"Lauren chased after them. Behind the
waterfall, she found a portal to another place.
A place she could not yet see. A place that made
her whole body tremble. But she knew James
needed her, so she took a deep breath in, then
let it out, and made herself calm."
Happy Birthday to this fantastic new book from David and Maya! It hits book shelves today, and is sure to be a winner with readers. It tells the story of two Indigenous children who are with their moshom on a trip. Reaching the end of the journey, Moshom takes a nap. Hunger makes the children decide to take the canoe out onto the lake to catch a fish for supper.
They are far from shore when they stop to fish. Surprised by ever-growing circles that soon become waves, they are knocked overboard. When Lauren surfaces, she sees James being taken by the Memekwesewak. He is pulled through a waterfall. Lauren, though scared, knows she must find her brother. Calming herself, she makes her way through the portal to the other side.
She finds James dancing around a roaring fire with the mythical creatures. Lauren is soon drawn in. It is only when they hear the drumbeats calling them home that they remember Moshom. They stop to listen, the Memekwesewak disappear, and the children now dance to the drum's song. It leads them back to Moshom.
"Lauren and James swam to Moshom, who was waiting
at the shore, singing and playing his drum, hoping that
his grandchildren would one day come."
It is a joyful reunion.
Digital artwork is full of color and movement, in tune with the text's pace. Images of the world inhabited by the Memekwesewak are dramatic and dreamlike. An author's note tells readers that many Indigenous communities tell stories of the Memekwesewak; he shares a memory that his father once had of a canoe occupied by these little people.
No comments:
Post a Comment