"Nisôhkisinân …
We are strong …
Ninikamonân …
We are singing …
Mîna nika-âhkamêyimonân … And we will continue …
Whenever young Carol sang along to her family’s music, her heart felt light and full of joy. Learning from her great-grandfather, Moshum, Carol listened closely to the drums’ heartbeat until one day, Moshum made her a drum of her very own.
As Carol grew up, she passed down her songs to her children, grandchildren, and many women in her community, just as Moshum taught her—even as women and children became increasingly excluded from sitting at the drum. Despite those who disapproved, she formed her own drumming group called Chubby Cree.
Today, Carol and her group share their music to advocate at climate events, to honor residential school survivors at special ceremonies, and to spread healing for anyone who needs it. Powerfully written, The Heartbeat Drum is a radiant celebration of preserving Indigenous traditions, finding your voice, and speaking out."
"Celebrate Indigenous thinkers and inventions with this beautifully designed, award-winning interactive nonfiction book-perfect for fans of Braiding Sweetgrass.
Corn. Chocolate. Fishing hooks. Boats that float. Insulated double-walled construction. Recorded history and folklore. Life-saving disinfectant. Forest fire management. Our lives would be unrecognizable without these, and countless other, scientific discoveries and technological inventions from Indigenous North Americans. Spanning topics from transportation to civil engineering, hunting technologies, astronomy, brain surgery, architecture, and agriculture, Indigenous Ingenuity is a wide-ranging STEM offering that answers the call for Indigenous nonfiction by reappropriating hidden history. The book includes fun, simple activities and experiments that kids can do to better understand and enjoy the principles used by Indigenous inventors. Readers of all ages are invited to celebrate traditional North American Indigenous innovation, and to embrace the mindset of reciprocity, environmental responsibility, and the interconnectedness of all life.
★ "This book will amaze readers and teachers. Completely unique and important." -SLJ, starred review
★ "Engaging and informative." -Booklist, starred review" Essential for kids and adults. We need this book." -Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh and The Family Romanov
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY School Library Journal • Shelf Awareness • National Education Society • American Association of Geography • Canadian Children's Book Centre • Nerdy Book Club • NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Awards • The Green Earth Book Award"
