Beauty And Bounty From Our Beloved

One year it was eighty quarts in one day from that single garden patch.  Even now, almost fifty years later, it still seems impossible that many berries were picked.  Those strawberries were carefully washed more than once and trimmed.  They were used in jams, pies, shortcakes, frozen to be enjoyed in winter and shared with family and friends.

This task was accomplished on a sunny, blue-sky day with a balmy breeze.  The only sounds were from birds, insects, and quiet comments from a fellow picker.  Once in a while, a berry found its way into our mouths.  There is nothing sweeter tasting than a freshly picked strawberry.  All my memories of berry gathering are times shared with family, but the most breathtaking depiction of familial berry gathering shines in Berry Song (Little, Brown And Company, July 19, 2022) written and illustrated by Michaela Goade, a member of the Tlingit Nation and Caldecott Medalist.  Through her luminescent illustrations and eloquent words we are conveyed to another place and time.

On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea,

Grandma shows me how to live on the land.

From the water herring eggs are found nestled on hemlock branches, seaweed along the shore is plucked, and salmon is gathered in nets near a falls. Venturing from the water, the grandmother and her grandchild move to the forest.  It's time to pick berries.

The berries are singing to them.  As they begin to gather the berries, they sing out the different berry names.  They continue to sing for the berries and any bear in the area.  Grandmother and child know the land speaks to them as they speak to it.

As they work, the land communicates to them through their sensory experiences.  They, in turn, express their thanks.  This relationship between the land and the people is one of stewardship and provider.  It has been honored from generation to generation and will continue into the future.  

The child knows we are not separate from the land or the sea.  We are intrinsically linked.  At home, the gathered berries are cooked into delectable goodness, some consumed immediately and others to be savored later.  Outside the seasons are shifting.  Years pass and that granddaughter goes into the forest again, her little sister holding her hand.

With a single sentence, author Michaela Goade takes us into a wonderful world, a world full of the blessings given to people by our seas and land. Sentence by sentence, each one like the verse in a mantra spoken through time, our relationship with our beloved planet grows stronger.  Her words sing out an acknowledgement, affection, and deep appreciation in a timeless and timely tribute.  Here is a passage.

The forest sings to us,

through misting rain

and whoosh of wing,

the sweet smell of cedar

and the tickle of moss.

We sing too, so the land

knows we are grateful.

When you look at the front, right side, of the open dust jacket, it looks as though the berries and leaves have the grandmother and her grandchild in a loving embrace.  The grandmother openly welcomes this as her granddaughter relishes it.  The color palette shown here is just a hint of the beauty that follows within the pages of this book.  The berries here are varnished.  To the left of the spine, on the back, different berries and leaves frame a depiction of the sea and land cloudy with mist.  There we read some of the words to the berry song---

Thimbleberry, Swampberry,

Bogberry, Chalkberry,

Lingonberry, Raspberry,

Bunchberry, Cranberry

On the book case, the back portion to the left of the spine is identical to the jacket.  The front of the case is different.  It is here we can see how the berry song is passed from one person to another person.  The grandmother on the jacket has been replaced with an older version of her granddaughter.  Next to her, with eyes closed, is her younger sister, contented and committing the berry song to memory.

On the opening and closing endpapers against a deep blue, green and black blended background, artist Michaela Goade has featured, between the two sets of endpapers sixteen different berries with their foliage.  Each berry is labeled with their Tlingit name and more common name in white.  On the opening endpapers is A Note To The Forager citing the wisdom of only selecting foods you know are edible and to do so with 

an experienced adult.

On the title and verso pages is a double-page picture of the entire area, a bird's eye view through mist.  On the left in the upper portion we can see their home.  Along the bottom edge, we are close to berries.  Throughout the book, these two-page and single-page images are rendered

in watercolor and mixed media.

