grandchild relationship. Their togetherness may be set on a grassy lawn or against the important Chief Mountain, in a kitchen or in a hotel room, but those landscapes are austere to keep the emphasis on the two as they paint, or walk, cook, or travel. The economy of Hali Heavy Shield's art helps us see the patterns in the child's dresses, the love in their eyes, and the enormity of the world beyond them. They are in their own bubble of love and art. They are, in fact, both artists who create with the inspiration of the other and more.

 

There is more than a story here. There is storytelling. But it goes beyond words and is firmly planted in the artwork of Hali Heavy Shield. There is a new voice and artistry with Hali Heavy Shield's debut picture book and I look forward to seeing more of it,

• • • • • • •

 

The dual-language (Blackfoot and English) edition, translated by Norma Jean Russell and Faye Heavy Shield, is also available as Naaahsa Aisinaki! / Naaahsa is an Artist!

Everyone is Welcome

Written by Phuong Truong

Illustrated by Christine Wei

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-343-9

24 pp.

Ages 6-8

September 2023

The rise in hate messaging on social media and around the world, particularly against Asian community members during the pandemic, has been concerning and disheartening. Racism and prejudice against those who are seen as different–aren't we all different and unique?–is reprehensible and sadly growing. Phuong Truong and Christine Wei's picture book Everyone is Welcome speaks specifically to anti-Asian violence and how a child might be impacted by it. 

From Everyone is Welcome, written by Phuong Truong, illus. by Christine Wei

The eight-year-old narrator of Everyone is Welcome loves going to the Asian market with her family though she wishes that she were old enough to go alone to the corner store like her mother did when she was younger. Though it was a different time, when children could play on the street and go to the local store without supervision, her mother recalls being taunted for her Asian heritage with ethnic slurs and offensive gestures. Now the child hears of her grandmother's friend Mrs. Lee being pushed into the street and her brother tells her that some kids don't feel safe walking to school without support because of being targeted for being Asian. 

From Everyone is Welcome, written by Phuong Truong, illus. by Christine Wei

And then the child learns that a classmate is no longer allowed to play with her.

His dad told him that everything bad that's happened in the world is my fault. Mine and everyone who looks like me.

While there are no quick solutions, understanding and compassion from her mother and the opportunity to take a small step in helping go a long way.

From Everyone is Welcome, written by Phuong Truong, illus. by Christine Wei

All racism is abhorrent. Why are there those who target communities who may be different in their appearance, language, food and more and deem them less? It is hate, and it speaks more to ignorance than anything else. I'm sad to think that Toronto writer Phuong Truong and Vancouver illustrator Christine Wei and their families may have experienced such cruelties and felt unsafe. The message of Everyone is Welcome may be a simple one that we all belong. Period. It doesn't matter what we look like or where we come from or what languages we speak. The homes we make and the multiple communities to which we belong are ours and no less for being different than another. I know that much hatred percolates from fears and, for children, from familial directives but those offer no excuses. Christine Wei's dedication reminds us that there is still much work to do.

To that day we can all rewrite our fears of differences and celebrate them. – C.W.

While the premise of Everyone is Welcome–increasing violence against Asian communities–is a dark and sobering one, Phuong Truong and Christine Wei bring out the vibrancy of the child's communities at home, neighbourhood and school in their words and art. With her words, Phuong Truong shows us that there will always be compassion that will override the nastiness, and, with her art, Christine Wei brings us to the vivacity of that goodness of people.

For lessons in empathy, especially when needed to combat anti-Asian hate, Everyone is Welcome brings us to a place of both reality and promise. Hate has always been around, often just changing targets, but awareness and grace are universal, and they have and will overcome the worst when everyone is made to feel welcome.

My Art, My World

Written by Rita Winkler with Helen Winkler and Mark Winkler

Art by Rita Winkler

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-214-2

32 pp.

Ages 6-9

October 2021

 

This is not a story. This is a life. It's a life well-lived by Rita Winkler, a young woman with Down Syndrome. She lives it with colour, with activity, and with heart. And she tells her life through her art, hence My Art, My World.

From My Art, My World by Rita Winkler

Rita introduces herself through a self-portrait and then discusses the making of her art: when, where, why. She reveals her activities like taking the bus, clearly the TTC, to her job at a coffee shop, and participating in dance class and yoga. She recounts anecdotes of seeing fish in a bag, dealing with pesky telemarketers and visiting her uncle in New York City. And she always represents it in her art.

From My Art, My World by Rita Winkler

But more than just capturing a moment in time, Rita Winkler expresses herself through her artwork. She recognizes how her art changes through the seasons, and how the season makes her feel. From summer flowers and Halloween, through Remembrance Day and New Year's Eve, Rita Winkler tells us how she feels through her art which is often, though not limited to, paint.

