Nicola I Campbell Libri

In this extraordinary memoir, best-selling author Nicola I. Campbell deftly weaves rich poetry and vivid prose into a story basket of memories orating what it means to be an intergenerational survivor of Indian Residential Schools. If the hurt and grief we carry is a woven blanket, it is time to weave ourselves anew. We can't quit. Instead, we must untangle ourselves from the negative forces that have impacted our existence as Indigenous people. Similar to the "moccasin telegraph," Spíləxm are the remembered stories, also "events or news" in the Nłeʔkepmx language. These stories were often shared over tea, in the quiet hours between Elders. Rooted within the British Columbia landscape, and with an almost tactile representation of being on the land and water, Spíləxm explores resilience, reconnection, and narrative memory through stories. Captivating and deeply moving, this exceptional memoir tells of one Indigenous woman's journey of overcoming adversity and colonial trauma to find strength and resilience through creative works and traditional perspectives of healing, transformation, and resurgence.

Winner of the Anskohk Aboriginal Children's Book of the Year Award. Finalist for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the Ruth Schwartz Award In just four days young Shi-shi-etko will have to leave her family and all that she knows to attend residential school. She spends her last days at home treasuring the beauty of her world—the dancing sunlight, the tall grass, each shiny rock, the tadpoles in the creek, her grandfather's paddle song. Her mother, father and grandmother, each in turn, share valuable teachings that they want her to remember. And so Shi-shi-etko carefully gathers her memories for safekeeping. Richly hued illustrations complement this gently moving and poetic account of a child who finds solace all around her, even though she is on the verge of great loss—a loss that native people have endured for generations because of the residential schools system.

This collection of contemporary Indigenous poetry, art, and narrative guides teachers in bridging K-12 curricula with Indigenous voices and pedagogies. Experienced educators M'Lot and Adamov Ferguson support readers in discovering Indigenous voices and perspectives, using Indigenous works in their classrooms, and creating equitable teaching practices.

When you go for a walk in nature, who do you see? What do you hear?  Award-winning storyteller Nicola I. Campbell shows what it means “to stand like a cedar” on this beautiful journey of discovery through the wilderness. Learn the names of animals in the Nłe7kepmxcín or Halq’emeylem languages as well as the teachings they have for us. Experience a celebration of sustainability and connection to the land through lyrical storytelling and Carrielynn Victor’s breathtaking art in this children’s illustrated book. Discover new sights and sounds with every read.