Indigenous writing for kids!

"Jose Angutinngurniq was born at the head of an inlet after his parents returned from a walrus hunt in the area of Arviligjuaq, Nunavut. He grew up in the Natsilik region of Nunavut, around the Taloyoak area, in a community called Ittuaqturvik. Jose first heard the story of The Giant Bear from his grandfather Alakannuaq, who lived to be very old. When babies were born, the first person to hold the child became the sanaji, the one who forms the characteristics of the child. Alakannuaq formed Jose into who he is today." - Strong Nations

"Jeannette Armstrong was born in 1948 on the Okanagan Reserve in British Columbia. She received a Diploma of Fine Arts from Okanagan College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Victoria. Armstrong's main goal in writing is to educate young people about Native culture and history. She is the director of the En'owkin Center, a cultural and educational organization operated by the Okanagan Nation. In 1989 she helped to found the En'owkin School of International Writing, which is the first credit-giving creative writing program in Canada to be managed and operated expressly by and for Native people." - Strong Nations

"A member of the Gitksan First Nation with 25 years of social work experience in child protection and indigenous children’s rights. Dr. Blackstock’s research interests are indigenous theory and the identification & remediation of structural inequalities affecting First Nations children, youth & families." - McGill University

"David Bouchard, speaker, author and educator, is an award-winning writer who has penned over 70 books in both English and French. David is one of Canada’s most sought-after public speakers for his gift of storytelling. In 2009 he was named to the Order of Canada for his contribution as an author of children’s books. David is Métis/Ojibway of the Martin Clan; his Ojibway name is Zhiibaayaanakwad. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, David now lives in Victoria, British Columbia. He is a former president of the Métis Nation of Greater Victoria and continues to serve as a community leader." - Strong Nations

"Jodie Callaghan is a Mi'gmaq woman from the Listuguj First Nation in Gespegewa’gi near Quebec. She has always been drawn to story-telling and has found writing to be the best way to connect to her history and her culture. She was inspired to write The Train after listening to many people tell her about their residential school experience. Jodie is currently working as an adult education teacher in her community. She lives with her husband, child, and her two pugs." - Strong Nations

"Nicola I. Campbell is an author. Nłeʔkepmx, Syilx, and Métis, from British Columbia, her stories weave cultural and land-based teachings that focus on respect, endurance, healing, and reciprocity." - Strong Nations

"Neil Christopher moved to Resolute Bay, Nunavut, after teachers' college. There he worked as a high school science teacher, helping to develop a community school (in the past students were sent to a residential school in Pond Inlet). During his time in Resolute Bay, Neil fell in love with the North—the landscape, the wildlife, and the culture. It was also in those first years in the North, that Neil was introduced to the rich mythology of the Canadian Inuit. Through the stories and artwork of his high school students, Neil began to take an interest in the oral history of the Arctic." - Strong Nations

I was born and raised in a northern mining town where nickel is golden. I wish I could live in the depths of the forest— Swiss Family Robinson style, but winterized. I'm haunted by the stories of my ancestors; the ones that exist within my DNA. I am of Algonquin Anishinaabe, French and Scottish descent and live in the traditional territory of the Atikameksheng Anishnaabeg, (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada) with my husband Steve, son Owen, and our dogs Frodo and Suzie.

"Publishing books under her maiden name to honour her Métis heritage, Deborah L. Delaronde writes stories that are historical in setting and focused on either Métis protagonists, a Métis setting and/or situation. She hopes to convey the way of life of the Métis people in a historical and contemporary context." - Strong Nations

"Dr. Jenny Kay Dupuis was born in Northern Ontario and is a proud member of Nipissing First Nation. She is an educator, researcher, speaker, and artist with over 15 years’ success advancing innovative programs, strategies and research initiatives across Canada focusing on topics pertaining to Indigenous issues, leadership and diversity, inclusion, and the importance of relationship building today." - Second Story Press

MELANIE Florence is an award-winning writer of Cree and Scottish heritage based in Toronto. She was close to her grandfather as a child, a relationship that sparked her interest in writing about Indigenous themes and characters. - MelanieFlorence.com

Born in Iqaluit, NU, and raised in Iqaluit and North Vancouver, BC, Napatsi Folger is currently a second year MFA student in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. Previously, she received an Honours BA in English and History from the University of Toronto and went on to spend several years working in policy for the Government of Nunavut.

