The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

In May of 2021 the public awareness of Canadian history changed. The secrets came forward when remnants of those who never made it home were found at the former Indian Residential Schools. The stark reality of what Residential schools were and the people who suffered through them - and the churches, government, and the colonizers who ran them - became news into the world. In doing so our reading habits have changed; more people are picking books with a more direct purpose. We make sure the stories are not just about Indigenous People but also written by them. 

Author Cherie Dimaline brings the discussion forward with the book The Marrow Thieves, a dystopian Young Adult novel addressing the subject of residential schools in a different kind of format. This dystopian novel brings the idealism that if the world had no clean drinking water and vegetation was dying, people ended up losing their ability to dream. Readers follow the story of Frenchie as he ends up alone, to finding his group of people and then to finding his family, all while running from the recruiters. Frenchie is on the run and in hiding, much like the group of people that he travels with because they are indigenous. Indigenous people are the people who still dream, and the treatment for everyone else, can be found in their marrow. It's because of this that they are hunted, and put into new residential schools to be harvested for their marrow. 

The group of people that Frenchie travels with act much like a family. They also all have their own stories to share. They have a weekly time together where the character Miigwans shares Story, a time to educate about Indigenous history such as colonialism, treaties, the abuses administered at residential schools, their language and culture, all with the intention that it would not be forgotten. Moments of this book can leave you heartbroken, through their stories, through the abuses they experience within the timeline, and when members of their found family leave. 

As much as this book is set in a time that has yet to be, it reverberates into today's world. Our society has yet to learn from the horrors that Indigenous People have experienced or break generational cycles that are seen in their communities. This award winning novel is a worthwhile read for teens and adults. 

Cherie Dimaline released a sequel to The Marrow Thieves on October 19th Hunting by Stars.

Christian Reads September Because You're Mine by Colleen Coble

For the first installment of Christian Reads, we read Colleen Coble’s Because You’re Mine. This story follows Alanna, a singer and violinist in an Irish Celtic band, as she navigates her new life.

Early in the book we find out that Alanna and her husband Liam, the drummer of the Celtic band, are expecting their first child together. While on tour with the band in the United States, misfortune finds them. When Liam goes for a drive with his friend Jesse, a bomb goes off in the car killing Liam and seriously injuring Jesse. When Alanna goes home to have Liam’s funeral, she sees his parents to tell them the news that she is expecting their child. Liam’s parents unapproved of his marriage to Alanna from the beginning. Liam’s parents were rich, his father Thomas is a member of the upper house of the Irish Legislature, an Oireachtas Senator. On learning that Alanna was pregnant with Liam’s only child they wished to raise it as their own, threatening to gain custody if Alanna didn’t move into their residence. Barry, a lawyer from Charleston, acts as their manager while the band tours in the United States, offers to marry Alanna. Their marriage being one of convenience in order to help stop Thomas from coming after the baby. We soon find out that Barry isn’t all that he seems to be. The family home isn’t ready nor is it entirely livable. The studio Barry promised the band, wasn’t ready or even started. A shock comes to Alanna as there is a portrait of a lady in the family home who looks an awful lot like her.

As the band needs a new drummer, Jesse seems to have taken an interest to doing the drumming for them. Meanwhile, the detectives are wondering if Jesse was the one to set off the car bomb. Jesse has no real memory of his life before the accident. Alanna becomes worried as Jesse exhibits mannerisms of Liam. Tensions rise between Alanna, Berry, the band, and Jesse, making the story all the more interesting. Wrapping the story in a shroud of mystery.

There were some parts of the book that landed on the “I saw that coming” part of the book but the book was mostly something I did not see coming, especially the ending. The book has a very under toned Christian feel to it. Alanna struggles with her faith after the death of Liam, although because Liam relied heavily on his faith, she uses it as a reason to keep trying. As she finds herself restless in her faith, Alanna leans on Psalm 139 to help her through the time when she finds she is in the thick of the confusion of her new surroundings. Because You’re Mine was thoroughly enjoyable and a surprise of a read. The hints of the social differences between the Travelers, Alanna’s background, and the more well-off families such as Liam’s family or Barry’s, made for a story that is relevant regardless of the time frame. As socioeconomic backgrounds and conditions are still relevant in today’s world It’s how we handle those differences that make us really who we are. That idealism is echoed in the voices of the other band members when they find out that Alanna comes from a family of Travelers.

