The Grizzly Mother

by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw Brett D. Huson, illustrated by Natasha Donovan

tagged: bears, environmental science & ecosystems, native canadian, seasons

Description

Book two in the award-winning Mothers of Xsan series, The Grizzly Mother uses striking illustration and lyrical language to bring the poetry of the Xsan ecosystem to life.

To the Gitxsan people of Northwestern British Columbia, the grizzly is an integral part of the natural landscape. Together, they share the land and forests that the Skeena River runs through, as well as the sockeye salmon within it. Follow mother bear as she teaches her cubs what they need to survive on their own.

About the Authors

Hetxw’ms Gyetxw Brett D. Huson

Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, also known as Brett D. Huson (he/him/his), is from the Gitxsan Nation of the Northwest Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Growing up in this strong matrilineal society, Brett developed a passion for the culture, land, and politics of his people, and a desire to share their knowledge and stories. Brett has worked in the film and television industry for over 13 years and is a volunteer board member for organizations such as Ka Ni Kanichihk and sākihiwē festival. Brett also works with the Prairie Climate Centre to connect western science and Indigenous Knowledges.

The award-winning Mothers of Xsan series is Brett’s first series of books and part of a larger vision to share the worlds of the Gitxsan Nation. With the support of his wife, Jeri, and their children, Warren and Ruby, Brett endeavours to continue sharing stories with his writing, artwork, and photography.

Natasha Donovan

Natsha Donovan is a self-taught illustrator from Vancouver, British Columbia, with a focus on comics and children’s illustration. Her work has appeared in two anthologies: The Other Side, edited by Melanie Gillman and Kori Handwerker, and This Place. She illustrated the award-winning children’s book The Sockeye Mother by Brett D. Huson and the graphic novel Surviving the City by Tasha Spillett. She has a degree in anthropology from the University of British Columbia and has worked in academic and magazine publishing. She currently lives in Bellingham, Washington. Natasha Donovan is a member of the Métis Nation of British Columbia.

Age:: 9 to 12
Grade:: 4 to 6

Awards

Winner, Animal Behavior Society's Outstanding Children's Book Award
Winner, Manuela Dias Design and Illustration Awards, Children's Illustration
Short-listed, McNally Robinson Book for Young People

Editorial Reviews

Selected as Middle Honor Book for the American Indian Youth Literature Award

— American Indian Library Association

Selected for the Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books 2019 reading list, Informational Books for Older Readers

— Chicago Public Library

Selected for the 2020 Outstanding International Books List

— The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY)

A lyrically poetic text, it delivers a wealth of information on the lives of grizzlies and the ecosystem they are part of, making this an invaluable introduction to the way we are all connected.

— The Globe and Mail

Teachers! Get The Grizzly Mother for your classroom--and ask your librarian to get it on the library shelves, too! I highly recommend The Sockeye Mother and The Grizzly Mother published by HighWater Press. They are pitched at children in grades 5-7 but I think they can be used with younger children. And of course, picture books should be used with people of any age. Highly recommended!

— American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)

? Anchored in the culture of the Gitxsan Nation, this spellbinding account of a grizzly bear’s first few years with her cubs is the second title in the Mothers of Xsan series. Saturated with ocher hues and expressively detailed with black line, Donovan’s illustrations amplify the text’s lyricism with nuanced perspectives.

— Publishers Weekly, starred review

This is a gorgeous book. Recommended.

— School Library Journal

The Grizzly Mother

by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw Brett D. Huson, illustrated by Natasha Donovan

Hetxw’ms Gyetxw Brett D. Huson

Natasha Donovan

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