BIINDIGEN! AMIK SAYS WELCOME

A large family of beavers visit their cousins.

Amik is excited to welcome his cousins—each of whom, per the backmatter, comes from a different Indigenous nation—but his younger sister, Nishiime, is nervous, wondering what they’ll be like. The cousins arrive bearing gifts to thank Amik’s family for inviting them to their territory: dried muskeg tea, dried cranberries, a purple shell wampum, juicy maple twigs, strawberries, and a woven cedar headband. Amik is about to introduce Nishiime, but she has disappeared! He and the cousins look everywhere. They ask the deer in the forest, fish swimming deep in the canals, a fox running over their dam, and a mother otter, but no one has seen her, and it’s getting dark. Finally, Nishiime comes out of hiding. She has realized that her cousins “are just like us, even though they live far away and have different families.” Beavers’ importance to the natural world comes through, too; the canals that the beavers dig allow the fish to swim even in winter, for instance. Jewel-colored artwork gives drama to the illustrations and includes traditional Anishinaabe details. Text is sprinkled with Anishinaabe words, and a glossary is included. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A vibrant work laden with messages, from accepting differences to fostering respect for the natural world.