by Melanie Florence (Author) Hawlii Pichette (Illustrator)
A thunderstorm evokes a boy’s family traditions, in this rainy-day story from award-winning author Melanie Florence.
Benjamin loves the rain. He loves splashing through puddles in his bright yellow rain boots and watching the colors of a rainbow in the water as they ripple around his feet. But most of all, Benjamin loves thunder. To him, thunder — piyêsiwak — sounds like his grandfather’s drum. It calls to him, like the songs his grandfather plays while his father and other powwow dancers spin and step in time to the drumbeat.
As Benjamin hears the thunder rumble overhead, he imagines himself as a powwow dancer. He spins, he taps his feet and he lifts his knees. Faster and faster he twirls, delighted by and filled with the rhythm of piyêsiwak.
This artfully written story from award-winning author Melanie Florence celebrates both the universal joys of playing in the rain and the connections to family traditions that center and ground us. Elements of Cree powwow culture and Cree words for colors and weather are interwoven into the story, with a pronunciation guide in the back matter.
The vibrant and eye-catching art by Hawlii Pichette, inspired by the scenery of northern Ontario, adds drama to the pages. This inviting picture book makes a perfect read-aloud for a rainy day, as well as an excellent introduction to Cree cultural traditions, local communities and experiencing nature firsthand.
WorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
MELANIE FLORENCE is an award-winning writer of Cree and Scottish heritage based in Toronto, Ontario. She is the author of Missing Nimâmâ, which won the 2016 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, the 2017 Forest of Reading Golden Oak Award and was a finalist for the 2017 First Nation Communities READ award. Her most recent picture book, Stolen Words, won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award and was a finalist for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. Her other books include Righting Canada's Wrongs: Residential Schools and the teen novels Just Lucky, He Who Dreams, The Missing, One Night, and Rez Runaway. Visit her at https: //www.melanieflorence.com/.
RICHARD SCRIMGER has written more than twenty books for children and adults, including Zomboy and Downside Up, many of which have won or been nominated for major awards and been published internationally. His novel Irresistible is part of the Almost Epic Squad series. Richard is also a popular presenter in schools. His latest novel, a collaboration with Melanie Florence, is Autumn Bird and the Runaway. Richard lives in Toronto, Ontario. Visit him at http: //www.scrimger.ca/.