Metis Like Me, written by Tasha Hilderman and illustrated by Risa Hugo. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"My noohkom and I don't cook together,
but we love Metis crafts. 

My favorite is beading. 

I make flowers and berries with brightly colored
beads, then turn them into earrings or sew them 
onto my moccasins."

Tasha Hilderman's Metis heritage is proudly shown in this book that asks readers to think about their own heritage as she tells about hers. She begins by showing a recipe for bannock and tells how they can cook it over a campfire until it is ready to eat. A second child shares that he takes bannock with him on the fishing boat in the early morning. 

When he and his father take a rest from fishing, he joins his cousins who are berry picking. He loves the saskatoons so much that he eats most of what he picks. A third young girl shares her love for those same delicious berries and lets readers know that she and her grandma sometimes find them at the farmer's market when they want to make jam or dessert. 

The next child shares that she and her noohkom do Metis crafts together. They don't cook. The beaded flowers and berries are made into earrings or to decorate her moccasins. Her friend also has moccasins, which her auntie made for her. That auntie is helping her learn beading, too. Another child is a storyteller, an important Metis tradition. 

A boy who plays the fiddle explains that his family doesn't tell stories; they love to sing and dance. Jigging is a fast and most enjoyable pastime. The last child shares a hint of sadness. 

"I am Metis, 

but I don't know how to jig or fiddle. 

I have never made bannock, or moccasins, 
or picked saskatoons. 

I don't know the history of our people." 

It's never too late is the message that follows, as another child takes his hand to help him, and also to relate that she, too, is still learning and growing in a warm and loving community. This is an excellent book to share with young children to help them learn and understand more about the Metis people. 

Risa Hugo’s artwork provides both a natural setting and Metis cultural motifs created in bright colors.  An author's note follows, as does a recipe for Tasha's favorite treat: bannock. The book ends with a glossary and pronunciation guide for a number of Michif words.