Richard Van Camp
Author of Little You
About the Author
Image credit: Photo credit William Au. Photo source: https://richardvancamp.com/about-2/
Series
Works by Richard Van Camp
Gather: Richard Van Camp on the Joy of Storytelling (Writers on Writing, 3) (2021) 32 copies, 1 review
When We Play Our Drums, They Sing! 7 copies
Path of the Warrior 6 copies
Our Ever Awesome NWT Brushing Song! 2 copies
Kiss me deadly 2 copies
Godazhinéh (Spirit) 1 copy
Wecome Song for Baby 1 copy
Kiss by Kiss 1 copy
Associated Works
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology (2023) — Contributor — 1,551 copies, 23 reviews
Indigenous Men and Masculinities: Legacies, Identities, Regeneration (2015) — Contributor — 45 copies, 1 review
A Steady Brightness of Being: Truths, Wisdom, and Love from Celebrated Indigenous Voices (2025) — Contributor — 29 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1971-09-08
- Gender
- male
- Short biography
- He is a graduate of the En'owkin International School of Writing, the University of Victoria's Creative Writing BFA Program, and the Master's Degree in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.
He is an internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author. His novel, The Lesser Blessed, is now a movie with First Generation Films and premiered in September of 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival. He is the author of five collections of short stories, six baby books, three children's books, five comics and much more. - Nationality
- Canada
First Nations / Dogrib Nation - Birthplace
- Fort Smith, NWT
- Map Location
- Canada
Members
Reviews
Caught in the act of tormenting a raven, brothers Toby and Chris are confronted by one very large, angry man, who demands to know where they live and who their parents are. Taking this accuser home with them, the brothers are made to listen to his story about another individual, long ago, who was cruel to ravens. This man, who imagined he had no friends, and who therefore offered his friendship to no one, was eventually transformed into a raven himself, only then discovering that he had a show more place among his people. It was then, in raven form, that this Raven Man decided he could help the people, guiding them through dangerous situations, and occasionally assuming his human shape again, when most needed. Ashamed now of their behavior, the boys escort their guest to the door, realizing as he departs in a rush of wings that they had been entertaining the Raven Man himself as a guest...
Dogrib author Richard Van Camp and Plains Cree illustrator George Littlechild, who subsequently collaborated on What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?, made their debut as a team here, in A Man Called Raven. A powerful and moving book, one which pairs a perceptive and thought-provoking tale with gorgeously colorful folk-art illustrations, it addresses a number of important themes, from the correct way for humans to interact with animals, to the importance of community to both human and animal welfare. There are clear parallels between the story of Raven Man and that of the two boys. Both are isolated from their culture and community - the former by his own belief that he is unwanted, the latter by the fact (as stated in the narrative) that their family circumstances have kept them from living on the land, as their people would have traditionally done. It is only through reconnecting with their community, by realizing that they have a place, and a worth, that they are led to stop their destructive and cruel behavior. I thought that this was an interesting and ultimately true formulation, even for people who do not belong to a traditional culture. After all, it often seems as if bullying behavior, whether the target is animal or human, arises from a deep sense of unworthiness in the bully. I appreciated that the story here addressed what is very disturbing behavior in a constructive and thoughtful way, attempting to get to the root of the problem, in the psyche of the wrongdoer, rather than offering a simple "be nice" message. Recommended to more advanced picture-book readers looking for stories about the importance of treating our animal friends humanely, and with respect, as well as to those seeking children's books with a Native American/First Nations cultural context. show less
Dogrib author Richard Van Camp and Plains Cree illustrator George Littlechild, who subsequently collaborated on What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?, made their debut as a team here, in A Man Called Raven. A powerful and moving book, one which pairs a perceptive and thought-provoking tale with gorgeously colorful folk-art illustrations, it addresses a number of important themes, from the correct way for humans to interact with animals, to the importance of community to both human and animal welfare. There are clear parallels between the story of Raven Man and that of the two boys. Both are isolated from their culture and community - the former by his own belief that he is unwanted, the latter by the fact (as stated in the narrative) that their family circumstances have kept them from living on the land, as their people would have traditionally done. It is only through reconnecting with their community, by realizing that they have a place, and a worth, that they are led to stop their destructive and cruel behavior. I thought that this was an interesting and ultimately true formulation, even for people who do not belong to a traditional culture. After all, it often seems as if bullying behavior, whether the target is animal or human, arises from a deep sense of unworthiness in the bully. I appreciated that the story here addressed what is very disturbing behavior in a constructive and thoughtful way, attempting to get to the root of the problem, in the psyche of the wrongdoer, rather than offering a simple "be nice" message. Recommended to more advanced picture-book readers looking for stories about the importance of treating our animal friends humanely, and with respect, as well as to those seeking children's books with a Native American/First Nations cultural context. show less
Dogrib author Richard Van Camp and Plains Cree illustrator George Littlechild join forces in this lovely, contemplative picture-book examination of the beauty and wonder of the horse. Acknowledging at the outset that he knows little of horses, as his own people, the Dogrib, traditionally rely upon dogs for transportation, Van Camp asks a series of family members and friends to name the most beautiful thing they know about horses. The answers - always knowing their way home, having secrets, show more having cool hair - range from the philosophical to the amusing, and reveal as much about the person speaking, as about our equine friends. The narrative here is accompanied by gorgeously colorful illustrations, done in a stylized, folk-art style that is very appealing...