"Garry Gottfriedson, from the Secwepemc Nation (Shuswap), was born, raised and lives in Kamloops, B.C. His published works include five volumes of poetry, as well as nonfiction and children's fiction. Whiskey Bullets was a finalist for the Anskohk Aboriginal Award, and Skin Like Mine was shortlisted for the Canadian Author's Literary Award for Poetry. He is an international ambassador for Indigenous writing, with his poetry and other works being anthologized around the world." - Strong Nations

He was born the 11th of 12 children on the 6th of December, 1951 in a snow bank. That is to say, he was born in a tent pitched in a snow bank (in one awful hurry!) on an island in a lake in the remotest reaches of northwestern Manitoba where it meets the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and what, since 1999, has been called Nunavut...

A desire to raise her children with a healthy sense of self-esteem rekindled her passion for Native issues. Having a Native step-father and step-siblings gave her an early awareness that she credits for igniting that passion. She is eternally grateful to Margaret for having the courage to share her residential school experiences and for giving her the chance to write about them in not one, but two, books. - Strong Nations

"Celina Kalluk was born and raised in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, to Zipporah Kalluk and Leonard Thibodeau. Celina has two brothers and five sisters, one sister-niece, and many more beautiful nieces and nephews. She also has four daughters of her own, Jazlin, Aulaja, Saima, and Ramata. She dedicates her book The Sweetest Kulu to all the mothers and fathers of this earth and to our wonderful children. Celina is also a visual artist and has illustrated several book covers and other literacy materials. Currently, she is the Inuktitut Language Specialist and Cultural Arts teacher for grades seven through twelve at Qarmartalik School in Resolute Bay. Sweetest Kulu is her first book for children." - Strong Nations

She is also an accomplished Inuit throat singer.

"Wab Kinew was named by Postmedia News as one of "9 Aboriginal movers and shakers you should know." Originally from the Onigaming First Nation in Northwestern Ontario, he is the son of Tobasonakwut Kinew, a former local and regional chief and a professor of indigenous governance at the University of Winnipeg, and Kathi Avery Kinew, a policy analyst. He is the Associate Vice-President for Indigenous Relations at The University of Winnipeg and a correspondent with Al-Jazeera America. After successfully defending Joseph Boyden's The Orenda on CBC's Canada Reads literary competition, he was named the 2015 host. In 2012, he also hosted the acclaimed CBC-TV documentary series 8th Fire. His hip-hop music and journalism projects have won numerous awards. He is a member of the Midewin. Wab is also an Honourary Witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. He lives in Winnipeg with his family." - Strong Nations

Michael Kusugak grew up in Repulse Bay, NWT (now Nunavut). During his childhood, his family travelled by dog sled, living a traditional Inuit lifestyle. He is the author of twelve children's books, including: The Littlest Sled Dog, The Curse of the Shaman, T is for Territories, Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails, winner of the Ruth Schwartz Award; Hide and Seek; My Arctic 1, 2, 3; and Baseball Bats for Christmas; and was co-writer of A Promise Is a Promise (with Robert Munsch). Michael Kusugak lives in Sooke BC, and spends most summers in his cabin in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.

"George Littlechild is Plains Cree, born in Alberta, Canada. His extensive body of art is noted for its bold colours and playful images, belying the serious undertones of his work. Littlechild sees himself as an Artist who happens to be First Nations. His sweeping collages of mixed media offer us insight into the human spirit, the strong connection to our ancestors, the ways in which we view our world ... and how that view needs to change." Strong Nations

"Caitlin Dale Nicholson is a graduate of the First Nations Studies program at the University of Northern British Columbia, and she teaches art and English at an alternate school in Prince George. She is also learning about traditional plant medicines from Leona Morin-Neilson. Caitlin’s first picture book, Niwechihaw / I Help, has been highly acclaimed. She lives with her family in Prince George." - Strong Nations

"The first animal I killed was one I did not catch. We would travel to Ikpiarjuk for our supplies in the springtime as there was no trading post in our area. After trapping foxes during the winter, we would go trade the fox skins in Ikpiarjuk and Mittimatalik, but that was before I could remember. We would go to Ikpiarjuk with my grandfather. We used to camp out in the bay of Ikpiarjuk, while our fathers went to trade. While we were camping on the ice, my father broke the ice by jumping on it. He caught something yellowish and I did not know what it was. Apparently it was a seal pup. They put it on top of the qamutik. They used to have a wooden stick that was used to remove snow from kamiit or skins called a tiluktuut. I was given this stick and used that to beat the seal up until it stopped moving, and everybody said I caught my first seal. And after that, we saw a seal that had wandered away from its breathing hole, which was called a paarnguliaq. My brother took my hand and brought along the dog whip which had a wooden handle. He used the handle to beat the seal. I caught a bigger one. Those are the animals that I recall vividly as the first ones." - Listening to Our Past

"Of Inuit-Scottish-Cree ancestry, Rachel A. Qitsualik-Tinsley was born and raised in the traditional Inuit culture of the late 1950's. After working for some time as a language specialist and consultant, she found success as a writer. Together with her husband, Sean A. Qitsualik-Tinsley, she has published many hundreds of articles on Inuit culture/folklore, much of which is used as educational content around the world. Together, they write fiction and educational works exploring the secretive world of Arctic shamanism." - Strong Nations

"DAVID A. ROBERTSON (he/him/his) is an award-winning writer and recent recipient of the Writer’s Union of Canada’s Freedom to Read Award. His books include When We Were Alone (winner Governor General’s Literary Award), Will I See? (winner Manuela Dias Book Design and Illustration Award), Betty: The Helen Betty Osborne Story (listed In The Margins), and the the YA trilogy The Reckoner (winner Michael Van Rooy Award for Genre Fiction, McNally Robinson Best Book for Young People). His most recent works include the graphic novel Breakdown (Top 10 Fiction Title, In the Margins), middle grade novel The Barren Grounds, and his memoir Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory. A sought-after speaker and educator, David is a member of Norway House Cree Nation. He lives in Winnipeg." - Portage and Main Press

"Joanne Robertson is AnishinaabeKwe and a member of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek. She received her Fine Arts degree from Algoma University and Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig. She founded the Empty Glass for Water campaign to bring attention to the drinking water crisis in Indigenous communities. She works as a research assistant at the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre and continues to support the water walks." - Strong Nations

"Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt is from Baker Lake, Nunavut. She attended Concordia University in Montreal. Growing up, formal education was strongly encouraged by her grandmother because she realized that this is the way to make it in the modern world. After high school, Paula attended Nunavut Sivuniksavut in Ottawa. There she learned much about Inuit history and culture. She realized how important it was to connect with her culture and began to learn as much as she could after her year in the program. She returned home for a year and learned how to sew, spoke to the elders in her community, and began to feel a very strong connection to her culture." - InhabitMedia

Monique Gray Smith is a proud mom of teenage twins, an award-winning, best-selling author and sought after consultant. Monique’s first published novel, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience won the 2014 Burt Award for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Literature.

Tasha Spillett draws her strength from both her Inninewak (Cree) and Trinidadian bloodlines. She is a celebrated educator, poet, and emerging scholar. Tasha is most heart-tied to contributing to community-led work that centres on land and water defence, and the protection of Indigenous women and girls. Tasha is currently working on her Ph.D. in Education through the University of Saskatchewan, where she holds a Vanier Canada Award.

Alan Syliboy was born and raised in Truro, Nova Scotia. Living in the Millbrook First Nations community, he journeys through his life with a demeanor of strength. Alan has built an ever growing list of accomplishments throughout his lifetime, although many people are most familiar with his beautiful and unique works of art that captivate and inspire us...

