nipêhon / I Wait

by Caitlin Dale Nicholson, Leona Morin-Neilson (Translator)

Overview

A quiet, gentle story about a family working together written in Cree and English.

A young child, her grandmother and mother are going out to pick wild yarrow. As Grandmother gets ready, the child and her mom wait. Grandmother leads the way to the field of blossoms, where they can finally start to pick … only now they have to wait for Mom!

The simple story, written in Cree and English and accompanied by rich acrylic illustrations, shows the patience, love and humor involved as three generations accommodate one another on a family outing. nipêhon / I Wait was translated by Leona Morin-Neilson, who was the inspiration for the book.

This companion volume to Niwechihaw / I Help includes a recipe for yarrow tea, known for its refreshing and soothing effects.

Key Text Features
recipe author’s note

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3
With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554989140
Publisher:	Groundwood Books
Publication date:	09/01/2017
Series:	Nohkom series , #1
Edition description:	Bilingual
Pages:	24
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 12.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Language:	Cree
Lexile:	-999L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

CAITLIN DALE NICHOLSON is a graduate of the First Nations Studies program at the University of Northern British Columbia. Her family and Leona Morin-Neilson’s family have been close friends for many years, and Caitlin continues to learn about traditional plant medicines from Leona. Caitlin has written and illustrated the first two books in the Nôhkom series — niwîcihâw / I Help and nipêhon / I Wait. She is currently living with her family in Tahltan Territory in northern British Columbia. 

LEONA MORIN-NEILSON teaches Cree at the “Power of Friendship” Aboriginal Head Start program in Prince George, British Columbia, and at the University of Northern British Columbia. She also teaches people in her community about traditional plants and how they can be used for medicinal purposes. She lives in Prince George, British Columbia.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for Niwechihaw / I Help by Caitlin Dale Nicholson with Leona Morin-Neilson:

“...a quiet narrative...broad brush strokes and blurred colours conveying light and atmosphere as much as personality...the simple verbs in present tense provide a wealth of clues about the workings of the Cree language.” Toronto Star

“...acrylic-on-canvas paintings give a dream-like feel to the story, making it almost a nostalgic look at childhood...Recommended.” CM Magazine

“Textured acrylic paintings, done in rich earth tones...portray the sanctity of the natural environment...a sensitive, respectful portrayal of contemporary Native Americans.” School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

Warm acrylic illustrations express the sense of peace and pleasure of time spent together conveyed by the text, which is punctuated with playful humor.

International Literacy Association

I Wait is a thoughtful story that captures important teachable moments in a child’s life, moments that impart knowledge, strengthen family bonds and build character.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

The acrylic illustrations are the work of Caitlin Dale Nicholson who ensures accuracy and reality while going beyond true likeness and sharing the feel of the people and the place. The patience and connection between the three generations is palpable, even as they work separately and seemingly silently.

CanLit for Little Canadians Blog

I Wait is a thoughtful story that captures important teachable moments in a child’s life, moments that impart knowledge, strengthen family bonds and build character.

Canadian Review of Materials

The acrylic illustrations are the work of Caitlin Dale Nicholson who ensures accuracy and reality while going beyond true likeness and sharing the feel of the people and the place. The patience and connection between the three generations is palpable, even as they work separately and seemingly silently.

CanLit for Little Canadians

★ 2017-07-02
Spare, bilingual text written in Cree (in both the standard Roman orthography and in syllabics) and in English presents a multigenerational harvesting of wild yarrow.The first-person narration tells readers that a little girl and her mother await Nôhkom (Cree for "my grandmother") as she prepares to harvest yarrow flowers and leaves. Accompanying illustrations rendered in acrylics on canvas depict the girl and both women and then follow them as they venture out into the fields, accompanied by a brown-and-white dog that's unmentioned in the text. The palette is gentle and the style soft, with art that invites contemplative engagement in this small moment of family togetherness. In three separate full-page illustrations, each worker prays, then the work begins. "Nôhkom picks. / I pick." But—"Mom?" The book catches Mom in a playful moment, blowing at a yarrow puff. Daughter and grandmother wait for her. When the narrator pronounces the task "done!" her face is utterly overtaken by delight. Although the book ends with pictures of the girl and women with the flowers in the fields, backmatter provides a simple recipe for yarrow tea, often used medicinally, which suggests the reason for their harvest. A quiet, gentle picture book about a contemporary First Nations family and their ties to one another, their heritage, and their homeland. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews