Illustrated by :
Michelle Alynn ClementImprint:
Greystone KidsISBN:
9781771645461Product Form:
HardcoverForm detail:
Paper over boardsAudience:
Juvenile: Age (years) 6 - 9, Grade (US) 1 - 3Dimensions:
8.25in x 6.25 x 0.5 in | 280 grPage Count:
152 pagesIllustrations:
16 spreads of B&W art"Beautiful, poignant and poetic. This story will weave its way into the hearts and minds of readers for generations."
—Monique Gray Smith, author of My Heart Fills With Happiness
From beloved Indigenous icon Buffy Sainte-Marie comes a chapter book inspired by oral histories and traditions. On a prairie reserve, Tâpwê receives a mysterious gift from Kokhom (grandma)—and finds himself on an unforgettable adventure.
Tâpwê can’t wait to spend a week with his cousins on the other side of the Cree reserve—especially since Kokhom, his grandma, has given him the most amazing gift: a Magic Hat with bluebirds and grass snakes that come to life! Tâpwê is so excited that he soon forgets Kokhom’s advice: Watch out for tricksters!
Tâpwê’s adventure is everything he imagined. He meets his cousins, takes part in a powwow, and sleeps in a tipi. But soon he’s reminded of Kokhom’s words. Is his new friend Wâpos leading him astray with mischief?
Tâpwê and the Magic Hat draws on a rich Indigenous tradition of storytelling and features:
Buffy Sainte-Marie is a world-renowned and Academy Award-winning Cree singer-songwriter, activist, educator, and visual artist. Her picture books for kids include Hey LIttle Rockabye, illustrated by Ben Hodson,and (forthcoming) Still This Love Goes On And On, illustrated by Julie Flett.
Michelle Alynn Clement is an award-winning book designer and illustrator from Vancouver, BC.
"Full of native songs, dances and magical creatures, this silly story is an immersion into a Cree folkloric world… Cree words are easily understood through context clues, and there’s a glossary at the end…..for readers who enjoy trickster tales, or for units on tricksters in different cultures….and larger collections looking to add more Native American fiction.”
— Youth Services Book Review