Several of the double-page visuals show more than one activity.  Many of the single-page illustrations are framed by a liberal amount of white space or flora.  All the images are a resplendent depiction of what the grandmother and her granddaughter are doing at any given moment, but are also an invitation to readers to observe the world surrounding them.  

One of my many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  The color palette reflects the sun dipping toward the horizon. Warm and rusty rose covers the view at the top of the page of land and sea.  Bald eagles rest and fly on the right side.  On the left side on a hilltop in glowing yellow and green hues sits the grandmother and granddaughter, full berry bowls next to them.  The grandmother holds her granddaughter close as they look at the vista before them.  The scene is replete with flora native to the area.  Along the bottom are berries with their leaves.  To join them there would be a great gift, but just seeing this image is enough.

This stunning book, Berry Song written and illustrated by Michaela Goade, is a reverent ode to the land and sea and its bond to us.  At the close of the book two pages are dedicated to Tlingit life, island life, and Michaela Goade's experiences picking berries.  She also discusses three paired phrases used in this story---

We speak to the land

as the land speaks to us.

We take care of the land

as the land takes care of us.

We are a part of the land

as the land is a part of us.

I know you'll want to have a copy of this book in both your personal and professional collections.  With every reading its elegance grows.

To learn more about Michaela Goade and her other work, please access her website by following the link attached to her name.  Michaela Goade has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view the book trailer.

Michael Goade Presents BERRY SONG from LB School on Vimeo.

Guardians Of Life

For some it starts at an early age.  We are taught by our parents, grandparents or adult mentors, to nurture and care for Earth in her entirety.  For me it was my father.  We spent early morning and evening hours in summer on the lakes and rivers fishing.  He taught me to watch the weather, the time of day and how fish might think.  We walked for miles in the woods in autumn during bow hunting season.  To and from our spot, he was always whispering to me about the various trees and plants and how to look for signs left by all animals.  (On our hunting trips, an animal never lost its life in our presence.  There is a reason for this, but that's another story.)

When it came to water, my dad had rules.  You never put anything on or into the ground which might harm the water table or any animals who frequented that area. You used water sparingly, except for keeping a garden healthy or for drinking.  To this day, I'm the one homeowner digging out hundreds of certain unwanted weeds from my gardens and lawn rather than applying harmful chemicals.

Having lived near many different small lakes and rivers or one of the Great Lakes in Michigan for more than sixty-eight years, I have witnessed their splendor and their challenges due to the careless hands of humans.  We Are Water Protectors (Roaring Brook Press, March 17, 2020) written by Carole Lindstrom (Anishinaabe/Metis and tribally enrolled with the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe) with illustrations by Michaela Goade (of Tlingit descent and tribally enrolled with the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska) is powerful in both words and artwork.  It speaks to the fierce dedication of Indigenous Peoples to guard our water and invites everyone to stand strong against those who wish to do it harm.

Water is the first medicine, Nokomis told me.

We come from water.

A grandmother chats with her granddaughter explaining how water sustains all life and how water connects us all.  Water is to be cherished.  Its sounds and movements are our sounds and movements.

It is foretold there is a deadly danger coming.  It is described as a black snake.  This black snake will bring destruction to Mother Earth, water and all the flora and fauna.  Unfortunately, the black snake has arrived, poisoning all it touches, poisoning the water.

This granddaughter listening to her elders, places their words in her heart.  There, those words fuel her actions.  She will protect her people.  She will protect their water.  She will lead them in fighting the black snake to preserve Mother Earth.

This young warrior knows this is difficult, but who else is to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Our planet and every living thing upon it, needs us to step forward as its caretakers.  Nokomis taught her granddaughter that water has a spirit, a spirit with memories of individuals' spirits.  For this reason, this daughter of Mother Earth and other Indigenous Peoples are strong in their resolve, battling as one against the black snake.  Join them.


With her meticulously chosen words, Carole Lindstrom, builds on generational traditions with respect to the vital role water plays in all aspects of life.  It is by listening to elders a continuous connection is created.  Each sentence contributes to the energy building within this narrative.

Woven into this story is the repetition of a poetic chorus, like a heartbeat, supplying strength and inspiration to readers.  This pulse ties the other portions together as if we are running in a race with the number of participants swelling until they stop and remain firm like a wall of resistance against a common foe.  Here is a passage.

The river's rhythm runs through my veins.
Runs through my people's veins.


Looking left to right across the matching and open dust jacket and book case, readers find themselves marveling at the beauty of the scene before them.  On the left, toward the upper, left-hand corner wide ripples of water waves in several hues of teal. These move over the spine to the right, in front and behind the granddaughter.  She stands tall, confident in the midst of the water, a beacon for her people.

As you can see, above the water is the royal blue landscape.  It is topped by people clasping hands, a line of defense.  These people extend over the spine to the left edge.  This entire setting is placed beneath a star-studded sky.  Some of the waves of water, as well as the granddaughter, are varnished.

The opening and closing endpapers are a pale yellow.  On the initial title page, the text is placed in a wash of blue.  On the verso and title pages waves span from left to right, providing a canvas for the words.

The illustrations by Michaela Goade, according to an interview were rendered in watercolor with

some colored pencil and gouache detailing with some digital edits in photoshop at the end.

These mostly double-page images are sweeping in the portrayals of water, the land, animals, trees and flowers and the people.  At times other details are super-imposed on the central illustration generating an effect of layers.  One page flows into the next page, like water.  The pages holding the repetitive chorus show an increase of people each time, representing a gathering force.

Each picture asks readers to pause and ponder the reality and the symbolism depicted.  To accentuate the words, Michaela Goade gives us varying points of view.  We are brought close to a hummingbird sipping nectar among flowers as other insects and a snail go about their day.  The colors are brilliantly natural.  We gaze in wonder at a landscape of rolling hills, a wide river (or lake) bordered by dense forests and a small cabin near the water.  A family of bear wander on one shore as a deer drinks from the water on the other shore.  Two birds watch from a distance as the sun lowers in the sky.  The colors are rich shades of golden yellow, pink, purple and blue.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  The canvas is a pale, nearly white, blue.  In the center stands the granddaughter.  She is looking forward, at the reader.  The tresses of her hair become swirls of water flowing out to the edges and bottom of the page.  On top of the water are stunning pink and peach water lilies, lily pads and fish.  Her hands, palms up, are cupped.  This is the picture for the passage quoted previously.


This book, We Are Water Protectors written by Carole Lindstrom with art by Michaela Goade, pays homage to water, the Indigenous Peoples who protect it and invites others to participate.  At the close of the book in a portion titled More On Water Protectors, the author talks about tribal traditions, prophecies and paths.  Her motivation for writing this book were the events surrounding the Standing Rock protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline.  Here is an excerpt.

This is not just a Native American issue; this is a humanitarian issue.  It is time that we all become stewards of our planet so we can protect it for our children and our children's children.

A title is supplied for additional reading as well as a glossary of six terms.  The Illustrator's Note is very informative.  Here is an excerpt.

Standing Rock is just one powerful example of what happens when we rise up, resist, and join together in solidarity for Mother Earth regardless of where we come from.  

The final page, Earth Steward And Water Protector Pledge, has a place for a name and a date.  With certainty I can recommend this book for every personal and professional collection.  Its value is priceless.

To learn more about Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their respective websites.  Carole Lindstrom has accounts on Facebook and Twitter.  Michaela Goade has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  Here is a link to an activity kit provided by the publisher. This book and its creators are featured at Publishers Weekly, and CBC-Radio-Canada.  Carole Lindstrom is highlighted at KidLit 411 and Prairie Public News.  Michaela Goade is showcased at Let's Talk Picture Books.  Carole Lindstrom reads their book in this video.

UPDATE:  You will enjoy this interview with Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade about this book at author Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations.