National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

by | Sep 27, 2024 | Collection Materials, Exeter Branch, Goderich branch, Online Resources

The Huron County Library marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30 to honour the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. The library encourages the community to join us in learning more about the experiences of the children, families and communities impacted by Canada’s residential schools, which is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

To support this learning, we’re highlighting events and valuable resources from our collection below:

 

In-branch:

  • Drop into any Huron County Library branch on Sept. 30 to pick up an Every Child Matters button to show your support. Staff will also be honouring Orange Shirt Day by wearing orange.

Events:

  • Special Storytime Trail with Indigenous Author Kristi White: Join us Wednesday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m., at the MacNaughton Park Pavilion in Exeter for storytelling, songs and a SURPRISE with Indigenous author Kristi White to launch her book series The Adventures of Jay and Gizmo on the MacNaughton-Morrison Storytime Trail! The story will be available on the trail until the end of October.
  • Art & Symbols: Painting Turtle Island: Join us Saturday, Oct. 5, 1 p.m., for an enriching cultural experience at the Goderich Branch as we welcome renowned Ojibway artist Red George of Red Dog Art Studios. Participants will have the unique opportunity to explore the cultural and spiritual meanings behind Indigenous symbols in art and their significance in storytelling and tradition. Afterwards, participants of all ages will have the opportunity to create their own painting of the turtle, representing Turtle Island, a name used by some Indigenous peoples for Earth, or North and Central America. Registration required: Please contact the Goderich Branch by email goderichlibrary@huroncounty.ca or by phone 519-524-9261 to register.
  • Thanks to everyone who joined us in Seaforth on Sept. 26 for a First Nations Beading Workshop and in Exeter on Sept. 19 for Storytelling and First Nations crafting for kids.

Read:

  • First Nation Communities Read celebrates the very best of Indigenous literature across Turtle Island. The program encourages family literacy, intergenerational storytelling as well as intergenerational knowledge transmission. FNCR also helps to increase awareness of the importance of First Nation, Metis and Inuit writing, illustration and publishing. Explore our collection through our online catalogue.

Watch:

Learn:

  • Cherokee is the language of North America’s Cherokee people. It is one of the healthiest Indigenous languages of North America with an extensive library of literature and a significant community of native speakers. Visit Mango Languages to start learning the language and culture. 
  • The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario have a variety of resources available online to learn and reflect on the ongoing legacy of Residential Schools.
  • Learn more about the Calls to Action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report.
Welcoming Week

Welcoming Week

by | Sep 16, 2024 | Books, Collection Materials, Reading

Each September, the Huron County Library celebrates Welcoming Week with our friends from the Huron County Immigrations Partnership.  Running from Sept. 13-22, Welcoming Week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the people, places and values that make everyone feel welcome and give them a sense of belonging in their local community, no matter where they come from. Everyone is always welcome at the Huron County Library, and we are very pleased to host the following throughout the week:

  • Meet Your Neighbour events that aim to create and cultivate social connections between community members and local organizations for the purpose of increasing community engagement for the benefit of all and our community as a whole.
  • Colour and take home a Welcoming Week tote from any of our 12 branches.
  • Pick up a “Newcomers welcome” button from any of our we branches
  • The Huron County Museum is hosting a screening of the film Ru
  • Check out one of a great number of books in our collection that celebrate newcomers to Canada! A staff-created list with even more with even more new and older favorites can be found on our online catalogue. 
Book cover image of Crooked Teeth

Memoir: Crooked Teeth: A Queer Syrian Refugee Memoir by Danny Ramadan

This new memoir by award-winning Syrian-Canadian author, Danny Ramadan, is a powerful refutation of the oversimplified refugee narrative—a book that holds space for joy alongside sorrow, for nuance and complicated ambivalences. Written with fearless intimacy, Crooked Teeth is a singular achievement in which a master storyteller learns that his greatest story is his own.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of The Afterpains

Fiction: The Afterpains by Anna Julia Stainsby

A heartbreaking portrait of two families trying to cope with grief, isolation, and living far from one’s homeland—told in the voices of two women and their children who find themselves connected in unexpected ways. Tender and compassionate, The Afterpains is a moving debut novel about motherhood, grief, identity, and belonging by a new Canadian author to watch.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of The Laundryman's Boy

Historical Fiction: The Laundryman’s Boy by Edward Y.C. Lee

Fall 1913, St. Catharines, thirteen-year-old Hoi Wing Woo, the son of a scholar, is forced to give up his dream of an education when he is sent to work in a Chinese laundry in Canada.  Hoi Wing is immediately thrust into relentless, mind-numbing toil, washing clothes by hand for sixteen hours a day, six days a week. Without knowledge of English or western societal customs, he faces a daily onslaught of insults, taunts and physical violence from gangs of local bullies. The laundryman’s boy is a coming-of-age story that examines race, immigration, duty and friendship, The Laundryman’s Boy is an enduring and moving tale about early newcomers to Canada and their struggle to succeed against all odds.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Sunshine and Spice

Romance: Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit

In this romcom debut by a new Canadian author, Naomi and Dev, two complete opposites agree to fake date in order to solve their cultural dilemmas and find the only force more powerful than a South Asian immigrant mother’s matchmaking schemes, might just be true love. Set in Kelowna, B.C., this spicy Desi fake dating romance is full of heart and perfect for fans of authors like Sonali Dev or Sara Desai.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Ace and Misfits

Young Adult Fiction: Ace and the Misfits by Eddie Kawooya

New to Canada, Ace is battling ignorance, bullying, and a new culture. Now he seeks to regain his confidence and show himself he has the tools to make it in his new life. In his debut novel, Eddie Kawooya presents a fish-out-of-water story of immigration and the pains and joys of integration into a new and sometimes frightening environment. Arriving in Canada, Ace finds himself living in a basement apartment, having to integrate into a new community where he is the “African.” Struggling with his grades and his self worth, he finds ignorance and bullying at school until he falls in with a crew of international misfits who understand what he’s going through.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Today I Am

Young Adult Fiction: Today I Am: 10 Stories of Belonging edited by Jael Richardson

In this collection of short fiction, ten outstanding authors explore the theme of home – home as a place, a concept, as a way of thinking about the body – through prose, verse and graphic storytelling. These stories were compiled and edited by Jael Richardson, acclaimed author and Artistic Director of the Festival of Literary Diversity and bring together perspectives on belonging by BIPOC authors from across Canada.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Call Me Al

Juvenile Fiction: Call Me Al by Wali Shah and Eric Walters

Ali is an eighth-grade kid with a lot going on. Between the pressure from his immigrant parents to ace every class, his crush on Melissa, who lives in the rich area of town while he and his family live in a shabby apartment complex, and trying his best to fit in with his friends, he feels like he’s being pulled in too many different directions. But harder still, Ali is becoming increasingly aware of the racism around him. Comments from his friends about Pakistani food or his skin color are passed off as jokes, but he doesn’t find them funny. Ali must come to terms with his roiling feelings about his place in the world, as a Pakistani immigrant, a Muslim and a teenager with his whole life ahead of him. With help from his grandfather, an inspiring teacher and his friend, Ali leans on his words for strength. And eventually he finds his true voice.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of The New Girl

Juvenile Graphic Novel: The New Girl written and illustrated by Cassandra Callin

In her middle grade graphic novel debut, Romanian Canadian webtoon comic, Cassandra Callin has written a heartfelt story about adjusting to change and acceptance. Lia and her family are waiting to board a flight across the Atlantic, leaving behind family, friends, and Romania — the only home Lia has ever known. But Lia’s heartache is overshadowed by the discomfort of her first period. As if things weren’t difficult enough! Now Lia is thrust into a world where everything is new – her home, her language, and even her body. With so many changes happening at once, Lia struggles with schoolwork, has trouble communicating with classmates, and has no idea how to manage her unpleasant periods. Will she ever feel like herself again?

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of I, Too, Am Here

Picture Book: I, Too, Am Here by Morgan Christie and Illustrated by Marley Berot

The street a young girl lives on is made up of families from all over the world. Her family shares with her their stories of journey and struggle. Her own story begins here in this country, but she is sometimes made to feel she does not belong. She listens to her family’s voices. They tell her she will soar, they tell her she is beautiful. She listens and she says I, too, am here. Beautifully illustrated, I, too, am here, is a multigenerational story of immigration, racism, and what it truly means to belong inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem, “I, Too.”

Place a hold online…

Say Goodbye To Summer

Say Goodbye To Summer

by | Aug 22, 2024 | Books, Collection Materials, Readers' Advisory

Before we say goodbye to summer, check out some of our favorite new summer releases. There’s something for everyone from romance, thrillers, true crime stories, travel memoirs, graphic novels and more! A staff-created list with even more with even more new and older favorites can be found on our online catalogue. 

Book cover image of A Walk in the Park

Non-Fiction/Travel Memoir: A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko

An epic adventure, action-packed survival tale, and a deep spiritual journey, A Walk in the Park gives us an unprecedented glimpse of the crown jewel of America’s iconic landscape framed by ancient rock whose contours are recognized by all, but whose secrets and treasures are known to almost no one, and whose topography encompasses some of the harshest, least explored, most awe-inspiring terrain in the world. This book is perfect for fans of writers like Bill Bryson and Adam Shoalts.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Liliana's Invincible Summer

Biography/True Crime: Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garza

Winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Memoir or Autobiography, this is a haunting, unforgettable story about a beloved younger sister and the painful memory of her tragic murder, from one of Mexico’s greatest living writers. In the early hours of July 16, 1990, Liliana Rivera Garza was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend. A life full of promise and hope, cut tragically short, Liliana’s story instead became subsumed into Mexico’s dark and relentless history of domestic violence. In luminous, poetic prose, Rivera Garza tells a singular yet universally resonant story: that of a spirited, wondrously hopeful young woman who tried to survive in a world of increasingly normalized gendered violence.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Sandwich

Fiction: Sandwich by Catherine Newman

While on her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod, Rocky, sandwiched between her half-grown kids and fully aging parents, relives the tenderness and sorrow of a handful of long-ago summers, coming face-to-face with her family’s history and future and accepting she can no longer hide her secrets from the people she loves.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Fast Girls

Fiction: God of the Woods by Liz Moore

When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp in 1975, two worlds collide. As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of One Perfect Couple

Mystery/Thriller: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

Harkening to Agatha Christie’s classic And Then There Were None, this high-tension and ingenious thriller follows five couples trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them. This latest from best-selling British author, Ruth Ware is perfect for fans of reality tv shows and disaster thrillers.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Let the Games Begin

Romance: Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura

Set against a sizzling-hot Greek summer filled with sunshine and souvlaki, Rufaro Faith Mazarura’s Let the Games Begin is a page-turning debut rom-com about two strangers at the top of their game falling in love during a fictional 2024 summer Olympics in Athens.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Synchro Boy

Young Adult Novel in Verse: The Lightning Circle by Vikki VanSickle; illustrations by Laura K. Watson

After having her heart broken, 17-year-old Nora Nichols decides to escape her hometown and take a summer job as a counsellor at an all-girls’ camp in the mountains of West Virginia. There, she meets girls and women from all walks of life with their own heartaches and triumphs. But when a letter from home comes bearing unexpected news, Nora finds inner strength in her devastation with the healing power of female friendship. Presented as Nora’s camp journal, including Nora’s sketches of camp life, scraps of letters, and spare poems, The Lightning Circle is an intimate coming-of-age portrait and a great look at summer camp life.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of There's a Skunk in my Bunk

Juvenile Fiction: There’s a Skunk in my Bunk by Dan Gutman; illustrations by Jim Paillot

School’s out for summer! A.J. can’t wait to spend his days playing video games, watching TV, and forgetting everything he learned during the school year. But when his parents announce they’ve signed him up for sleepaway camp, his great plans slip away right before his eyes. A humorous middle grade story about summer camp perfect for fans of authors like Gordon Korman.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Gamerville

Juvenile Graphic Novel: Gamerville by Johnnie Christmas

A video gamer’s championship aspirations are dashed when his parents send him to Camp Refresh, where electronics are forbidden and you’re forced to socialize, eat healthy, and spend time outside. Gamerville is a timely and vulnerable exploration of the importance of human connection and what it means to run in a pack, brought to you by award-winning Canadian author Johnnie Christmas.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Mama's Library Summers