From My Art, My World by Rita Winkler

With a boldness of intent and line, Rita Winkler invites us to meet her and enter her world, one of artistic temperament, not of disability or limitations. It's a testament to what is and not what isn't and that message of acceptance is paramount to the verve in Rita Winkler's life and My Art, My World.

Ga's / The Train

Written by Jodie Callaghan

Illustrated by Georgia Lesley

Interpreted/translated by Joe Wilmot

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-200-5

36 pp.

Ages 6-9

September 2021

With National Day for Truth and Reconciliation being recognized yesterday, there has been an important push for greater understanding about the impact of residential schools on Indigenous people. Jodie Callaghan and Georgia Lesley's book The Train, first winner of the Second Story Press Indigenous Writing Contest, was on the book list I prepared to help educators and parents address the topic of residential schools. However, with a new dual-language edition–Mi'gmaw and English–released recently, I thought it was appropriate to review this meaningful book now.

From Ga's / The Train by Jodie Callaghan, illus. by Georgia Lesley, interpreted/translated by Joe Wilmot

A young Ashley is walking home from school through fields and weed-covered train tracks along the dirt road that leads to the old train station when she is surprised to be met by her uncle. She is perplexed when, in answer to her question about what he is doing there, he claims that he is waiting for the train. They both know that the train no longer runs here, but he explains that he's sad that their people have forgotten about this place.

From Ga's / The Train by Jodie Callaghan, illus. by Georgia Lesley, interpreted/translated by Joe Wilmot

Uncle remembers when the train would come infrequently and bring supplies. Then one day, he and his three eldest siblings were sent to the train with other children from the village and taken to a school where their clothes and baskets were taken away and their hair cut off. 

We weren't allowed to speak our language. We weren't allowed to be Nnu.

From Ga's / The Train by Jodie Callaghan, illus. by Georgia Lesley, interpreted/translated by Joe Wilmot

Uncle tells his niece how that train changed everything. But, he is hopeful that things will be okay some day, as he hears and sees the joy in her and her sister's play.

"I wanted you to know where your family has come from, Ashley. So you can be proud of where you are going."

Still he comes to remember and to wait for what was lost to come back. Now, Ashley offers to wait with him.

 

As with all stories of residential school survivors, there is heartbreak. It's for the loss of lives, of language, of family, of culture. It's also a bone deep legacy. Ashley's uncle needs to revisit this scene of tragedy, hopeful that slowly it will become something different for him. And now Ashley can help him in his waiting and remembering and grief. By matching the then and now with a significant intergenerational relationship, Jodie Callaghan of Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation demonstrates the long-lasting tragedy of the residential schools while suggesting that healing will come from younger generations. They are still impacted by what their elders experienced but they want to help in going forward, as they can. Jodie Callaghan's text is both rooted in the past and the future, much like a train moving from there to here, and is both anguished and expectant. The tragedy is acknowledged and healing awaited.

From Ga's / The Train by Jodie Callaghan, illus. by Georgia Lesley, interpreted/translated by Joe Wilmot

Georgia Lesley's artwork similarly depicts the contrast of the then and now, differentiating between the starkness and dullness of a wretched past in a residential school with the brightness and promise of a niece's company in a lively meadow in sunshine. Georgia Lesley's paintings have an organic feel to them, very much a grass-roots atmosphere, reflecting Uncle's candour and Ashley's readiness to learn and help.

In Ga's / The Train's powerful preface, it is revealed that Joe Wilmot, also of Listuguj First Nation, interpreted/translated The Train into Mi'gmaw in response to his own mother's loss of language with her subjection to residential school. He hoped "that this book will be a reminder of all that was left behind at the residential school." Sadly there was far too much left behind. Still, the telling of these stories helps bring them from the shadows into the light of now, offering opportunities for better.

Govern Like a Girl: The Women Who Became Canada's First Ministers

Written by Kate Graham

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-210-4

112 pp.

Ages 9-12

August 2021

Any book that focuses on the accomplishments of women in Canada needs to be applauded. There are already more than several that have highlighted women athletes, scientists and pioneers among others and several that celebrate individual achievements. But Govern Like a Girl is a bit different in that it honours political leaders who have reached premier or prime minister status in our country. Thirteen women across the provinces and territories have been recognized for their leadership and, while not every province is represented, Govern Like a Girl shows us the promise for greater equity in reaching influential government positions in Canada.

From Govern Like a Girl: The Women Who Became Canada's First Ministers by Kate Graham

After a brief introduction about government and voting, and the need for diversity at all levels of government but the paucity of women throughout, Kate Graham highlights thirteen incredible women who were able to rise to the top jobs in our governments. The women selected for this book are: 

• Premier Eva Aariak (NU);
• Premier Catherine Callbeck (PE);
• Premier Christy Clark (BC);
• Premier Caroline Cochrane (NT);
• Premier Nellie Cournoyea (NT);
• Premier Pat Duncan (YT);
• Premier Kathy Dunderdale (NL);
•  Premier Rita Johnston (BC);
• Premier Pauline Marois (QC);
• Premier Rachel Notley (AB);
• Premier Alison Redford (AB);
• Premier Kathleen Wynne (ON); and
  
• Prime Minister Kim Campbell.
  

