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Our collection of picture books featuring Black and Indigenous Peoples and People of Color (BIPOC) is available to the public.

*Inclusion of a title in the collection DOES NOT EQUAL a recommendation.*

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Muinji’j Asks Why: The Story of the Mi’kmaq and the Shubenacadie Residential School

2022

by Breighlynn MacEachern (Muinji’j), Shanika MacEachern and Zeta Paul

“When seven-year-old Muinji’j comes home from school one day, her Nana and Papa can tell right away that she’s upset. Her teacher has been speaking about the residential schools. Unlike most of her fellow students, Muinji’j has always known about the residential schools. But what she doesn’t understand is why the schools existed and why children would have died there. Nana and Papa take Muinji’j aside and tell her the whole story, from the beginning. They help her understand all of the decisions that were made for the Mi’kmaq, not with the Mi’kmaq, and how those decisions hurt her people. They tell her the story of her people before their traditional ways were made illegal, before they were separated and sent to reservations, before their words, their beliefs, and eventually, their children, were taken from them.” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity Oppression & Resilience

Blue Camas! Blue Camas!

2023

by Danielle S. Marcotte and Alyssa Koski

“Blue Camas! Blue Camas! tells the story of a flower that is native to the Northwest Coast of North America. For thousands of years, it has been considered a sacred and valuable plant by the Indigenous Peoples of this region, who harvested and traded Blue Camas bulbs all along the west coast. At the height of this period, meadows would come alive with the bright wildflowers, which would attract dozens of species of butterflies and birds, and entire villages would work together to harvest the plant and ensure its continued growth. When Europeans arrived and began to colonize the land, they did not see the value of the Blue Camas plant, and in fact saw the meadows where the plant had been harvested as ideal terrain to grow their own crops. The story takes place at the point of contact between a Lkwungen community and a group of Irish settlers, who see the land in very different ways. This beautifully illustrated picture book is an ode to a way of life that was threatened and nearly destroyed through miscommunication and colonization. It also raises awareness for food rights, biodiversity, and the preservation of ecosystems, offering children and teachers the opportunity to discuss these important themes in an open and constructive way.” — publisher

Cross Group

The Case of the Pilfered Pin

2024

“The Windy Lake First Nation’s lands have been shared with cottagers for fifty years, but no one can agree on where the reserve land ends. The only thing that can prove the boundary is a steel surveyor’s pin with the borders of the Windy Lake reserve etched into its head. When the Mighty Muskrats hear that the pin was stolen years ago—and that it is connected to their grandpa’s mysterious past—they make it their mission to find the missing pin and prove that the land belongs to their people. But the mystery gets tense when Grandpa becomes a suspect. Cousins Sam, Otter, Atim, and Chickadee must find that pilfered pin!” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

Auntie’s Rez Surprise

2023

by Heather O’Watch and Ellie Arscott

“Auntie always greets Cree in Nehiyaw when she comes for a visit. When Auntie arrives with a surprise gift hidden in her bag, Cree can’t wait to discover what it is. The first clue? It’s from the rez. As Cree tries to figure out what it might be, the bag starts to move. Cree is thrilled when the bag opens and out jumps a rez puppy! Cree asks Auntie how to take care of the new puppy. Auntie talks to Cree about the importance of dogs in their culture. They are our relatives, she explains, and need to be well taken care of. Cree decides she will name her new puppy “Atim”, the Nehiyaw word for dog.” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

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