Picture Book: Mama’s Library Summers written by Melvina Noel; illustrations by Daria Peoples

Mama takes her two daughters to the library every summer to pick out books about Black people so they can see the struggles, strength, and hope of people who look like them.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Swimming Towards a Dream

Juvenile Non-fiction: Swimming Toward a Dream: Yusra Mardini’s Incredible Journey from Refugee to Olympic Swimmer written by Reem Faruqi; illustrations by Asma Enayah

Growing up in Damascus, the pool was Yusra Mardini’s happy place. She learned to swim before she could walk. And with swimming came a dream–to compete in the Olympic games. But when war came to Syria, Yusra’s home–and her pool–were no longer safe. Yusra and her sister set out on a harrowing journey, crossing the sea in search of safety. Young readers will dive into this courageous tale of an athlete, refugee, and hero who inspired the world with her resolve to pursue her Olympic dream.

Place a hold online…

Summer Olympics Reading Guide

Summer Olympics Reading Guide

by | Jul 30, 2024 | Books, Collection Materials, Readers' Advisory

Gear up for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics running July 26-Aug. 11. Officially the XXXIII Olympiad Games, these books for all age groups highlight stories from incredible Canadian and other Summer sports athletes that you don’t want to miss! A staff-created list with even more with even more new and older favorites can be found on our online catalogue. 

Book cover image of Make It Count

Memoir: Make it Count by CeCé Telfer

By turns harrowing and hopeful, Make it count is the inspiring story of the first openly transgender woman to win a NCAA title. This memoir recounts the author’s transphobic traditional upbringing in Jamaica, her fight to become a US citizen, and her efforts to achieve her Olympic dreams in spite of many obstacles.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of The Other Olympians

Non-Fiction: The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness and the Making of Modern Sports by Michael Waters

In The Other Olympians, Michael Waters uncovers, for the first time, the gripping true stories of Zdeněk Koubek, Mark Weston, and other pioneering trans and intersex athletes from their era. With dogged research and cinematic flair, Waters also tracks how International Olympic Committee members ignored Nazi Germany’s atrocities in order to pull off the Berlin Games, a partnership that ultimately influenced the IOC’s nearly century-long obsession with surveilling and cataloging gender.

Place a hold online… 

Book cover image of World's Fastest Man

Biography: World’s Fast Man*: The Incredible Life of Ben Johnson by Mary Ormsby

For 24 hours in the summer of 1988, Canada’s Ben Johnson was the most celebrated athlete on the planet. He’d won the 100-metre sprint at the Seoul Olympics in a world-record 9.79 seconds and just had time to say, “A gold medal – that’s something no one can take away from you,” before testing positive for performance enhancing drugs and giving back his medal. Given unprecedented access to Johnson, sportswriter, Mary Ormsby tells his whole story for the first time – the rise of a skinny kid working Jamaican sugar estates to track-and-field superstardom to his lifetime ban from the sport and his unyielding efforts to determine exactly what happened to him on that fateful night in 1988.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Fast Girls

Fiction: Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympics Team by Elise Hooper

Acclaimed author Elise Hooper explores the gripping, real life history of three female athletes, members of the first integrated women’s Olympic team, and their journeys to the 1936 summer games in Nazi-controlled Berlin. Fast Girls is a compelling, thrilling look at what it takes to be a female Olympian in pre-war America and filled with rich historical detail and brilliant story-telling.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Head Over Heels

Fiction: Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein

A sweet sports romance featuring Avery, a former Olympic gymnastics hopeful and Ryan, an Olympic medalist and now gymnastics coach who taps Avery to help with his Olympic hopeful student’s floor routine. Hesitant to get back into the world that let her down, Avery agrees, quickly getting excited about the young gymnast’s potential.

Place a hold online… 

Book cover image of The Bone Cage

Fiction: The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou

A Canada Reads finalist, The Bone Cage tells the story of Digger, an 85-kilo wrestler, and Sadie, a 26-year-old speed swimmer, who are standing on the verge of realizing every athlete’s dream – winning a gold medal at the Olympics. Both athletes are nearing the end of their careers and are forced to confront the question: What happens to athletes when their bodies are too worn to compete? The blossoming relationship between Digger and Sadie is tested in the intense months leading up to the Olympics, which, as both of them are painfully aware, will be the realization or the end of a life’s dream.

