This Land Is a Lullaby / Cistomâwasowin Ôma Askiy - by Tonya Simpson (Hardcover)

About the Book

In this gentle picture-book lullaby written in both Plains Cree and English, the sounds of the land soothe an Indigenous child to sleep on a stormy summer night on the Plains.

Book Synopsis

★"In warm, soothing language, a mother speaks to her infant, poetically describing their ancestral surroundings and reflecting on traditional Cree knowledge...Luxuriantly alive with glowing colors and textured patterns, Dumont's (Onion Lake Cree Nation) exquisite pointillist illustrations resemble three-dimensional beadwork. This eloquent and insightful picture book (...) honors the enduring relationship between a child, their ancestors, and the land." -- Booklist, starred review

As daylight fades to dusk and slips into darkness, this gentle lullaby celebrates the sounds of the Prairies and the Plains on a stormy summer's night.

From the hum of dragonflies to the drumming of thunder, with grasses swirling and the northern lights glimmering, This Land Is a Lullaby shares a song and dance--a gift from the ancestors that soothes children to sleep and reminds them of their deeply rooted connections to the land.

Written as a lullaby for the author's daughter and featuring striking pointillism artwork, this lush lullaby of the land honors the beauty of the Prairies and the Plains and the spiritual connection between Indigenous children, ancestors and their Traditional Territories.

This bilingual book includes full text in both English and Plains Cree.

Review Quotes

"Dramatic images created by Delreé Dumont fill double-page spreads with the intense beauty of flower-filled meadows, reedy ponds, golden grasses, and northern lights. Little ones ready for sleep will find comfort in the words as they speak to the bond that exists between Indigenous people and the land they call home. A mother's warmth and love are reflected in the words she speaks."

-- "Sal's Fiction Addiction"

"[A] soothing, lyrical picture book...Intricately detailed, the pages look like beautiful beadwork...An ideal read-aloud choice. Highly recommended."

-- "CM: Canadian Review of Materials"

★"In warm, soothing language, a mother speaks to her infant, poetically describing their ancestral surroundings and reflecting on traditional Cree knowledge...Luxuriantly alive with glowing colors and textured patterns, Dumont's (Onion Lake Cree Nation) exquisite pointillist illustrations resemble three-dimensional beadwork. This eloquent and insightful picture book (...) honors the enduring relationship between a child, their ancestors, and the land."

-- "Booklist, starred review"

"The book's lexical simplicity and visual dynamism will engage even the youngest readers, providing a beautiful glimpse into the unbreakable bond between Indigenous people, their lands, and their ancestors who are still a part of them. Like a stirring song, this tale will move readers with its tranquil, reverent tone."

-- "Kirkus Reviews"

About the Author

Tonya Simpson is of Scottish and Cree ancestry. She is a member of Pasqua First Nation and was born and raised in central Alberta. Tonya completed the MA program in anthropology at the University of Alberta and now works as a research assistant. Her first picture book, Forever Our Home, introduces readers to the animals and plants of the Prairies and the Plains. Tonya lives with her family at Pigeon Lake in Westerose, Alberta.

Delreé Dumont (Wapiski Kihew Esquao / White Eagle Woman) is a proud member of Onion Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan. She paints in the pointillism style, depicting the natural world blended with her teachings and experiences as an Indigenous woman. She also creates smudge fans, dreamcatchers and pine-needle baskets, and she is a traditional powwow dancer. Delreé lives and works at her home studio near Revelstoke, British Columbia.

Dorothy Thunder is a Plains Cree (nêhiyawiskwêw) from Little Pine First Nation, Saskatchewan and full-time Cree instructor in Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta.