Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock

Submitted by christywillim on
Author
Dallas Hunt
Illustrated by
Amanda Strong
Winnipeg, MB: HighWater Press/Portage & Main Press, 2018
28 pp., hardcover, epub & pdf, $19.95 (pbk.)
ISBN
9781553797791 (hc.)
9781553797814 (epub)
9781553797807 (pdf)
Grades
Preschool-grade 1
Ages
Ages 3-6
Review by
Roxy Garstad
Excerpt

Awâsis replied, “I lost nôhkom’s world-famous bannock. What do I do?”

“Don’t worry,” Sîsîp quacked. “I don’t have any bannock, but I do have some tohtosapopimehkan, and I’m pretty sure that’s in bannock!”

Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock follows the story of a little girl who is asked by her grandmother to take bannock to a relative. Unfortunately, along the way, she accidentally drops the bannock off a bridge. Several animals stop by to comfort the distraught girl, each offering a key ingredient that enables her and her grandmother to reconstruct the famous recipe.

Catchy and delightful, Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock has a strong plot that propels readers along at a brisk and exciting pace. Cree words are utilized throughout the story. The illustrations consist of muted greens and purples, emulating the dark forest in which much of the plot takes place. Character expressions, especially those of the animals, add delight and intrigue. The book includes the famous bannock recipe and a Cree dictionary.

Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock is a must-have for all Canadian children’s collections.

Highly Recommended
Reviewer

Roxy Garstad is the Collections Librarian at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta.