Aamo-binashee

November 1, 2024

Gr 1-4-Written in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwa) dialect and English, this tells of the Pine Creek First Nation author's memories of playing with cousins at her grandparent's place and being warned to watch out for the Windigo-which will eat her. Eventually, the Windigo catches her, and its "lies crept into my heart and I began to believe them," and she descends into darkness. Calling to her ancestors, she receives a message in the form of a hummingbird. "She can fly backward and forward. She teaches us to learn from the past but not get stuck in old ways," and that ends the story on a hopeful note. There is a disconnect in the telling, which goes from stream-of-consciousness, dark-night-of-the-soul writing to the abrupt soliloquy of the hummingbird. Acrylic illustrations of nature in bold colors and abstract shapes cover three-quarters of the spread; the text appears on the remaining portion with small embellishments drawn from the picture. The palette moves from light in the beginning to dark tones when the Windigo has her, then back to lighter tones as she escapes. One illustration includes photos related to residential boarding schools; the Windigo seems to represent the stripping away of her identity. It could further represent issues of self-esteem, depression, colonialism, or the schools. The format aims this at younger readers, but these are difficult themes and topics even for older readers, who can pick up on the underlying context. The material is almost tween/teen suitable, unless this is used in a classroom setting that addresses the many facets of the story. VERDICT A stunning book, this may have difficulty finding the right audience; a limited first buy.-Tamara Saarinen

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