FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (September 30, 2024)—On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day honouring the Survivors of residential schools and the children who never made it home, along with their families and communities, IBBY Canada has released new resources to support reading and engaging with Indigenous stories. The Educators’ Resource and Children’s Activity Kit for the Third Edition of From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books will help schools and libraries connect with the books from the catalogue in a more meaningful way.
The From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books project was launched in 2016 by IBBY Canada as a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. The project is in keeping with IBBY Canada’s mission of bringing books and children together, and supports IBBY’s overarching commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child, specifically the right of every child to become a reader through access to high quality books.
“IBBY Canada is committed to the belief that all children should be able to walk into a library, classroom, or bookstore and see themselves and their lives reflected. It is always a joy for a child to read a book which includes folks who look like you and have experiences or worldviews similar to your own, as for too long this has not been the case.”
Colette Poitras (Métis Nation of Alberta)
Chair, From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books
1st Vice-President, IBBY Canada
To date, three editions of the From Sea to Sea to Sea catalogue have been published and, in total, feature 150 of the finest Indigenous picture books published between 1993 and 2022 by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit authors and illustrators.
These books reflect authentic voices and offer insight into the distinct histories and current realities of diverse communities, and represent a vast range of voices and stories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit from sea to sea to sea.Special attention has been given to including picture books that promote and support Indigenous languages. Titles included in the catalogues are available in bookstores and libraries across the country.
The Educators’ Resource and Children’s Activity Kit was written by librarian and educator Linda Lou Classens (Ojibwe). In introducing the resource, Classens shares:
The 2023 selection of books—published between 2020 and 2022—in the third edition of From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books are a marvel of wisdom and knowledge and showcase a worldview which honours all creation.
The voices of Elders share traditional knowledge in beautiful form, often in their Indigenous languages. Children of all ages will be thrilled to learn the heritage of Canada’s First Peoples. Educators will appreciate the wealth of prime Indigenous literature increasingly available to fill gaps in ministry of education curricula while stirring excitement within their classrooms.
The 2023 selections capture the essence of the inter-relationships of life on Turtle Island—human, animal, land, sea and sky. Grandmothers and grandfathers of different species share their stories, their knowledge of how they once lived and the lessons learned while answering children’s questions lovingly and honestly. Change, inevitable with new technology, population growth, loss of natural resources, and climate change, must reflect and honour what once was and make resolutions to do better.
Free for educators and librarians, this new resource is filled with ideas, projects, and activities to engage children in the books both indoors and in nature. The kit can be downloaded for free here.
For more information, please contact:
Emma Hunter
Promotions Officer, IBBY Canada
promotions@ibby-canada.org
About IBBY and IBBY Canada
The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) was founded in 1953 and represents an international network of people committed to bringing books and children together. IBBY Canada, one of over 80 IBBY national sections worldwide, is a volunteer organization promoting quality English, French and Indigenous Canadian children’s literature nationally and internationally. To become a member of IBBY Canada and to support our activities, please join us here.
IBBY Canada is grateful to IBBY’s Yamada Fund, as well as may other generous donors, for their support of IBBY Canada’s work to bring high-quality picture books to Indigenous communities throughout Canada with a community-centred approach.
Last Updated: October 6, 2024 by Admin
IBBY Canada Launches an Educators’ Resource and Children’s Activity Kit for From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books, Third Edition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (September 30, 2024)—On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day honouring the Survivors of residential schools and the children who never made it home, along with their families and communities, IBBY Canada has released new resources to support reading and engaging with Indigenous stories. The Educators’ Resource and Children’s Activity Kit for the Third Edition of From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books will help schools and libraries connect with the books from the catalogue in a more meaningful way.
The From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books project was launched in 2016 by IBBY Canada as a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. The project is in keeping with IBBY Canada’s mission of bringing books and children together, and supports IBBY’s overarching commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child, specifically the right of every child to become a reader through access to high quality books.
“IBBY Canada is committed to the belief that all children should be able to walk into a library, classroom, or bookstore and see themselves and their lives reflected. It is always a joy for a child to read a book which includes folks who look like you and have experiences or worldviews similar to your own, as for too long this has not been the case.”
Colette Poitras (Métis Nation of Alberta)
Chair, From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books
1st Vice-President, IBBY Canada
To date, three editions of the From Sea to Sea to Sea catalogue have been published and, in total, feature 150 of the finest Indigenous picture books published between 1993 and 2022 by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit authors and illustrators.
These books reflect authentic voices and offer insight into the distinct histories and current realities of diverse communities, and represent a vast range of voices and stories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit from sea to sea to sea.Special attention has been given to including picture books that promote and support Indigenous languages. Titles included in the catalogues are available in bookstores and libraries across the country.
The Educators’ Resource and Children’s Activity Kit was written by librarian and educator Linda Lou Classens (Ojibwe). In introducing the resource, Classens shares:
The 2023 selection of books—published between 2020 and 2022—in the third edition of From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books are a marvel of wisdom and knowledge and showcase a worldview which honours all creation.
The voices of Elders share traditional knowledge in beautiful form, often in their Indigenous languages. Children of all ages will be thrilled to learn the heritage of Canada’s First Peoples. Educators will appreciate the wealth of prime Indigenous literature increasingly available to fill gaps in ministry of education curricula while stirring excitement within their classrooms.
The 2023 selections capture the essence of the inter-relationships of life on Turtle Island—human, animal, land, sea and sky. Grandmothers and grandfathers of different species share their stories, their knowledge of how they once lived and the lessons learned while answering children’s questions lovingly and honestly. Change, inevitable with new technology, population growth, loss of natural resources, and climate change, must reflect and honour what once was and make resolutions to do better.
Free for educators and librarians, this new resource is filled with ideas, projects, and activities to engage children in the books both indoors and in nature. The kit can be downloaded for free here.
For more information, please contact:
Emma Hunter
Promotions Officer, IBBY Canada
promotions@ibby-canada.org
About IBBY and IBBY Canada
The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) was founded in 1953 and represents an international network of people committed to bringing books and children together. IBBY Canada, one of over 80 IBBY national sections worldwide, is a volunteer organization promoting quality English, French and Indigenous Canadian children’s literature nationally and internationally. To become a member of IBBY Canada and to support our activities, please join us here.
IBBY Canada is grateful to IBBY’s Yamada Fund, as well as may other generous donors, for their support of IBBY Canada’s work to bring high-quality picture books to Indigenous communities throughout Canada with a community-centred approach.
Category: news