Synopsis
Summary
A boy and Moshom, his grandpa, take a trip together to visit a place of great meaning to Moshom. A trapline is where people hunt and live off the land, and it was where Moshom grew up. As they embark on their northern journey, the child repeatedly asks his grandfather, “Is this your trapline?” Along the way, the boy finds himself imagining what life was like two generations ago—a life that appears to be both different from and similar to his life now.
Notable Achievements
Winner, Governor General’s Literary Award for Young People’s Literature - Illustrated Books, 2021; Winner, TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, 2022; Horn Book 2021 Best Kids Book of the Year; American Indians in Children’s Literature Best Book of 2021; School Library Journal’s Caldecott Books, 2021; New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, 2021; Canadian Children’s Book Centre Favourite Book of the Year, 2021; Quill & Quire Kids’ Book of the Year, 2021; Nominee, First Nation Communities Read, 2022
Reviews
Publishers Weekly: "A deeply affecting journey of memory and history."
Kirkus Reviews: "The illustrations’ muted colors and the poetic rhythm of the words slow the world down for remembering."
The Horn Book: "An outstanding contribution to the literature about family, intergenerational friendship, remembrance, community, Indigenous experience, and more."
Link to Review
Link to Review
Educator Guide
This guide, created by Tundra Books, includes discussion questions and a crossword puzzle activity designed to help students learn the Swampy Cree words introduced in the book.
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