First Nation Communities Read & Aboriginal Literature Award 2014-2015

Last spring, the following five titles were selected as finalists for the 2014-2015 First Nation Communities Read, a year-long reading program organized by Ontario First Nation public libraries. that promotes a community approach to reading while promoting an awareness of the relevance and importance of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit writing, illustration, and publishing.  The First Nation Communities Read program alternates between books for children that encourage family literacy, intergenerational storytelling, and intergenerational information sharing and books for adults and young adults.  The 2014-2015 program focuses on books for children.

Here are the five finalists for the 2014-2015 First Nation Communities Read:

The Diamond Willow Walking Stick: A Traditional Métis Story About Generosity Written and illustrated by Leah Marie Dorion
Michif translation by Norman Fleury
(Gabriel Dumont Institute)

Little Chief and the Gifts of Morning Star 
by Victor Lethbridge
Illustrated by Ben Crane
 (Tatanka Productions)

Moccasin Creek 
Written and illustrated by Rene Andre Meshake
(self-published)

Raven Brings the Light 
by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd
Illustrated by Roy Henry Vickers
(Harbour Publishing)

Wild Berries/Pakwa Che Menisu 

Written and illustrated by Julie Flett

Cree dialect translations by Earl N. Cook 

(Simply Read Books)









Subsequently, a jury selected the winner of the first Aboriginal Literature Award of the Periodical Marketers of Canada (PMC).  The award which recognizes the work of the creators of outstanding Aboriginal literature and supports the objectives of PMC’s Foundation for the Advancement of Canadian Letters (FACL) includes an award of $5000.


Last May, the winner of the inaugural Aboriginal Literature Award was announced and then presented in June, 2014.  Congratulations to winner,

Julie Flett

for her picture books

Wild Berries and Pakwa che Menisu

Simply Read Books

Wild Berries is bilingual (English and n- dialect Cree or Swampy Cree from the Cumberland House area). Pakwa che Menisu is Cree only (n-dialect from the Cross Lake, Norway House area).