Coronavirus has made I Love to Read Month a bit more difficult in schools, but that doesn’t mean authors can’t share their books with students.
Four Manitoba authors have graciously shared their books with Global News and have read their story on video so we can share them with you. See all four below:
Tamika Reid reads Sweet Without Sugar
About Tamika Reid: Reid is an inclusion and diversity advocate, and a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Cultural Studies at the University of Winnipeg. Her academic interests focus on improving the representation of intersectional identities in media and literature.
About “Sweet Without Sugar”: Sofie’s best friend is her stuffed kitty cat, Sugar. Sugar helps Sofie feel comfortable during the day because she has autism. When a series of bad events causes Sugar to get damaged, Sofie has to spend the day trying new things. Eventually, Sofie discovers that she can have a ‘sweet’ day without her stuffed kitty Sugar.
David Robertson reads When We Were Alone
David A. Robertson is the author of numerous books for young readers including “When We Were Alone” which won the 2017 Governor General’s Literary Award and was nominated for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. Strangers, the first book in his Reckoner trilogy, a young adult supernatural mystery, won the 2018 Michael Van Rooy Award for Genre Fiction (Manitoba Book Awards), and Monsters, its sequel, won the McNally Robinson Best Book for Young People. His memoir, Black Water: family, legacy, and blood memory, and his middle-grade fantasy, The Barren Grounds, came out in fall 2020. A sought-after speaker and educator, Dave is a member of the Norway House Cree Nation and currently lives in Winnipeg.
Pronunciations for When We Were Alone
About: When We Were Alone
When a young girl helps tend to her grandmother’s garden, she begins to notice things about her grandmother that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long braided hair and wear beautifully coloured clothing? Why does she speak another language and spend so much time with her family? As she asks her grandmother about these things, she is told about life in a residential school a long time ago, where everything was taken away. “When We Were Alone” is a story about a difficult time in history and, ultimately, a story of empowerment and strength.
Jessie Thiessen reads A is for Alphabet
Inspired by the beauty of nature and everyday adventures, Small Jane (Jessie Thiessen)’s flagship product is a hand-illustrated children’s book, exploring the alphabet with colourful characters and beautiful artwork, written for parents who want to watch their children experience the wonder of the world.
Small Jane’s goal is to create a little bit of happiness for kids on the daily, giving back to our community by growing children’s imaginations — because learning should be fun
About: A is for Alphabet
Frolic with Francis the fox, make muffins with Margot and the monkey, and rock and roll with Randy and the rattlesnake. Hand-illustrated, digitally composited, and 100 per cent Canadian made, this 64-page illustrated kids book is the perfect gift for playful parent-child reading.
Brett Huson reads The Eagle Mother
Hetxw’ms Gyetxw, also known as Brett D. Huson (he/him/his), is from the Gitxsan Nation of the Northwest Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Growing up in this strong matrilineal society, Brett developed a passion for the culture, land, and politics of his people, and a desire to share their knowledge and stories. Brett has worked in the film and television industry for over 13 years and is also a volunteer board member for such organizations as Ka Ni Kanichihk and sakihiwe Festival. The award winning series Mothers of Xsan is Brett’s first series of books and part of a larger vision he has in sharing the worlds of the Gitxsan Nation.
As Brett continues creating new art and working on new books, he is also working with the Prairie Climate Centre at the University of Winnipeg to connect science and Indigenous Knowledges. With the support of his wife Jeri and their children Warren and Ruby, Brett endeavours to continue sharing stories with his writing, artwork and photography.
About: The Eagle Mother
Return to the valleys of the River of Mists with award-winning author Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson). Nox xsgyaak, the eagle mother, cares for her brood in the embrace of a black cottonwood with the help of her mate. Will both eaglets survive the summer in an environment that is both delicate and unforgiving?
Learn about the life cycle of these stunning birds of prey, the traditions of the Gitxsan, and how bald eagles can enrich their entire ecosystem. Evocative illustration brings the Xsan’s flora and fauna to life for middle years readers in book three of the Mothers of Xsan series.
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