Apparently What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses? is the result of a request from Richard Van Camp's publisher, that he write a book about horses. Realizing that he knows little of the subject, he sets out to discover more, asking everyone from his mother to his friend in another town for their opinions. The result is fascinating and sometimes moving, less of a factual narrative than a philosophical one, highlighting how horses are perceived as much as what they are. The title itself reminded me of Alice Walker's poem, Horses Make a Landscape Look More Beautiful, while the premise of the book brought to mind Ojibwe author Leo Yerxa's picture-book, Ancient Thunder, which also addresses the wonder of equine life, from the perspective of a native person who is, like Van Camp, from a non-horse culture. I really enjoyed this one, and plan to track down more from both author and illustrator. I'd recommend it to young horse lovers, and to picture-book readers who appreciate more contemplative selections, ones that don't necessarily have linear story-based narratives. show less
Apparently What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses? is the result of a request from Richard Van Camp's publisher, that he write a book about horses. Realizing that he knows little of the subject, he sets out to discover more, asking everyone from his mother to his friend in another town for their opinions. The result is fascinating and sometimes moving, less of a factual narrative than a philosophical one, highlighting how horses are perceived as much as what they are. The title itself reminded me of Alice Walker's poem, Horses Make a Landscape Look More Beautiful, while the premise of the book brought to mind Ojibwe author Leo Yerxa's picture-book, Ancient Thunder, which also addresses the wonder of equine life, from the perspective of a native person who is, like Van Camp, from a non-horse culture. I really enjoyed this one, and plan to track down more from both author and illustrator. I'd recommend it to young horse lovers, and to picture-book readers who appreciate more contemplative selections, ones that don't necessarily have linear story-based narratives. show less
Dogrib author Richard Van Camp made his board-book debut with this sweet title, which offers a loving welcome to newborn babies, from their parents and from the world. The simple text, which opens with a chant - "Hey ya hey / Hey ya hey / Hey ya hey / Dear one / Cherished one / Loved one / You have made the world beautiful again" - is paired with photographs of a diverse array of babies. The narrative offers, not just a song of welcome, but a song of promise, imagining the great effect that show more the newcomer will have on his family, and on the world...
I enjoyed Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns, which I think will make an engaging board book for infants. First published in 2007, it was apparently given to every baby in British Columbia as part of the 2008 "Books for BC Babies" initiative. As I mentioned in my review of Van Camp's Nighty-Night: A Bedtime Song for Babies, which was created as a follow-up to this one, babies gravitate toward photographs of other babies, something both of these titles provide. Although I do think the sing-song narrative of Nighty-Night makes it a superior book to use, when reading aloud to infants, the sentiments expressed in Welcome Song for Baby are lovely, and when paired with the attention-grabbing photographs, will no doubt keep the youngest children engaged. Recommended to readers looking for sweet and loving board books to welcome a new infant into the world. show less
I enjoyed Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns, which I think will make an engaging board book for infants. First published in 2007, it was apparently given to every baby in British Columbia as part of the 2008 "Books for BC Babies" initiative. As I mentioned in my review of Van Camp's Nighty-Night: A Bedtime Song for Babies, which was created as a follow-up to this one, babies gravitate toward photographs of other babies, something both of these titles provide. Although I do think the sing-song narrative of Nighty-Night makes it a superior book to use, when reading aloud to infants, the sentiments expressed in Welcome Song for Baby are lovely, and when paired with the attention-grabbing photographs, will no doubt keep the youngest children engaged. Recommended to readers looking for sweet and loving board books to welcome a new infant into the world. show less
"Little you / little wonder / Little wish / gentle thunder / You are mighty / you are small / You are ours / after all." So begins this poetic Canadian board book, which pairs a simple but evocative text from Dogrib author Richard Van Camp with beautifully stylized artwork from Cree-Metis illustrator Julie Flett. Words and pictures both celebrate the wonder of this child, clearly the center of his parents' world...
Having enjoyed other books from both Van Camp and Flett, I approached Little show more You with every expectation of enjoying it, and I was not disappointed. The text works very well as a read-aloud, something that is particularly desirable in a board book such as this, aimed at very young children, and the illustrations are lovely - simple and stylized, but also expressive - working very well in conjunction with the text. Recommended to those in the market for a celebratory board book featuring rhyming text and gorgeous artwork, as well as to those seeking children's books created by Native/First Nations authors and artists. show less
Having enjoyed other books from both Van Camp and Flett, I approached Little show more You with every expectation of enjoying it, and I was not disappointed. The text works very well as a read-aloud, something that is particularly desirable in a board book such as this, aimed at very young children, and the illustrations are lovely - simple and stylized, but also expressive - working very well in conjunction with the text. Recommended to those in the market for a celebratory board book featuring rhyming text and gorgeous artwork, as well as to those seeking children's books created by Native/First Nations authors and artists. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 34
- Also by
- 22
- Members
- 1,547
- Popularity
- #16,645
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 67
- ISBNs
- 140
- Languages
- 6