For each leader, Kate Graham provides details about their personal life, including place of birth, parents and schooling, their employment history and their motivations for entering politics. Whether their trajectories for leadership began with careful steps up the ladder as school trustees or committee chairs, community involvement or advocacy, these women all chose to enter politics to enact change and to work for the people of their province or territory. In addition, the details of their elections and their defeats are recorded as is the work they were able to accomplish. But along with each exposé, Kate Graham gives readers a personal look at women who saw the opportunities lost to their female ancestors, or who endured discrimination because of the limitations some placed on their gender, and who were still able to move forward for change.

From Govern Like a Girl: The Women Who Became Canada's First Ministers by Kate Graham

Every story is different yet the same. They had support and they had opposition. They struggled to be seen as leaders and be effective fighters for their communities and counter those who perceived women as limited by their gender. But how their stories played out are all different. It's evident that there is not just one route to leadership, with many rocky and some longer than others. What matters most is the action.

These women have lots to say and I could quote each one, as Kate Graham does, to highlight their perspectives, from Catherine Callbeck who said that "the strength of a society rests on the willingness and ability of its citizens to share in the decisions which affect it" (pg. 14) to Nellie Cournoyea who spoke of "an evolutionary need to do something about something" (pg. 32) and Christy Clark who addressed opportunities by saying that,

"My view of life is that opportunities are raining down around us all the time. Some people have fewer opportunities , as their circumstances haven't put them in a particularly rainy spot–but, opportunities are always there. Look around, figure out what opportunities are there, and choose which ones to grab." (pg. 22)

With each, Kate Graham has given young readers role models of civic duty and reinforced the idea that governing like a girl is a compliment. 

The Case of the Burgled Bundle (A Mighty Muskrats Mystery, Book 3)

Written by Michael Hutchinson

Second Story Press

978-1-77260-166-4

208 pp.

Ages 9-12

April 2021

The four cousins from the Windy Lake First Nations, who were first introduced in The Case of Windy Lake which was Michael Hutchinson's award-winning entry in Second Story Press's 2018 Indigenous Writing Contest, are back to solve a mystery at the National Assembly of Cree Peoples.

The week-long event begins with the handover ceremony during which the kids' grandfather, the head of the Windy Lake Elders Committee, receives the pipe from the Elder from last year's host, Butterfly Narrows. But this auspicious event does not go to plan when the ceremony is held under cover of Butterfly Narrows's teepee, excluding the majority of event participants, and Grandpa makes a joke that annoys their Elder Eugene Lone Man. 

The lands of Butterfly Narrows have taught them to hold tightly to what they have, to protect what they haven't yet lost. (pg. 19)

Grandpa is ever respectful and circumspect about this slight and invites Elder Leon Shining Deer and Mrs. Shining Deer a.k.a Aunt Dee as Bundle Holders to share the bundle for Treaty 12 and the stories that are linked with it in hopes of easing tensions. Following the protocols associated with the bundle, Elder Leon conducts a welcoming ceremony to which all are welcome. But, though the bundle is guarded all night long in the Butterfly Narrows teepee, it disappears. Worried that his own misstep of toppling the Elders' pipes accidentally during the meal may have damaged the ceremony, Otter and his three cousins, Chickadee and brothers Atim and Samuel, help their Uncle Levi of the RCMP to investigate.

Though The Case of the Burgled Bundle is a great middle-grade mystery with a host of suspects and red herrings to confuse the young investigators, it's the lessons about treaties, treaty bundles, ceremony and customs that gives the story its unique perspective and opportunities for learning. Michael Hutchinson, a member of the Misipawistik Cree Nation, has not just told a story about a stolen item. He has taken us to an assembly of Cree Nations, each different in their histories, their needs and their expectations.

"Grandpa says, you are the land you live on. And the Cree people are spread across some pretty different landscapes." (pg. 8)

There is an appreciation for the differences between First Nations and the treaties they made (Treaty 12 is a fictional treaty), including how they were made and the responsibilities involved with them. Though the components of the bundle are never revealed in detail, its presentation provides the memories of its creation and the importance of guarding it and the stories for all time. With that and a culprit not easily deduced by the reader–the Mighty Muskrats are far more savvy than this reader–The Case of the Burgled Bundle has given us a whodunit rich in relevant Indigenous lessons of history, culture and people.

• • • • • • •

 

The Mighty Muskrats Mystery Series

The Case of Windy Lake (2019)

The Case of the Missing Auntie (2020)

The Case of the Burgled Bundle (2021)