Place a hold online… 

Book cover image of Synchro Boy

Young Adult Fiction: Synchro Boy by Shannon McFerran

A moving debut Young Adult story about Bart Lively, a 16-year-old competitive swimmer with Olympic dreams who switches to synchronized swimming, starts a relationship with his partner while simultaneously falling for a cute male diver. A great book about one teen boy’s journey exploring different definitions of masculinity and his own sexual identity.  

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Kid Olympians

Juvenile Non-Fiction: Kid Olympians: True Tales of Childhood from Champions and Game Changers by Robin Stevenson

Inspiring, relatable, and totally true biographies tell the childhood stories of a diverse group of international athletes who have captured the world’s attention at the Summer Olympics. Featuring kid-friendly text and full-colour illustrations, Kid Olympians highlights international athletes at the top of their field who have competed in the iconic Summer Olympic games.

Place a hold online… 

Book cover image of How Do You Become An Olympian?

Juvenile Non-Fiction: How do you Become an Olympian? by Madeleine Kelly

This fun question and answer book has everything from engaging facts to hilarious illustrations to help young readers learn about the history of the Games, how athletes become Olympians, famous Olympians and their accomplishments, and so much more.

Place a hold online… 

Book cover image of Flying High

Picture Book: Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles written by Michelle Meadows; Illustrated by Ebony Glenn

A lyrical picture book biography of Simone Biles, tracing her early athletic life and her success as a world champion and Olympic gold medal winning gymnast.

Place a hold online… 

Book cover image of Lucas at the paralympics

Picture Book: Lucas at the Paralympics written by Igor Plohl; Illustrated by Urška Stropnik Šonc

Lucas and Eddie, two physically disabled friends, visit the Paralympics and cheer on blind and physically challenged athletes as they compete in running, swimming, sitting volleyball, para archery, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair basketball, and more. Includes sidebars about how athletes who are blind, wear prosthetics, or use wheelchairs compete in different events, as well as the history of the Paralympic Games.

Place a hold online… 

DVD cover image of The Boys of '36

Film: The Boys of ’36

This PBS documentary explores the story of an American rowing team from the University of Washington that defeated elite rivals at Hitler’s 1936 Berlin Olympics. Based on the book, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.

Place a hold online…

Q & A with local illustrator Mathias Ball

Q & A with local illustrator Mathias Ball

by | Jun 22, 2024 | Books, Collection Materials

Born and raised in Goderich, Mathias Ball (he/they) is a trans-identified illustrator who draws inspiration from animals, emotions, and warm bright colors. He is a graduate of the Illustration program at Sheridan College and his dream is to illustrate a world depicting cute characters and lots of dogs.

Still my Tessa written by Sylv Chiang and illustrated by Mathias was championed by Gary the Unicorn and won the second edition of ‘Canada Reads for kids’ in 2024. Gary the Unicorn said they picked this title because, “it feels like a warm hug for the heart!” 

Other picture books they’ve illustrated include Every Body Is a Rainbow by Caroline Carter, What If Bedtime Didn’t Exist? by Francine Cunningham and These Cookies Are Not for Puppies by local author, Larissa O’Donnell. You can also find his work on their small business website, Sulkypup, where they sell prints, original plush (coming soon), gender neutral clothing and other items.

The Clinton Branch was proud to have Mathias come visit and share their journey to getting published and starting their own business based off their gorgeous digital artwork. The following is a conversation between Branch Assistant, Shannon O’Connor and the local illustrator/artist, Mathias Ball:

Q. How did you get your start in picture book illustration and what draws you to that medium?

Illustrating for picture books is something that I was always interested in! My style of work has always leaned more toward the cute, colourful, and bubbly, so creating illustrations for picture books felt like a natural fit. As for getting started, I went to school at Sheridan College for their Bachelor of Illustration program. After graduating in the lovely year of 2020, I started posting my work online which got the attention of some Art Directors and Literary Agents. In 2022, I teamed up with my agent, Natascha Morris, who has since helped with connecting me to book projects such as Still My Tessa and What If Bedtime Didn’t Exist? along with some more books yet to be released.

