Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really enjoyed this book myself as it tells a real story about the land before settlers arrived. As a Brit myself I don’t have enough in-depth knowledge about the history and land boundaries of North America but this explains it in a great way to start children’s exploration of the land they live on. The illustrations themselves were beautiful and added to the overall impact of the story. I also liked the map of North America at the beginning and the map of Turtle Island at the end to base further learning on.

Favourite Quote:
Kiju always told him about the land. She would tell stories about the river and the forest. Where the moose ate his dinner and when it was time to tap the trees for syrup.
Mr. Trainor’s map didn’t tell any of these stories. They were all lines and boxes.”

What a unique way to look at the land we live on. This book has beautiful pictures and did a great job informing the reader of the way indigenous people look at the map of North America. Very cute.

In geography class, Sem's teacher uses a map of North America on which the names are not the ones Sem has been taught by his grandmother, Kiju. When he shares with his class that the names are not the ones he knows, his classmates laugh and his teacher seems eager to move on. At home that night, Kiju affirms Sem's ancestral knowledge and the next day, Sem speaks with his teacher again, this time asking if his grandmother could visit their class. The story comes to a close as Kiju arrives to talk to Sem's class.

While the story ends rather abruptly, it succeeds in celebrating Indigenous naming traditions and ways of knowing, and Whitecalf's vibrant, textured illustrations boldly leap from the pages. An author's note speaks to Thomas's own experience with place names and her hope for a return to listening to the land. Two maps of North America bookend the story, the first of which is labeled with settler borders & place names and the second with Indigenous place names.

This important book tells a simple story of a child who doesn't understand why the geography lesson isn't teaching what he knows to be true in his heart. The reader then learns how indigienous and First Nation stories are passed down, why the names we give people and places are so important, and what the land was meant to be called and how it was meant to be treated.

In the beginning of the book, Sem wasn't listened to. Once his teacher and classmates agreed to listen, there was so much more learning that can be had. The author also had a great note about her experiences with the atlas and geography she learned in school vs. the land and names that were more recently reclaimed.

I highly recommend this book for all ages.

I enjoyed the relationship between Sem and Kiju, as well as Mr Trainor's ability to change his mind and listen to Sem. The concept of original place names is important for educators to cover at UW Botanic Gardens, where I work.

This book was a great reminder that there is a lot about this country (and the world we don't know) because we only teach one view. It was a great reminder of how rich the world is with history and culture.