For myself, I would read another Colleen Coble book. I enjoyed the writing style and how she presented her story. It may be an author that we visit down the line for another Christian Reads selection.

What Colleen Coble books have you read lately? If you have any other Christian books that you would like to read with a book club, come to the next meeting on November 20^th. There we will be discussing Karen Kingsbury’s A Distant Shore.

Inspiring New Stories by Meghan Bowman

Story telling is a timeless tradition handed down through the ages. It is the biggest way we can honour our ancestors. Reading becomes a special time between a child and the reader. Through story telling our children learn many things, such as life lessons, and compassion.

For my childhood, reading was filled with Robert Munsch books, The Paperbag Princess, Murmel, Murmel, Murmel, and Love You Forever. Love You Forever is a generational story of the love a mother has for their child that has no limitations as the child grows. The mother holds her child in her arms singing him a song of promise. A promise which the child carries into adulthood, with his aging mother and newborn child. It is a book that brings fond memories to generations of adults. A book that we end up reading to our own children. 

As we enter into a more enlightened age where we wish to show representation and diversity, in what we read to our children, books are reflecting these needs. I Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillet-Sumner (Illustrated by Michaela Goade) invoked similar feelings. In this book, we see a mother preparing for her child to enter into the world. Her preparations to welcome her child into her life. From the first moments she knew, she wrapped her child into the traditions of her ancestors, shrouding it in love. Instead of a song, the illustrations carry the song, the promise, to the child from page to page. It's a story of love, tradition, and a promise.

Both of these books tell stories of love, and tradition. For readers some of the stories we tell are part of our traditions. What stories and books are part of your traditions?

A Spotlight on Indigenous Films

Film is a beautiful artistic medium that allows people to explore worlds and circumstances beyond their own. 

It also allows us to engage in and learn about the cultures, passions, struggles, joys, losses, and history of other human beings, whether they come from countries across the globe, or exist in our own backyard. They teach us about human beings that we might not speak to on a daily basis, but whom we might have formed opinions about. They challenge us to question our own biases, and unlearn some of the prejudices that come with lack of exposure to different cultures and people.

Let's put a spotlight on some Indigenous Films, available through our local library and the Parkland Regional Library, as well as films available through the National Film Board of Canada, which anyone can stream for free. 

Indian Horse (2018): https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=5&cn=305845

 
An adaptation of Ojibway writer Richard Wagamese’s award-winning novel, this moving and important drama sheds light on the dark history of Canada’s boarding schools or Indigenous Residential Schools and the indomitable spirit of aboriginal people.

In the late 1950’s Ontario, eight-year-old Saul Indian Horse is torn from his Ojibway family and committed to one of the notorious Catholic Residential Schools. In this oppressive environment, Saul is denied the freedom to speak his language or embrace his Indigenous heritage while he witnesses horrendous abuse at the hands of the very people entrusted with his care. Despite this, Saul finds salvation in the unlikeliest of places and favourite winter pastime -- hockey. Fascinated by the game, he secretly teaches himself to play, developing a unique and rare skill. He seems to see the game in a way no other player can.

His talent leads him away from the misery of the school, eventually leading him to the Pros. But the ghosts of Saul’s past are always present, and threaten to derail his promising career and future. Forced to confront his painful past, Saul draws on the spirit of his ancestors and the understanding of his friends to begin the process of healing. - https://www.indianhorse.ca/en/film

We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice (2016): https://www.nfb.ca/film/we_can_t_make_the_same_mistake_twice/

The rights of First Nations children take centre stage in this monumental documentary. Following a historic court case filed by the Assembly of First Nations and the Child and Family Caring Society of Canada against the federal government, Alanis Obomsawin exposes generations of injustices endured by First Nations children living on reserves and their families. Through passionate testimony and unwavering conviction, frontline childcare workers and experts including Cindy Blackstock take part in a decade-long court battle to ensure these children receive the same level of care as other Canadian children. Their case against Canada is a stark reminder of the disparities that persist in First Nations communities and the urgent need for justice to be served. - Alanis Obomsawin

Atanarjuat, the Fast Runner (2000): https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=1&cn=75847

This adaptation of an ancient Inuit legend was filmed in Inuktitut and directed by Inuit filmmakers - making Atanarjuat the first feature film of its kind!

