ninitohtênân / We Listen (Nôhkom series)

Written by Caitlin Dale Nicholson with Leona Morin-Neilson

Illustrated by Caitlin Dale Nicholson

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-859-6

24 pp.

Ages 3+

April 2024 

Caitlin Dale Nicholson's Nôhkom series honours the Cree grandmothers and elders who share their wisdom, their traditions, and their learning with younger generations. In ninitohtênân / We Listen, Caitlin Dale Nicholson, with translation by Leona Morin-Neilson, a teacher of Cree in BC, reflects on an outing with nôhkom during which the younger people watch and listen and learn.

From ninitohtênân / We Listen, written by Caitlin Dale Nicholson with Leona Morin-Neilson, illustrated by Caitlin Dale Nicholson

There are few words in ninitohtênân / We Listen, though each phrase is told in both standard roman orthography and syllabic Cree, as well as English. The phrases are simple, taking us from "Nôhkom gets ready" and "We get ready"–phrases are paired to reflect what nôhkom does and then what the young people do–to a day out with a picnic and collecting the plant called Labrador Tea. It's a day of following and learning.

From ninitohtênân / We Listen, written by Caitlin Dale Nicholson with Leona Morin-Neilson, illustrated by Caitlin Dale Nicholson

Even though the young people occasionally deviate from what nôhkom does, like playing in the water when their elders rest, the girls usually follow her lead, recognizing the value in her way of doing things. In that way, ninitohtênân / We Listen is very much a tribute to nôhkom and what she imparts to them in her traditional ways.

From ninitohtênân / We Listen, written by Caitlin Dale Nicholson with Leona Morin-Neilson, illustrated by Caitlin Dale Nicholson

The Nôhkom series from Caitlin Dale Nicholson is extraordinary in the depth of its esteem  for the contributions made by elders to younger generations, and the respect afforded them by their sharing of those traditions. As in the earlier books, nipêhon / I Wait and niwîcihâw / I Help, the text is minimal but powerful, even more so for the Cree in both standard roman orthography and syllabic forms. But, it is always Caitlin Dale Nicholson's artwork, acrylics on canvas, that ground the story in family, traditional customs, intergenerational relationships, and Indigenous culture. The family of multiple generations gathers for simple pleasures, but they are profound in their connections with each other and with the natural world as well as their Cree culture. (Recipes for tea and ointment made from the plant Labrador Tea are included.)

 

For young readers, ninitohtênân / We Listen allows us the privilege of a glimpse into a very special relationship and witness the learning that comes from that positive connection. It may not be dramatic or thundering but it is mighty, if you listen.

• • • • • • •

Nôhkom series

nipêhon / I Wait  (2008/2017)

niwîcihâw / I Help (2018)

ninitohtênân / We Listen

Teddy Bear of the Year

Written by Vikki VanSickle

Illustrated by Sydney Hanson

Tundra Books

978-0-73526-392-5

40 pp.

Ages 3-7

January 2020

If you're trying to stay sane and safe indoors with your little ones, consider reading Vikki VanSickle's latest picture book and partaking in a few of Tundra's activities with your children's own hard-working teddy bears.

From Teddy Bear of the Year by Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Sydney Hanson

Ollie is Amena's teddy bear and he loves his job and being on call weekends and weekdays from 3 p.m. until after breakfast the next day. One night, a shining silver sailboat appears outside the window while Amena sleeps, and a grizzled old teddy bear named Snuggles a.k.a. The Snug invites Ollie to the Teddy Bears' Picnic, an annual event to celebrate the year in teddy-care.

From Teddy Bear of the Year by Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Sydney Hanson

With attention to his ABCs (Always Be Cuddling), Ollie gives Amena a hug and travels through the sky deep into the woods where teddy bears of all shapes and sizes enjoy treats, competition and some bearaoke. Then the awards are given out for exceptional teddy-care. From Boo Bear and Fang, to The Snug, teddy-bears are singled out for their dedication, nobility, and devotion. Certain he was just an ordinary bear, Ollie does not expect to receive one of the shiny stars. But he learns that

Even the smallest actions–a cuddle, a kind word, a hug–have great impact.

and is awarded Teddy Bear of the Year.

From Teddy Bear of the Year by Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Sydney Hanson

In these tenuous times, when we are all feeling a little anxious and need of some TLC, whether from others or ourselves, Teddy Bear of the Year reminds us that small efforts pay off in big rewards. And for children, the attention given to and accepted from any stuffie can mean the world between distress and comfort. Vikki VanSickle balances a message about these life-saving creatures in children's lives with the charm of their personalities and individual morphologies. She recognizes that Amena and Ollie are everything to each other and that surely deserves recognition.

Sydney Hanson, a new illustrator for me, knows what teddy bears mean to all. Her bears are snuggly and cuddly and diverse in their shapes and colours and attire. (I've checked out her portfolio at https://www.shannonassociates.com/sydneyhanson and she can even make scary creatures like ghosts and dragons look soft and caressible.) The art in Teddy Bear of the Year was created with coloured pencils and finished digitally, giving it both an intimate and a polished appearance that will draw young readers to grab their own teddy bears to see if they are depicted within.

Time to have your own teddy bear picnic and give out a few awards for perseverance, resilience and compassion while offering and taking a cuddle or two to make everything feel like it's going to be alright.

From Teddy Bear of the Year by Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Sydney Hanson

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The free activity kit from Tundra Books (an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada) is available here.  They also have activities for other books available on their website.