Indigenous People's Day

June 21, 2022

June is National Indigenous History Month, and June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, established to recognize and celebrate the cultures, contributions, history, and futures of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. We feel honoured to have been involved with the publishing of several books by and about Indigenous people over the years. We have learned so much from the authors and their stories, which is one of the best parts of being in the book industry. So, we would like to invite you to learn from these stories too! The list below includes some of our recently published Indigenous books, including our first bilingual children’s book.

These titles are available online or through your local bookstore. In honour of National Indigenous History Month, why not check out some Indigenous-owned bookstores in Canada:

Iron Dog Books, Vancouver, BC
Massy Books, Vancouver, BC
Good Minds, Brandford, Ontario
Strong Nations, Nanaimo, British Columbia

Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian Residential Schools—Commemorative Edition By Theodore Niizhotay Fontaine $24.95 CAD A new commemorative edition of Theodore Fontaine’s powerful, groundbreaking memoir of survival and healing after years of residential school abuse.

Out of Concealment: Female Supernatural Beings of Haida Gwaii By Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson $29.95 CAD A stunning collection of powerful and whimsical photo collages celebrating supernatural female beings rooted in Haida culture.

Sonny Assu: A Selective History By Sonny Assu $34.95 CAD A stunning retrospective highlighting the playfulness, power, and subversive spirit of Northwest Coast Indigenous artist Sonny Assu.

kā-āciwīkicik / The Move By Doris George, Don K. Philpot Illustrated by: Alyssa Koski $22.95 CAD A magical children’s picture book, written in Cree and English, depicting the transformation of a barren landscape into a rich natural world where an elderly couple can spend their remaining days.

Little Wolf By Teoni Spathelfer Illustrated by: Natassia Davies $19.95 CAD E-Book Price: $9.99 CAD A young Indigenous girl moves to the big city and learns to find connections to her culture and the land wherever she goes, despite encountering bullies and feelings of isolation along the way.

White Raven By Teoni Spathelfer Illustrated by: Natassia Davies $19.95 CAD E-Book Price: $9.99 CAD FINALIST, 2022 INDIGENOUS VOICES AWARDS Little Wolf, grown up with children of her own, moves to the country where her mother, White Raven, shares a sad story from her childhood.

Abalone Woman By Teoni Spathelfer Illustrated by: Natassia Davies $19.95 CAD E-Book Price: $9.99 CAD A vivid dream teaches Little Wolf about courage and acceptance of those who are different, and inspires her to show her daughters and their classmates how to be proud of their diverse cultural backgrounds.

Aggie and Mudgy: The Journey of Two Kaska Dena Children By Wendy Proverbs $14.95 CAD E-Book Price: $7.99 CAD WINNER, 2022 JEANNE CLARKE REGIONAL HISTORY AWARD Based on the true story of the author’s biological mother and aunt, this middle-grade novel traces the long and frightening journey of two Kaska Dena sisters as they are taken from their home to attend residential school.

Journal of a Travelling Girl By Nadine Neema Illustrated by Archie Beaverho Foreword by: Joseph Judas $12.95 CAD E-Book Price: $8.99 CAD FINALIST, 2021 CCBC JEAN LITTLE FIRST-NOVEL AWARD FINALIST, 2021 CCBC GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE This fictional coming-of-age story traces a young girl’s reluctant journey by canoe through the ancestral lands of the Tłı̨chǫ People, as she gradually comes to understand and appreciate their culture and the significance of their fight for self-government.

Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii By Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, Sara Florence Davidson $22.95 CAD Based on ancient Haida narratives, this vibrantly illustrated children’s book empowers young people and teaches them to live in harmony with nature.

Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii Colouring and Activity Book By Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, Sara Florence Davidson, Paula Varnell Illustrated by: Alyssa Koski, Judy Hilgemann $16.95 CAD Featuring beautiful images of ten Haida Supernatural Beings, this colouring and activity book introduces children to ancient narratives that promote living in harmony with the natural world.

Medicine Unbundled: A Journey through the Minefields of Indigenous Health Care By Gary Geddes $22.95 CAD E-Book Price: $17.99 CAD A shocking exposé of the dark history and legacy of segregated Indigenous health care in Canada.

Joseph William McKay: A Métis Business Leader in Colonial British Columbia By Greg N. Fraser $22.95 CAD E-Book Price: $12.99 CAD FINALIST, 2021 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR’S MEDAL FOR HISTORICAL WRITING An intriguing look at the accomplishments and contradictions of Joseph William McKay, best known as the founder of Nanaimo, BC, and one of the most successful Métis men to rise through the ranks of the Hudson’s Bay Company in the late nineteenth century.