This book is the sequel to Road Allowance Kitten and follows sisters Rosie and Madeline as they travel with their family and pet kitten to Green Lake, a Métis settlement in Northern Saskatchewan. The story is centred around the resilience that many Métis showed when they discovered that the land, promised to them by the government, was inhospitable for farming, forcing them to be displaced and, as with Rosie’s family, relying on the kindness and generosity of others to find a new start. English text in this book is accompanied by a Michif translation by renowned storyteller Norman Fleury, and there is an oral telling in both languages on CD. With the inclusion of additional historical information, traditional recipes, and other resources, this book offers students an authentic perspective of the Métis people and their way of life.

45 pp., 8.5 × 11", colour illustrations

Wilfred Burton (Métis) • Christina Johns (Métis), illus.

Source: Association of Book Publishers of BC - Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools (2021-2022)

Wilfred Burton, a proud Michif, grew up in the Midnight Lake area of Saskatchewan. He was an elementary teacher, university instructor, and literacy coordinator before retiring. In retirement, he is extremely busy doing contract work for various educational publishers, and volunteering at Gabriel Dumont Métis Local 11, Li Toneur Niimiyitoohk Métis Dance, the Open Door Society, and various other organizations. Wilfred is the author of several Métis-specific children’s picture books, including the Fiddle Dancer series, which he co-authored with Anne Patton. He wrote Roogaroo Mickey, Road Allowance Kitten, The Big Tease, Road Allowance Kitten: Broken Promises, and a set of emergent readers called the Taanishi Books, co-authored with Angela Caron. He also co-authored Master of the Métis Fiddle with Cheryl Troupe; John Arcand: The Man, The Music, The Festival with Cheryl Troupe, and John and Vicki Arcand; as well as Let Me See Your Fancy Steps with Sylvie Roy and Jeanne Pelletier. His identity and love of Métis storytelling, fiddle music, and dance was a gift from his mother, Georgina Nolin. Currently you might find Wilfred beading, working in the garden, practising the fiddle, or playing with his two feline friends, Leo and Baptiste (Ba-chees).

Wilfred Burton's profile page

Christina Johns' profile page

Originally from St. Lazare, Manitoba, Norman Fleury is a gifted storyteller and teacher. Dedicated to the conservation and promotion of the Michif language, he has contributed to dozens of language resources. He currently teaches Michif in the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan.

Norman Fleury's profile page