TÂPWÊ AND THE MAGIC HAT

A magical hat and a trickster rabbit enliven an Indigenous boy’s summer in this tale by the renowned Cree musician and artistic polymath.

Tâpwê spends summers on the reserve with Kohkom, his grandmother, while his mom attends tribal college. This year, he’s invited to stay with his cousins during their powwow while Kohkom visits his mom. Before leaving, Kohkom gives him a magical hat and a warning to “watch out for Tricksters.” But, fascinated by the hat, home to six talking animals, three charming bluebirds and three baby grass snakes, Tâpwê tunes out her advice. The animals will help Tâpwê find his way and keep him company, Kohkom says, provided he’s good to them. Shy Tâpwê bonds easily with cousin Willie and his sisters—all are intrigued by Tâpwê’s hat. One day, the Trickster rabbit, Wâpos, appears and introduces himself to Tâpwê, who’s thrilled (the hat goes quiet, though) until Wâpos steals the hat—luckily, a savvy adult helps to get it back. Hearing his relatives recount intriguing Wâpos adventures, Tâpwê lets Wâpos lead him into trouble, too, and ignores his hat’s creatures until he’s horrified to discover they’ve turned into toys. The stories are studded with quotidian details, and Wâpos, resembling a manic, slightly menacing Bugs Bunny, is a standout, a complex character whose lessons—embarrassing, silly, or downright painful—are variations on the message that “the burned hand teaches best.” Publishes simultaneously in Cree.

These connected tales bring characters and their rich cultural inheritance to satisfying life.