This vital and authentic picture book offers an exciting adventure on the prairies not often heard.” —Booklist, starred review
“Stirring. . . . This reverently told story is a true gift.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Engaging account of prairie life.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“[Sparks] discussion about environmental conservation and the role that Indigenous people have played (historically and currently) in the care and regrowth of natural lands . . . Skillfully captures the wild beauty of the plains.” —BCCB
“Lindstrom's engaging text is well paired with McKnight's expansive, atmospheric watercolor and graphite illustrations. . . . This Métis/Ojibwe perspective of life on the prairie by two Native creators is a moving tribute to a culture and people.” —Horn Book
“A thrilling adventure story and an excellent history lesson about Métis-Ojibwe culture.” —BookPage
“This is a great volume for bringing an authentic First Nation voice to a historical period.” —School Library Journal
“In this tribute to Native resilience, Indigenous author-and-illustrator team Lindstrom and Goade invite readers to stand up for environmental justice. An inspiring call to action for all who care about our interconnected planet.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review on WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS
“Lindstrom's spare, poetic text flows with the 'river's rhythm.' Written in response to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, famously protested by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and others, these pages carry grief, but it is overshadowed by hope in what is an unapologetic call to action.” —Booklist, starred review on WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS
“Observation is not enough, the book communicates: action is necessary. . . . A passionate call for environmental stewardship.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review on WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS
★ 2025-01-30
A daring Indigenous child embarks on a thrilling adventure.
Set in the 1880s, this tale follows young Rose and her family to the biannual Métis buffalo hunt, where hundreds of families convene in the hopes that “this hunt [will] be better than the last.” Rose’s pa is one of the captains, and Rose is eager to help him track mashkode-bizhiki. When he instructs her to stay at camp, she listens at first, but after hunters go a week without finding buffalo, the intrepid child goes scouting. Rose’s resourcefulness and daring shine as she strikes out on her own and employs the wisdom of her family: remaining determined despite miles without a sign, “thanking the buffalo for the gift of their life,” and donning a wolfskin to approach a distant herd without startling them. Rose returns with the good news, to her parents’ gratitude and gentle chiding for her disobedience. Lindstrom (Anishinaabe/Métis) captures the youngster’s resolve and excitement, while McKnight’s (Shoshone-Bannock) gorgeous watercolor and graphite images bring to life elements of Métis culture, particularly in stirring depictions of life at camp. Intergenerational basket weaving, elders dancing, roaring cook fires, and children at play—all impart Métis traditions, set against the beauty of the Plains; readers will be as moved by McKnight’s illustrations as they are by Rose’s ingenuity.
This reverently told story is a true gift. (author’s note)(Picture book. 5-9)
