by Raymond Yakeleya,
illustrated by Samantha Gibbon, Antoine Mountain and Rich Théroux,
Durvile & UpRoute Books, 2023
Growing up in the NWT in Tulita (formerly Fort Norman), an “isolated northern town of 300 people, 178 dogs and one tomcat named Pinky,” Dene filmmaker Raymond Yakeleya heard—and experienced—many stories, beautifully illustrated in this short, lively and evocative book. With Dene words included throughout—mother (Ama), Elders (Dene Hihnsha)—the stories range from a tale about the Dene belief in reincarnation, to the author’s memories of “Granny Harriet,” a midwife who delivered over 400 babies in Tulita, including him, to a poignant tale about accidentally killing a bird with his slingshot and recalling his uncle George Blondin’s words: “Never kill or harm anything for nothing.”
by Sarah Everett,
Clarion Books, 2023
“Now that you’ve found this book, the probability that you will read it all the way to the end is 0.5, or 50 per cent,” says 11-year-old Kemi Carter in a letter to the reader at the start of this novel—Edmonton author Sarah Everett’s first book for middle-graders. Kemi loves the science of probability. She knows her odds of being born were one in 5.5 trillion and that the odds of having a loving family were even lower—but here she is, one of the lucky. Unfortunately, an asteroid is coming, with a 84.7 per cent chance of hitting the earth, and the world will end in four days. Kemi sets out to build a time capsule to represent all those she loves. The book is moving and smart, with a heartbreaking twist, and will speak to younger readers and adults alike. Read it to the end.
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