Set in Igloolik, in Nunavut, this is "a powerful drama, not a documentary," reminds the director Kunuk. "It demystifies the exotic, otherwordly aboriginal stereotype by telling a universal story." The clothes, spears, kayaks, sunglasses and dwellings were all painstakingly researched. "We show how our ancestors dressed, how they handled their dog teams, how they argued and laughed.. confronted evil and fought back."

Many enthusiastic viewers have compared this epic story to The Iliad. In the words of one movie critic, "If Homer had been given a video camera, this is what he would have done!" 

This film is also available in Inuktitut, with English subtitles through the National Film Board: https://www.nfb.ca/film/atanarjuat_the_fast_runner_en/

Home Fire: Ending the Cycle of Family Violence (2014): https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=1&cn=302062 

Home Fire is a 37 minute documentary film that explores family violence and restorative justice from an Aboriginal perspective. Featuring commentary from Elders, community leaders, and members of the justice system, Home Fire examines the colonization of Canada, historic trauma, the western justice system and grassroots healing programs in Aboriginal communities. - https://www.nfb.ca/film/home_fire/

Club Native: https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=6&cn=152290 

Tracey Deer grew up on the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawake with two very firm but unspoken rules drummed into her by the collective force of the community. These rules were very simple and they carried severe repercussions: 1) Do not marry a white person, 2) Do not have a child with a white person. - https://www.nfb.ca/film/club_native/

nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up (2019): https://www.nfb.ca/film/nipawistamasowin-we-will-stand-up/

On August 9, 2016, a young Cree man named Colten Boushie died from a gunshot to the back of his head after entering Gerald Stanley’s rural property with his friends. The jury’s subsequent acquittal of Stanley captured international attention, raising questions about racism embedded within Canada’s legal system and propelling Colten’s family to national and international stages in their pursuit of justice. Sensitively directed by Tasha Hubbard, nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up weaves a profound narrative encompassing the filmmaker’s own adoption, the stark history of colonialism on the Prairies, and a vision of a future where Indigenous children can live safely on their homelands.See the 52-minute version here (CAMPUS subscription required). 

Aboriginality: https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=17&cn=268676

Follow Dallas Arcand, an urban youth, as he heads down the mystical Red Road to re-connect with new and traditional elements of First Nations culture. Dallas is a world champion hoop dancer and hip-hop artist aiming to connect urban Indigenous young people to their rural ancestral histories. He's a 7th generation Cree from Alexander (Kipohtakaw) First Nation. Directed by Dominique Keller, Aboriginality fuses animation by Dan Gies with live-action dance directed by Tom Jackson. - https://www.nfb.ca/film/aboriginality/

We Were Children: https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=3&cn=209685

As young children, Lyna and Glen were taken from their homes and placed in church-run boarding schools. The trauma of this experience was made worse by years of untold physical, sexual and emotional abuse, the effects of which persist in their adult lives. In this emotional film, the profound impact of the Canadian government's residential school system is conveyed unflinchingly through the eyes of two children who were forced to face hardships beyond their years. We Were Children gives voice to a national tragedy and demonstrates the incredible resilience of the human spirit. - Container Insert. 

Also available to buy from the National Film Board: https://www.nfb.ca/film/we_were_children/trailer/we_were_children_trailer/

Fire Song: https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=19&cn=279129 

Fire Song, the first Canadian narrative feature film to deal with two-spirited people in the First Nations community, focuses on Shane (Andrew Martin), a closeted Anishinaabe teenager who finds himself at a crossroads just weeks before he’s set to leave his remote Northern Ontario Aboriginal community for university in the city.

In moments, the film is overwhelmingly grim. Shane’s sister has committed suicide, and his mother is reeling from the tragedy. Shane’s girlfriend, Tara (Mary Galloway), struggles to hold together a relationship she knows is falling apart. Moving to the city is Shane’s chance to live openly with his boyfriend David (Harley Legarde), the grandson of a community elder, Evie (Ma-Nee Chacaby)—but there are countless obstacles in his way.

