Children's Nonfiction Environmental Science & Ecosystems
The Sockeye Mother
- Publisher
- Portage & Main Press
- Initial publish date
- Nov 2017
- Category
- Environmental Science & Ecosystems, Seasons, Native Canadian, Fishes
- Recommended Age
- 9 to 12
- Recommended Grade
- 4 to 6
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781553797395
- Publish Date
- Nov 2017
- List Price
- $23.00
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781553797401
- Publish Date
- Dec 2017
- List Price
- $18.00
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
To the Gitxsan people of Northwestern British Columbia, the sockeye salmon is more than just a source of food. Over its life cycle, it nourishes the very land and forests that the Skeena River runs through and where the Gitxsan make their home. The Sockeye Mother explores how the animals, water, soil, and seasons are all intertwined.
About the authors
Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, also known as Brett D. Huson (he/him/his), is from the Gitxsan Nation of the Northwest Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Growing up in this strong matrilineal society, Brett developed a passion for the culture, land, and politics of his people, and a desire to share their knowledge and stories. Brett has worked in the film and television industry for over 13 years and is a volunteer board member for organizations such as Ka Ni Kanichihk and sākihiwē festival. Brett also works with the Prairie Climate Centre to connect western science and Indigenous Knowledges.
The award-winning Mothers of Xsan series is Brett’s first series of books and part of a larger vision to share the worlds of the Gitxsan Nation. With the support of his wife, Jeri, and their children, Warren and Ruby, Brett endeavours to continue sharing stories with his writing, artwork, and photography.
Hetxw’ms Gyetxw Brett D. Huson's profile page
Natasha Donovan is the illustrator of the award-winning Mothers of Xsan series (written by Brett Huson). She illustrated the graphic novel Surviving the City (written by Tasha Spillett), which won a Manitoba Book Award and received an American Indian Youth Literature Award (AIYLA) honor. She also illustrated Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer which won an Orbis Pictus Honor Book and an American Indian Youth Literature Award (AIYLA). Natasha is Métis, and spent her early life in Vancouver, British Columbia. Although she moved to the United States to marry a mathematician, she prefers to keep her own calculations to the world of color and line. She lives in Washington. www.natashadonovan.com
Awards
- Nominated, Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction
- Winner, McNally Robinson Book for Young People Awards, Younger Category
- Winner, Science Writers and Communicators of Canada book award
Editorial Reviews
Highly recommended!
American Indians in Children's Literature
A wonderful exploration of science and culture with many ties to curricula. A top selection for nonfiction collections.
Ontario School Library Journal
An excellent addition to curriculums that tie scientific principles to cultural practices; the work should be embraced by libraries to help educate readers about the Gitxsan.
Kirkus Reviews
Accessible to fluent readers in the late primary and intermediate grades, this book is a rich source of information and fits well with the Social Studies and Science curriculum.
Canadian Teacher Magazine
Huson eloquently conveys the fragile interconnectedness of the natural world and the moral imperative to protect it.
Publishers Weekly
