This Land Is My Land

by George Littlechild, George Littlechild (Illustrator)

Overview

Through his own words and paintings, acclaimed Native artist George Littlechild takes us back in time to the first meeting between his Plains Cree ancestors and the first European settlers in North America.

In This Land Is My Land, George intimately and honestly shares with readers how he discovered his Native heritage and what it means to him. He recounts the history of his people and expresses his wish to use his art to portray the wonders of his heritage, and to heal the pain of his people's history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780892391844
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books
Publication date:	04/01/2014
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	182,490
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 12.25(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	790L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

George Littlechild is an internationally renowned artist from the Plains Cree Nation. His first book for Children's Book Press, This Land Is My Land (1993), was the winner of both the prestigious Jane Addams Picture Book Award, and the National Parenting Publications Gold Medal. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

George Littlechild is an internationally renowned artist from the Plains Cree Nation. His first book for Children's Book Press, This Land Is My Land (1993), was the winner of both the prestigious Jane Addams Picture Book Award, and the National Parenting Publications Gold Medal. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Editorial Reviews

Jane Addams Children's Book Award - Jane Addams Peace Association
National Parenting Publications Awards - National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA)

From the Publisher

Bold in size, color and image, this book constitutes a stunning gallery of art by a Native American of singular vision. Through mixed-media paintings featuring collage, traditional motifs, stylized figures and a vibrant Matisse-like palette, Littlechild knits his personal stories together with the histories of his forebears (the Plains Cree) and other Native American peoples. The accompanying large-print text is broken down into 17 brief, reflective essays that interpret symbols, introduce the artist's guiding ancestors and document the struggles that have brought Native Americans to their contemporary culture. Childlike in their joy and wondrous appreciation, yet wise in the way of ancestors who lived through oppression and dismantled lives, this volume offers itself as a bridge between the past's pain and the future's potential. Ages 6-up. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 3-6-Littlechild's personal observations and autobiographical memories are woven with snippets of history in this short but powerful book. The author is a member of the Plains Cree Nation, the largest Indian nation in Canada. He grew up in Alberta and makes numerous references to the pain and suffering inflicted on his people. He mentions the fact that children were forcefully taken from parents to be ``re-educated'' in boarding schools, the cruelty and abuse many encountered there, and the unlawful seizure of land and other acts of injustice. The author's close connection to his immediate past is represented by a series of sepia-toned photographs of his ancestors, incorporated into some of his paintings. His art is powerful, primitive, and childlike in style-large shapes with little detail. He makes bold use of color, employing unusual juxtaposition. And in spite of the deep symbolism, the paintings are playful and fun. Although the information presented here is not in the form that is usually requested for school reports, it is insightful and deeply touching.-Alexandra Marris, Rochester Public Library, NY

School Library Journal