Tess’S Red Dress is a MUST READ for everyone. It captures the lived experience and daily impact of MMIW2SLGBTQIA+ and the ongoing impacts of colonization. This is the perfect age appropriate book to tangibly bring in the conversation for young kids and expand their understanding of history and grassroots resistance

Thank you to NetGalley and Medicine Wheel Education for granting me access to an e-ARC of “Tess's Red Dress: Honouring Love and Family” by Carolyn Roberts in exchange for an honest review.

Tess’s Red Dress is a short, powerful, and impactful read with beautiful art. As an Indigenous woman, this book was extremely impactful and emotional.

Seeing this story through Tess’ eyes, through the eyes of a child, makes this book hit harder; we see her burning desire to learn more about her aunt, and we see a sliver of exactly how these losses impact for generations. Approaching this from Tess’ perspective makes this an accessible read for all ages, as the topic is approached from an age appropriate manner, and the additional context provided in the back of the book for teachers/parents make this book a learning tool for all. This is an important read for all, whether you’re a parent teaching the next generation, an Indigenous parent trying to answer questions about Red Dress Day, or an adult trying to learn more. Everyone who lives on Turtle Island should own a copy and share the knowledge in these pages!

Tess's Red Dress is a visually STUNNING book. The illustrations help to tell this beautiful story. Told in a simple but truthful way through a mother and daughter talking about the sister /aunt that they've lost this is an incredible picture book about a very serious topic. This is the beauty of books. It is a great entry point for tough topics. I can not wait to share this with my Grade 3 Class.

I recently read Tess's Red Dress to my grade 3/4 students and would definitely recommend it! This book is told from Tess's perspective as she asks questions of her mother while they get ready for a Red Dress Demonstration for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+) Awareness Day on May 5. Tess's mother answers her questions, particularly about life when she and her sister (Tess's aunt) were children. As the story continues, we learn that Tess's aunt is missing. While the topic is of course sensitive, my students really connected with it and were curious about the demonstrations. I would definitely recommend this book for Grades 5 and up, and in most classes, I think younger students could handle it, but would recommend teachers read through it first and plan for questions etc. If students have a connection to a MMIWG2S+ person, an all too common situation in some places like my hometown of Winnipeg, then handling this in a very sensitive way would be essential. That being said, the story is so relatable for the kids, it is handled with such care and sensitivity and written specifically for young audiences, and is absolutely an important tool for telling this story. Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to preview this book - it is already in my school library!