Fire Song is relentless in its portrayal of depression, suicide, sexual assault, drug abuse, and homophobia. The shockwaves of trauma felt throughout the community, Shane’s escalating desperation, and claustrophobic interior shots of David and Shane plotting their escape, or David’s mother mourning in her daughter’s room suspend the viewer in each character’s difficult reality. Yet, there are bright spots—fleeting glimpses of David and Shane lying in the grass, lingering shots of the incredible landscape—and ultimately Shane’s story is one of resilience. - https://www.pride.com/movies/2016/11/03/fire-song-brings-canadian-aboriginal-two-spirit-story-screen

When All the Leaves Are Gone: https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=24&cn=270048

As the only First Nations student in an all-white 1940s school, eight-year old Wato is keenly aware of the hostility towards her. She deeply misses the loving environment of the reserve she once called home, and her isolation is sharpened by her father’s serious illness. When Wato’s teacher reads from a history book describing First Nations peoples as ignorant and cruel, it aggravates her classmates’ prejudice. Shy and vulnerable Wato becomes the target of their bullying and abuse. Alone in her suffering, she finds solace and strength in the protective world of her magical dreams. - https://www.nfb.ca/film/when_all_the_leaves_are_gone/

Also available to stream for free via the National Film Board

To learn more about Canadian Indigenous Filmmakers, check out Indigenous Filmmakers and Actors: A First Nations Book for Young Readers: https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=1&cn=421973

Travel the World (when you can't travel the world) with Shifu Orbit!

Super-Awesome-Check-Out-Able-Makerspaces at the LIBRARY!

by Maddie Anderson

"The Good Old Globe with a fun twist of Augmented Reality" -Shifu Orbit

Seriously. This is the coolest learning tool for "around the world" I have ever seen.

Okay. So. As a parent, I am skeptical of  things that may glue my child to a screen (my child already steals my phone and knows how to work it better than I do some days), and of things that require bluetooth settings, because I find they only work half the time and I spend all my time fighting with the bluetooth with my child staring at me impatiently.

I had thought this would be something that would connect with bluetooth and need a bunch of batteries and be not super user friendly. 

I WAS WRONG!

I downloaded the app, and it did an automatic install of all globe features. The user sets up a profile, and then hovers over a part of the globe with the CAMERA, and the app pulls up a variety of categories like animals, monuments, inventions, cultures, maps, cuisine, mysteries, and more! The little explorer can travel all around the world filling out their passport. There are games to play, and open exploration.

It is unbelievably easy to navigate. For example. 

I spun the globe and landed on a spot in the ocean. I selected the category "Animals" and I chose to learn about the Turtle. 

With my turtle selected, I was greeted by a very friendly turtle. I could learn all about the Sea Turtle by reading the pane on the side, and, with my headphones in, had a narrator reading it all to me.

 

I could then click on the yellow light bulb for more information!

 

 

Once I was done learning everything I could go to the skill testing question and answer it! 

 

 

The turtle made some funny comments while eating the fish, and then i was back to spinning the globe and being an all around-explorer!

This is a super fun interactive app for your little ones to explore the world! 

 

This is the link to place the globe on hold and to learn more about it:  https://search.prl.ab.ca/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=99.1033.0.0.4&pos=1&cn=389311

 

Have fun, Globe-Trotters!  

 

 

Book Reviews for Tired Parents

Board Book Reviews

By: Maddie  Anderson

When a child finds a new favourite book, the parent of said child has the delightful experience of reading this book over and over and over again, for what feels like the rest of forever. Every once in a while, the tiny human will choose a book to love that the parent loves too, and these three are my top picks from my over and over again experience with my oldest child. 

Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You - Nancy Tillman

I discovered Nancy Tillman with her book "On the Night You Were Born" and my tiny human tried to tear the paper to shreds, so, we switched to board books. As I was reading this book to my squirmy toddler I realized how much I loved this story, these words, and how, no matter how old you get, reminding me that a parents love will follow you wherever you go is needed. It is lyrical, powerful, and profound in its ability to bring me to tears.

 

 

 

Supertruck by Steven Savage.

 

This is a book that drove me absolutely crazy when we first got it. It is all about an unsuspecting dump truck who does so much more than collect the trash. Once I had read it about 100 times I had it fully memorized and the story wormed its way into my heart. It is a book about a little garbage truck who, despite what people said about them, saved the day, and no one was the wiser (not the bucket truck, the bus, or the fire truck!). This may be me thinking too profoundly about a children's book, but, it speaks to humility, kindness, and decency, despite ones circumstances.

 

 

 

I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak

This book captured my heart from the moment I first picked it up with my newborn in my arms. I remember trying to learn how to hold a book and a baby at the same time, while turning the pages of this beautiful poem. This is a book we borrowed so many times from the library that we had to buy it because we loved it so much (and we had used up all our renewals several times over). It will always hold a special place in my heart. Now that we have read every board book by this author, I can confidently say that she has a permanent place in the journey of our love of reading.