Q. Are there any particular subjects/authors/topics that attract you most? If so what and why?

As a queer individual, I’m always drawn to topics having to do with LGBTQ+ themes. A handful of the books I’ve illustrated so far are ones that I would have loved to have as a kid–not only for LGBTQ+ folks, but being able to see stories where you feel represented and shown in a positive light can mean so much to a kid, and really pull out their confidence.

In addition, I love books that feature animal characters or take place in nature. Growing up in Goderich, I spent a lot of time outside in the surrounding forests and trails, trying to befriend critters here and there. It’s always a pleasure when I can pull inspiration from that and bring it into a project.

Q. Do you have any favourite illustrators or artists that inspire(d) your own work?

Always a fan of any artist with blocky shapes and lots of colours. To name a few, some artists are Anoosha Syed, Jon Klassen, and Paige Bowman.

Q. What has been your favourite project to date and what are you most excited about working on next (if you can share anything about that)?

It’s tough to answer, but I think my favourite may be an upcoming book, Little Wolf’s Howl published by Marble Press. Going back to one of my favourite subject matters, this book follows the story of a Little Wolf who gets lost and needs to find her way back to her mother. She encounters some new animal friends who help her along the way. Illustrating this book felt the most natural to me, and it was very easy to picture the illustrations as I did my first read of the manuscript.

For what I’m excited to work on next, it’s a bit up in the air at the moment! I don’t have any book projects on the go at this time, but I have my online business, Sulkypup, where I’ve been designing and releasing gender-neutral clothing on a triannual basis, along with designing some accessories and stationery goods. I have a Summer Update that will be happening in mid-July and I have been prepping some new items for my Fall Update later in October. I’m hoping to release a plush for the Fall Update of one of my original characters as well, which I’ve been very excited about, as designing a plush is something I’ve always wanted to do.

Q. What are you currently reading or what are some of your favorite books?

Some favourite series of mine are the Scott Pilgrim series and anything done by Tatsuki Fujimoto. I tend to read more comics and manga over just text-based books, as I always enjoy seeing what other illustrators are up to and how they share their stories.

Q. What advice would you give to any young aspiring artist/illustrators?

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; embrace the things you love. To develop your skills, you need to allow yourself the opportunity to draw things that may look quirky so you can know what to do differently next time. The more you draw, the more you will learn. Also, you may eventually look back at your old art and think it’s embarrassing and cringy, but please don’t throw it out. You were just as much an artist as you were then as you are at this moment. Don’t be ashamed to celebrate the growth that you have had between then and now.

As for embracing the things you love, as an artist, you may gradually become more concerned about finding your artistic voice. What I’ve advised mentees in the past is that style is something that grows out of the things that you love about creating. For me, I really like playing with colour and traditional textures, and I like drawing animals and creatures. Meanwhile, others may embrace black & white art with a much more graphic appearance. In the end, what we love can help define who we are as artists.

National Indigenous History Month

National Indigenous History Month

by | Jun 18, 2024 | Books, Collection Materials, Readers' Advisory

June is National Indigenous History Month and staff have compiled a great list of recent releases by First Nations, Inuit and Métis authors from across North America that highlight the diversity of experiences and the common need for continued acts of reconciliation.

A staff-created list with even more of our recent favourites can be found on our online catalogue. 

Book cover image of North of Nowhere

Memoir: North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner by Marie Wilson

The incomparable first-hand account of the historic Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada told by one of the commissioners who led it. With the skills of a journalist and the insights of a life as the spouse of a residential school survivor, Commissioner Wilson guides readers through her years witnessing survivor testimony across the country, providing her unique perspective on the personal toll and enduring public value of the commission. Part vital public documentary, part probing memoir, North of Nowhere breathes fresh air into the possibilities of reconciliation amid the persistent legacy of residential schools. It is a call to everyone to view the important and continuing work of reconciliation not as an obligation but as a gift.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of The Knowing

Non-Fiction: The Knowing: The Enduring Legacy of Residential Schools by Tanya Talaga

