My Kokum Called Today

Christine Linge MacDonald is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

A young Native girl is delighted to hear that her kokum (grandmother)
has called from the reserve to invite the family to a round dance. While
packing for the trip, the girl daydreams about previous visits with her
beloved kokum, reminiscing about her special relationship with her
grandmother, and about the old woman’s traditional skills.

By describing Native traditions and everyday activities through the
medium of a girl’s fond memories, the author instructs the reader in
numerous aspects of reserve life without merely cataloguing the facts.
The grandmother’s skills in herbal lore, in living off the land, and
in tanning and working moose hide are lovingly recounted, with obvious
respect and pride. An attentive reader will learn, as does the young
girl, of the role that Native women play in keeping the family and
traditional values intact in this widely dispersed society.

A large typeface and easy vocabulary encourage readers of the
heroine’s age group— thoroughly modern 9- or 10-year-olds. Opposite
each page of text is a large, sunny illustration full of thoughtful
detail and colored in cheerful pastels that enhance the daydream aspect
of the narrative. The artwork presents textual information with a summer
sweetness that will persuade the reader to examine these pictures, and
the text, more than once.

As an introduction to a distinct culture, or as an indicator of the
universality of family and community values, this book comes highly
recommended.