Why We Should Read

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this “connected to your culture”. will live is close to River’s new school and she won’t live in residence. River was not consulted in the decisions. What about what she wants? Angry, she climbs on a bus and heads, early, without telling anyone, to her Dad and Nokomis.

River’s actions and the time spent with her Ojibwe grandmother, father, family, and community take her on a learning and healing journey. The positivity that prevails while experiencing the precariousness of growing up is a WHY WE SHOULD READ new experience to

River has grown up as “the readers. Our reading group only native girl” in an expressed in several ways how Ontario farming community. we wished we had had such She’s graduated from high school a community to hold us up as and looks forward to days at the we grew into adulthood. With beach with her friends, and then the strength of her Ojibwe traveling to her Ojibwe Dad and community, River finds a path Nokomis and their community that will prepare her to walk for the rest of summer. What forward, fully into the heart of was to be a period of exciting the matter. Powwow Summer change brings more problems is a perceptive and essential than River has foreseen. She tale. (This is a fine illustration is already struggling with her of Why Indigenous Literatures sense of self. Her mother and her Matter by Daniel Heath Justice.) teacher, both French, introduced Nahinni Shingoose is Saulteaux, her to dancing at powwows at age and a member of Roseau River ten; still fancy shawl dancing at Anishinabe First Nation in 18, her high school friends call Manitoba. River, and to many But River needs more; she’s The Warmland Book and looking for her own identity. She Film Collective – explore, recognizes the need to become celebrate, and learn from a person who can make sense of Indigenous authors and her world. filmmakers – meeting the Having been accepted into 2nd Wednesday/each month. university in the fall, she’ll live Next meeting is August 12 in residence. Uncomplicated she and the next reading is Glass thinks, new and exciting! Then, Beads by Dawn Dumont. something outside her control This book is available alters her direction. River’s white as an eBook and as a stepfather’s behaviour hastens Downloadable Audiobook the need for River’s mother to at VIRL. Questions? leave the abusive relationship, an event that changes everything. Yes, university still, but the new warmlandcollective@gmail. com community where her mother Submitted by Miyo Stevens