Anishinaabe author Tanya Talaga, one of Canadas top investigative journalists, retells the history of this country as only she can – through an Indigenous lens, by tracing the life of her great-great grandmother and family as they lived through this government- and Church-sanctioned genocide. Talaga is of Polish and Indigenous descent. Her great-grandmother was a residential school survivor, her great-grandfather was an Ojibwe trapper and labourer, and her grandmother is a member of Fort William First Nation.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Real Ones

Fiction: Real Ones by Katherena Vermette

A heartrending story of two Michif (Métis) sisters who must face their past trauma when their mother is called out for false claims to Indigenous identity. Katherena Vermette pays homage to the long-fought, hard-won battles of Michif people to regain ownership of their identity and the right to say who is and isn’t Metis. Vermette is a best-selling Michif (Red River Métis) writer from Treaty 1 territory, Winnipeg, MB.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Prairie Edge

Fiction: Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr

The Giller Prize-longlisted author of Avenue of Champions returns with a frenetic, propulsive crime thriller that doubles as a sharp critique of modern activism and challenges readers to consider what “Land Back” might really look like through the actions of two Métis cousins. For readers drawn to the electric storytelling of Morgan Talty and the taut register of Stephen Graham Jones, Conor Kerr’s Prairie Edge is at once a gripping, darkly funny caper and a raw reckoning with the wounds that persist across generations.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of The Truth According to Ember

Fiction: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

A Chickasaw woman who can’t catch a break serves up a little white lie that snowballs into much more in this witty and irresistible #ownvoices rom-com by debut author Danica Nava.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Coexistence

Short Stories: Coexistence, by Billy-Ray Belcourt

A collection of intersecting stories about Indigenous love and loneliness from a Giller-longlisted author and member of the Driftpile Cree Nation. Across the prairies and Canada’s west coast, on reservations and university campuses, at literary festivals and existential crossroads, the characters in Coexistence are searching for connection. Bearing the compression, crystalline sentences, and emotional potency that have characterized his earlier books, Coexistence is a testament to Belcourt’s mastery of and playfulness in any literary form.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Burning Cold

Graphic Novel: Burning Cold: An Inuit and Dene comics collection by Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsleyis, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsleyis and Richard Van Campis

A collection of stories by Northern authors from the award-winning Moonshot volumes. Time travel on the back of a wolverine, swim with shapeshifters beneath the ice, and travel through the skies with aliens. From traditional stories to reimagined futures, this collection showcases the best of Northern storytelling. ​

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Looking for Smoke

Young Adult Fiction: Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell

A moving #ownvoices YA debut from a member of the Blackfeet Nation that focuses on the real-life problem of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW). Told from multiple POVs, this was a layered, compelling and twisty murder mystery that sees different teens trying to prove their innocence when the body of a girl they were all last seen with turns up dead. This book is perfect for fans of true crime podcasts and authors like Angeline Boulley and Jen Ferguson.

Place a hold online… 

Book cover image of The Other Side of Perfect

Juvenile Fiction: The Other Side of Perfect by Melanie Florence and Richard Scrimger

Two kids from two different worlds – one a wealthy Indigenous girl, one an abused and neglected Caucasian boy – form an unexpected friendship in this lens into the interworking of empathy. Told in alternating narratives, The Other Side of Perfect is infused with themes of identity, belonging, and compassion, reminding us that we are all more than our circumstances, and we are all more connected than we think.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Why We Dance

Picture Book: Why We Dance: A Story of Hope and Healing by Deidre Haverlock; illustrated by Aly McKnight

A young Indigenous girl’s family helps calm her nervous butterflies before her first Jingle Dress Dance and reminds her why she dances. Emerging historically in response to the global influenza pandemic of 1918-19, the Jingle Dress Dance is a ceremonial dance of healing and prayer that still thrives today in many Indigenous and First Nations communities across North America. Lyrically written and lushly illustrated, ‘Why We Dance’ is a joyous celebration of a proud Indigenous tradition that inspires hope, resilience, and unity. Deidre Havrelock is a member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada.

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Dad, I Miss You

Picture Book: Dad, I Miss You by Nadia Sammurtok; illustrated by Simji Park

Told in the voice of a boy and his father in turns, this book takes a thoughtful and heartfelt look at the emotional toll of a child being taken from their family and community to attend residential school. Nadia Sammurtok is an Inuit writer and educator originally from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.

Place a hold online…