Let's Go!

When a lone young narrator daily watches a skateboarder moving fast in front of their window, the "Cacussh! Cacussh! Cacussh!/ Closer and then farther" inspires the Cree-cued child to say "haw êkwa! Let's Go!" Outside at a park, they imagine themself "riding a skateboard on the/ path that winds like a river," and their mother soon passes down the skateboard she used at the child's current age, kicking off a route of perseverance as the youth learns to ride down the sidewalk, painfully tumbling and trying again. Eventually, arrival at a skate park reveals uncertainty around the "waterfall/ of skateboarders crashing down." When others join the protagonist on the sidelines, the group watches "the patterns/ and pace. And feet and hands and faces," until saying "haw êkwa! Let's Go!" brings them together and helps them grow a bond that strengthens alongside their skateboarding prowess. Using onomatopoeic language to capture the sounds of the sport, Cree-Métis creator Flett (We All Play) shows the hard work and investment of time that goes into both learning a new skill and becoming "a part of something--/ and myself." An author's note concludes. Ages 3-8. (May)