Janine Gibbons

This book is absolutely gorgeous and full of important stories for all children to know about. It's a huge book, almost 11 inches tall and 1 foot wide. The bold color artwork done with acrylic paint on poster paper by Janine Gibbons is stunning. It's such a relief to see gorgeous real art like this when so many people now are trying to use AI "art". The size of the book makes it perfect for read alouds in the classroom since it's very easy for all the children to see.

Younger children will show more be very drawn to the art and the rhyming text. The author, Wab Kinew, does a beautiful job with effortless rhymes that still manage to share so much important information. I love the diversity in the heroes and heroines shared: women, men and even two spirit people like Pine Leaf. Pine Leaf's story is especially inspiring with their work as chief, warrior and marriages to their wives.

This is a book that is sorely needed right now. This is a time when those in power are fighting to suppress and erase the stories of women, people of color, indigenous people and two-spirit or LGBTQ+ people. This book is a wonderful addition to any home or classroom. It's a beautiful way for children to see unity in diversity with all the ways human beings can manifest in this world to do good.

Thank you to all who made this book possible! show less

When Nanasimgit catches an otter in this picture-book retelling of a traditional Haida tale, he neglects to give thanks to the otter for giving its life. Shortly thereafter his wife, Ḵ'uljáad, is taken by killer whales, who bring her to their house under the ocean. Setting out in pursuit, Nanasimgit is aided by Swallow and Marten above water, and by the geese, heron and woodcutter he helps, underwater. Eventually he escapes with Ḵ'uljáad, and the pair head for land, pursued by the show more killer whales...

The Woman Carried Away by Killer Whales: A Haida Story is the first book I have read that is illustrated by talented Haida artist Janine Gibbons, but I hope it will not be my last. The story itself, which is not credited on the title page, appears to be a children's adaptation of a longer, more adult story taken from the oral tradition. Two names - Cika Sparck and Benjamin Young - are listed on the colophon as "contributors," so perhaps it is they who wrote this one. In any case, the story is engaging, and seems to present two main ideas - that it is unwise to take from nature without showing the proper respect and gratitude, and that kindness to others will be rewarded in times of need - both of which strike me as valuable lessons to learn. The artwork is beautiful, done in a very distinctive folk style that I found mesmerizing. Some of the scenes had the look almost of stained glass, both in terms of the kind of segmented, almost panel-like structure that they had, and in the way that light seemed to be shining through them. This is the third children's book I have read from the Juneau-based Sealaska Heritage Institute, a Native non-profit intended to highlight and promote the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of southeast coastal Alaska, and I hope to track down more. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts, and to picture-book readers looking for titles with a Native Alaskan/Haidi cultural background. show less

Well-deserved recognition for some famous Indigenous champions of past and present. The thumbnail poems on each page were a little too brief in my opinion, and heroes would have been served better if the short biographies at the end had been used instead. The title is a motif throughout the text, reminding readers of the book’s objectives. Illustrations by Janine Gibbons are absolutely fabulous.

The author is the 25th premier of Manitoba, and Canada’s first provincial premier of First show more Nations descent. He has accomplished so much in public service that I heartily nominate him as one of our Indigenous heroes. show less

Bold artwork floods each page of "We Are Who We Are". Reading the book aloud can lead to a conversation about Indigenous people, past and present. Too often they are forgotten figures who were never highlighted for contributions they made during their lifetime. Although we cannot erase what was done to them, we can give them their due by teaching future generations about their importance. The phrase "we are who we are" is repeated as a refrain to the person's life done in a poetic style. At show more the back of the book, each Indigenous hero is summarized. Every library should have a copy. show less