For September 2021, we are featuring Swampy Cree author, graphic novelist, and public speaker David A. Robertson's 'The Barren Grounds: Book One of the Misewa Saga'. Young readers will get pulled into the life experiences of Morgan and Eli, two Winnipeg Manitoba Indigenous children who were taken from their families and put into the foster-care system. When the two children find a secret place in the attic of their foster home, they find a portal to a place where they begin to reconnect with their culture and to connect with each other. Robertson sheds an important light on the importance of celebrating and educating young people about Indigenous cultures, customs, languages, and the importance of community, and the effects of the foster-care system on Indigenous communities and their children. This is a must read in order to move adults and young readers alike toward the idea of reconciliation.
"I learnt a lot about
Cree culture and language
and it's one of the
best books I've ever read."
-Dylan (10 years old)
Read Chapter One along with author David A. Robertson
Educational Resources
Check out our Educational Resources. These resources are wonderful for journaling, class/group discussions, as well as for book clubs!
Get Involved
Wear an orange shirt on International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples (August 9) and on Orange Shirt Day (September 30).
These important days mean justice and awareness for Indigenous peoples. They are days to acknowledge and work toward reconciliation.
Make sure you purchase a shirt from a legit site which supports Indigenous communities.
You can purchase an Every Child Matters orange shirt from https://www.orangeshirtday.org/shirts--gifts.html
This year's design was created by Shayne Hommy, a Grade 11 First Nation Cree student at South Peace Secondary School, in Dawson Creek.
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