"C.J. Taylor is an internationally acclaimed artist and children’s author of Mohawk heritage. She has traveled extensively throughout North America helping make the rich cultural history of native people accessible to the young. Her paintings are in many private collections across Canada and the US. She is a self-taught artist and storyteller who has organized exhibitions of Native art across North America. All the Stars in the Sky is C.J. Taylor’s eleventh book. She lives in B.C." - Strong Nations

Sunshine Tenasco is Anishinabeg, from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Quebec. She is a clean water activist. Sunshine's website, www.herbraids.com, sells the beaded pendants Sunshine makes, with a portion of the profits going to the David Suzuki Blue Dot campaign, which supports the right to a clean environment. - Strong Nations

"Rebecca Thomas is an award-winning Mi’kmaw poet. She is Halifax’s former Poet Laureate (2016-2018) and has been published in multiple journals and magazines. She coordinated the Halifax Slam Poetry team from 2014 to 2017, leading them to three national competitions with the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. Her first children’s book, I’m Finding My Talk, was a Globe & Mail Top 100 Pick of 2019, as well as a CBC Best Picture Book of 2019, and was nominated for both the 2019 Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature and the 2019 Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association Best Atlantic-Published Book Award (with companion title I Lost My Talk)" - Nimbus Publishing

Richard Van Camp, the eldest of four boys, is a member of the Dogrib nation from Canada's Northwest Territories. He graduated from the University of Victoria and the En'owkin International School of Writing.

"Katherena Vermette is a Métis writer from Treaty One territory, the heart of the Métis nation, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Her first book, North End Love Songs (The Muses Company), won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. Her NFB short documentary, this river, won the Coup de Coeur at the Montreal First Peoples Festival and a Canadian Screen Award. Her first novel, The Break, is the winner of three Manitoba Book Awards and the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, and it was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, and CBC Canada Reads." - Strong Nations

Roy is the author/illustrator of Solstice: The Art of Roy Henry Vickers (1988), The Elders Are Watching (1990), Spirit Transformed: A Journey from Tree to Totem (1996), Copperman – The Art of Roy Henry Vickers (2003), Raven Brings the Light (2013), Cloudwalker (2014), Orca Chief (2015), Peace Dancer (2016), Hello Humpback! (2017), One Eagle Soaring (2018), Sockeye Silver, Saltchuck Blue (2019) and Voices from the Skeena (2019). In 2014, Roy published his long-awaited third milestone book Storyteller - The Art of Roy Henry Vickers, which is a substantial retrospective of his work and images of the past 10 years.

Jan Bourdeau Waboose is a Nishnawbe Ojibway from Northern Ontario who based SkySisters on her own childhood experiences and her relationship with her older sister. In her writing, she tries to convey the Native life she sees in her family, friends and community - a larger, fuller picture than the stereotypes prevalent in North American society, she says.

Phyllis Webstad (nee Jack) is Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band). She comes from mixed Secwepemc and Irish/French heritage. She was born in Dog Creek and lives in Williams Lake, BC, Canada. In 2018 Phyllis Webstad launched her children’s book called The Orange Shirt Story to share her story in her own words. The Orange shirt story tells the story of young Phyllis having her orange shirt taken away on her first day of residential school and never to see it again. A simple orange shirt has become a conversation starter for all aspects of residential school across Canada and beyond. Phyllis has inspired thousands and thousands of people to honour residential school survivors and their families and share the call on September 30th of each year that “EVERY CHILD MATTERS.” - Strong Nations

Originally from Qamani’tuaq (Baker Lake), Nunavut, Deborah Kigjugalik Webster is an Inuit heritage researcher and author. Deborah has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Carleton University in Ottawa. As Nunavut’s first Inuk archaeologist, Deborah gained extensive work experience in Arctic archaeology and oral history research throughout Nunavut and the Northwest Territories when she worked as an archaeologist for Parks Canada. She is a founding member and co-chairperson of the Ittarnisalirijiit Katimajiit and the first president of the Inuit Heritage Trust. She is also the author of two books; Harvaqtuurmiut Heritage: The Heritage of the Inuit of the Lower Kazan River (Artisan Press, 1998) and Akilak’s Adventure (Inhabit Media, 2016). Deborah lives in Ottawa with her two daughters and pet spaniel.