Michael Redhead Champagne has written an important book that encourages children to embrace their uniqueness and recognize the special qualities they have to bring to the world. Children are asked to think about themselves and discover what their unique gift may be. To help those who don’t yet know what their special gift may be, Champagne suggests three steps to nurture ideas and dreams, emphasizing unique contributions that make our gift worth sharing with the world.

The illustrations in this book enrich one’s perspective of cultural experience as well as individual beliefs, while fostering empathy and inclusion.

Other End Matter: Teacher’s guide
Images: Colour illustrations
Contributor Affiliation: Author Michael Redhead Champagne (Shamattawa First Nation), Illustrator Tiff Bartel
Bibliography: Yes
Index: No

Evaluator: Debra H., Elementary School Teacher, Indigenous Books for Schools

Michael Redhead Champagne, born and raised in Winnipeg’s North End, is an award-winning community organizer, public speaker, and a proud member of Shamattawa First Nation. Michael believes we all have a gift and shows youth the path to discover their own. He is solution oriented and passionate about building system literacy, encouraging volunteerism, and engaging communities to be involved in the design, delivery, and evaluation of any initiative that affects them.

Michael leads by example and travels across Canada sharing his gift with others. Whether he is speaking to educators, youth, the business community or the not-for-profit sector his goal is the same, to help heal, shape and create a call to action for everyone.

Michael Redhead Champagne's profile page

Tiff Bartel is an award-winning Viet-Canadian multimedia artist based in Winnipeg. Her body of work includes illustration, filmmaking, design, animation, music, sculpture, and more.

Tiff Bartel's profile page

• Nominated, Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Perfect for a conversation about social and emotional skills….a great springboard to talk about the important skills we need as humans and how sharing our gifts impacts those around us.

@myliteracyspace

Champagne’s debut picture book presents a simple, practical call to action for young readers, making it clear that embracing one’s true self is beneficial not only for oneself but for the world around them. Tiff Bartel’s cheerful illustrations, via dynamic, active images, depict a diversity of children and their gifts, thereby complementing Champagne’s inclusive message.Recommended.

CM Association

An engaging, encouraging primer on how to develop one’s skills to make the world a better place.

Kirkus

The gifts of children shine as bright as the stars in the sky…no gift is too small and no gift should be dismissed.

Penticton Herald

Among@ParentsClub Book Recommendations

@ParentsClub