Tomson Highway is an award-winning and beloved Cree playwright, novelist, and musician. The book is illustrated by French illustrator Delphine Renon, who draws in a contemporary, non-traditional style but includes some traditional imagery. This hilarious tale revolves around a rabbit community that participates in a contest to win a year's supply of the illustrious Waaskee-choos juice, judged by Grand Chief Salamoo. The book is enriched with lyrics in a variant of Woods Cree and in Standard Roman Orthography for Cree, followed by translations in English.

The book includes a QR code linking to a narrated version by Jimmy Blais, a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation. Tomson Highway aims to provide children the opportunity to hear the Cree language as commonly as popular children’s songs. Combining humour and engaging illustrations, this book is a valuable resource for children to connect with the Cree language.

Cautions / Content Warnings: Due to its cancer treatment theme, this story may not suit families dealing with the disease, as it involves exclusion.
Other End Matter: Glossary, pronunciation guide, teaching guide
Images: Colour illustrations
Contributor Affiliation: Author Tomson Highway (Cree), Illustrator Delphine Renon, Narrator Jimmy Blais (Cree)
Bibliography: No
Index: Yes

Evaluator: Anika L., Middle School Teacher, Indigenous Books for Schools

Tomson Highway was born near Maria Lake, Manitoba in 1951. His father, Joe, was a hunter, fisherman and sled-dog racer, and his family lived a nomadic lifestyle. With no access to books, television or radio, Highway’s parents would tell their children stories; thus began Highway’s life-long interest in the oral tradition of storytelling. When he was six, Highway was taken from his family and placed in residential school in The Pas; he subsequently went to high school in Winnipeg and then travelled to London to study at the University of Western Ontario, earning a music degree in 1975 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976. Instead of becoming a professional concert musician as he had at one point contemplated, however, Highway decided instead to dedicate his life to the service of his people. Fluent in Cree, English and French, he was for six years the artistic director of Native Earth Performing Arts, the first and most enduring Native professional company in Canada which he also helped found. From 1975 to 1978 Highway worked as a cultural worker for the Native Peoples’ Resource Centre. He has worked for the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture and also for the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres as a program analyst. From 1983 to 1985 he worked as a freelance theatre artist before becoming the artistic director of the De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Theatre Company in 1986. He has been writer-in-residence at the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, and Concordia University. Tomson Highway is widely recognized for his tremendous contribution to the development of Aboriginal theatre in both Canada and around the world. In 1994, he was inducted into the Order of Canada, the first Aboriginal writer to be so honoured.

Tomson Highway's profile page

Delphine Renon is a French illustrator, ceramicist, and graphic designer. After graduating from École de Communication visuelle de Paris, she joined Éditions Nathan jeunesse where she became artistic director in 1998. Since 2014, she has illustrated over 30 picture books including The Quiet Crocodile and Emmett and Caleb, which was nominated for the 2020 Kate Greenaway Medal.

Delphine Renon's profile page