Spirit Bear: Fishing for Knowledge, Catching Dreams, written by Cindy Blackstock and illustrated by Amanda Strong, is based on the story of Shannen Koostachin and her dream for safe and comfy schools for every First Nations student in Canada. This book honours the ancestors and Elders who are keepers of traditional knowledge, the children they share this Knowledge with, the Residential School survivors who passed on as much good as they could to generations.Through the curiosity of Spirit Bear asking many question of his Grandpa Bearbine, Grandma Blueberry and Uncle Huckleberry he learns how Elders taught children about respect, care, and kindness but also language, cooking, and storytelling. They taught children about knowledge handed down from ancestors and to live a good life through this knowledge. Telling the story of residential schools, equality in educational resources and drawing on Shannon's Dream, Spirit Bear learns that while some First Nations schools are getting some resources, students continue to write to government to improve First Nations schools including access to high schools close to home. A learning guide is available from: https://fncaringsociety.com/publications/learning-guide-spirit-bear-fish... [21]
Selected title for the First Nation Communities READ Children's Category 2019/2020