Cort Dogniez’s Growing up Métis: Stories of Resiliency is the second installment of his historical fiction series that began with Road to La Prairie Ronde. In two separate, but connected fictionalized stories, Cort delves into the lives of two of his foremothers: his great-grandmother, Josephine Gariepy and his grandmother, Clara Dumont when they were young. While highlighting the dispossession and marginalization of his ancestors following the 1885 Resistance, Cort deftly weaves Métis culture through these two stories with a positive “focus on nicknames, faith, storytelling, and a resilient spirit.” Josephine’s story centres around her family’s difficult decision to leave their friends and family in Batoche behind for a chance at a new life in Onion Lake. During this journey, the Gariepys, Dumonts, and Delormes work together to find new homes. Josephine’s story features the beginnings of her relationship with Frederick Dumont who readers met in Road to La Prairie Ronde. Clara’s story begins with the arrival of a mysterious visitor, foreshadowing important events to come in her life. Like many other Métis families, Clara’s family experiences hardships leading to the dispossession of their land and the need to find a new home. Along the way, readers will be entertained as Clara encounters a roogaroo, thunderstorms, strangers, and a misadventure with flour sacks with her siblings. Jade McDougall’s beautiful illustrations brings these poignant, coming of age stories to life. Growing up Métis: Stories of Resiliency includes Michif and Cree glossaries to reflect Josephine and Clara’s first languages as well as guide questions for educators to explore the stories and Métis culture in depth with their students.

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