Primary (ages 6-9)

Material appropriate for primary age groups

Be A Good Ancestor

Rooted in Indigenous teachings, this stunning picture book encourages readers of all ages to consider the ways in which they live in connection to the world around them and to think deeply about their behaviors.

Addressing environmental issues, animal welfare, self esteem and self-respect, and the importance of community, the authors deliver a poignant and universal message in an accessible way: Be a good ancestor to the world around you. Thought-provoking stanzas offer a call to action for each one of us to consider how we affect future generations. Every decision we make ripples out, and we can affect the world around us by thinking deeply about those decisions.

Be a Good Ancestor is the WOW Recommends: Book of the Month for August 2023.

Thunder’s Hair

Thunder is tired of dealing with bullies at school who pick on him because of his long hair. They don’t understand why a boy would grow his hair long. When he is sure he has made up his mind to cut it, his grandmother reminds him of the power of having long hair.

Rainbows In December

Kimi’s grandma helps her navigate one of life’s hardest experiences, the death of a loved one. When Kimi is faced with confusing emotions and questions, she receives her answers in different ways. These ways help her learn all about the natural process of life and death as well as help her feel a connection to her loved one.

We Are All Related

There is a belief that a Native American tribe, the Lakota believe in. That is, there is one Creator and that everything that is living in the Universe is our relative. This children’s book reminds children of the knowledge that we are all born with. Meant for primary grade children, this is a message that is universal to all ages.

Lion Lights: My Invention That Made Peace With Lions

Richard Turere’s own story: Richard grew up in Kenya as a Maasai boy, herding his family’s cattle, which represented their wealth and livelihood. Richard’s challenge was to protect their cattle from the lions who prowled the night just outside the barrier of acacia branches that surrounded the farm’s boma, or stockade. Though not well-educated, 12-year-old Richard loved tinkering with electronics. Using salvaged components, spending $10, he surrounded the boma with blinking lights, and the system works; it keeps lions away. His invention, Lion Lights, is now used in Africa, Asia, and South America to protect farm animals from predators.

Featured in WOW Review Volume XVII, Issue 2.

It Wasn’t Me!

Mouse learns about the dangers of jumping to conclusions when he and Ferret prematurely accuse Raven of stealing Ferret’s raspberries.

Martina Has Too Many Tías

A retelling of the Caribbean folktale La cucaracha Martina where Martina, in an effort to escape her noisy tías, slips away to a warm familiar island where she can play in peace and quiet–but is she home at last?

Nacho’s Nachos: The Story Behind The World’s Favorite Snack

A Picture Book Biography Of Ignacio (nacho) Anaya, A Waiter At The Victory Club In Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, And The Events Surrounding The Creation, In 1940, Of The Globally-popular Tortilla Chip, Cheese, And Jalapeño Pepper Snack That Bears His Name — Nachos.

Dounia And The Magic Seeds

Dounia is the story of a little girl who loves her home city of Aleppo, Syria, and its many smells, sights, and traditions. But when war breaks out, Dounia and her grandparents must flee Aleppo to find safety. Before they go, their neighbour reads their future in a cup of coffee, she sees a long difficult journey ahead of the family and a blue house awaiting them at the end. Taking only a bird carved from Aleppo soap and four little barake seeds in her pocket, Dounia faces dangerous waters, a camp surrounded by barbed wire, and unfriendly soldiers, and she wonders where she and her family belong in the world. Remembering the ancient knowledge that barake seeds ward off evil, she pulls one from her pocket to use for each of the threats they face. Magically, the seeds from their faraway home help them along their way, until they finally find the blue house at the end of their journey.

In her new home, Dounia plants her final seed in a pot so it can grow and offer more seeds, while also keeping a piece of Aleppo with her. The baraké seeds represent the Syrian culture. Although Dounia is fleeing her country, she carries with her the strength of her people. It is by tapping into her roots, represented by the seeds, that she finds her own strength and resilience. The magical moments brought about by the baraké seeds can be interpreted as Dounia’s imagination it’s a way of seeing the war and the migration from a six year old’s perspective. Dounia does not understand everything that is going on, but she is not a powerless victim. By using the seeds, she feels she is taking an active part in her own destiny. In the end, whether it is magic or Dounia’s imagination at play, it’s a story about obstacles faced by migrants and about the courage they have in facing these obstacles. As Marya puts it in her article for TBI Magazine, it reverses the common narrative in North American media that Syria is synonymous with devastation and destruction, and that Syrian refugees can only be victims of their circumstance, rather than brave, vibrant heroes who can take charge of their own stories.