This is a story about the love, dreams, and hope a mother has for her unborn child, shared in words and meaningful imagery (for example, the unborn child connected to the strength of ancestors). Throughout the story, the mother talks about the important changes the child will bring to the world, Indigenizing spaces in a way that the child’s ancestors could only hope, such as continuing cultural Traditions and speaking out against injustice. In a sensitive, child-friendly way, the images refer to colonial harms juxtaposed against a growing plant that grows as the child grows. Inside the front cover, the mother is planting the seeds, and inside the back cover, the plant is fully grown with orange petals.

A lesson plan is available for purchase from Medicine Wheel Publishing: https://shop.medicinewheelpublishing.com/products/my-little-ogichidaa-lesson-plan

Cautions / Content Warnings: The author mentions the children who died at residential school and indirectly references MMIWG with an image of people wearing red with a moosehide pin.
Other End Matter: None
Images: Colour illustrations
Contributor Affiliation: Author Willie Poll (Métis), Illustrator by Hawlii Pichette (Cree)
Bibliography: No
Index: No

Evaluator: Alethea S., Elementary School Teacher, Indigenous Books for Schools

Willie Poll is a proud Metis author from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, who who has spent the last ten years working in Indigenous education. She is very passionate about supporting Indigenous youth to reach their dreams and reclaim their power. Together We Drum, Our Hearts Beat as One is her first book.

Willie Poll's profile page

HAWLII PICHETTE, une artiste et une illustratrice urbaine de la communauté Mushkego Cree (Traité n° 9), vient d’une famille multiethnique. Née et élevée dans la petite communauté de Cochrane, en Ontario, elle est profondément influencée par sa culture, son éducation et le monde naturel. Elle vit à London, en Ontario.

HAWLII PICHETTE is a Mushkego Cree (Treaty 9) urban mixed-blood artist and illustrator. Born and raised in the small community of Cochrane, Ontario, she is deeply influenced by her culture, her upbringing and the natural world. She lives in London, Ontario.

Hawlii Pichette's profile page

"An Indigenous mother walks through the woods reciting an anthem of strength, power, and social change to her unborn child. The lyrical text is reinforced by illustrations in richly hued colors. The empowering narrative and stunning artwork combine for a lovely tribute to a future child...this is a recommended first purchase." - School Library Journal Starred Review
"...beautifully surreal. [An] inspiring picture book celebrating Indigenous children, families, and culture." - Publishers Weekly BookLife Review
"...lovely, lyrical picture book... a love letter to the next generation. The colorful, vivid illustrations depict the beauty and wonder of childbirth... Whether readers are Indigenous themselves or not, this book is a celebration of human life and the resilience that can be found in even the most challenging of situations. Beautiful and heartfelt, this is a lovely addition to a family's home library." -- Children's Literature, A CLCD Company
"Willie Poll’s My Little Ogichidaa is a celebration of matriarchs past, present, and future." -- Quill & Quire
"My Little Ogichidaa is not just a story; it’s an immersive experience and a powerful legacy passed down through generations." — Auburn Lane