Pistes d'exploration

Discuss the idea of a tradition.  Does your family share any traditions? What traditions do Clarence and his grandmother share?

In pairs, choose one of the illustrations. What do you observe about the picture? How does it make you feel? Create another illustration that shows that feeling. Write a caption for your illustration.

List the ways Clarence and his grandmother showed respect for the woods. As a class, write a set of guidelines for walking or hiking. 

Read the pronunciation guide to the Cree words. What do you notice abut the language? Compare long and short vowel sounds in Cree and in English. 

Discuss traditions you have with your grandparents. What activities are involved? 

Read a variety of books about grandparents and their grandchildren. Use an appropriate graphic organizer to compare the activities, relationships and feelings expressed in these stories.

Write your own story about several activities you do with your grandparents, using Clarence’s story as a model. Offer it as a gift to them.

Mots-clés

Picture book , berries , bilingual text , Cree , forests , grandmothers , Indigenous peoples , intergenerational relationships , traditions

Commentaire descriptif

Through this gentle and intimate story, Cree-Metis author and illustrator Julie Flett introduces young readers to the Cree language and culture. Every year, a grandmother and her grandson share in the tradition of blueberry picking, heading off to a nearby clearing in the woods to fill their buckets. Together, they see local wild animals, revealing a simple respect for nature and the environment. The simple storyline highlights the relationship between the boy and his grandmother, and how it is strengthened by this yearly tradition: “When Clarence was little, his grandma carried him on her back.” “Now Clarence carries his own bucket and walks behind grandma okoma.” Cree words in the n-dialect, Swampy Cree, can also be found on each page. A glossary and pronunciation guide are included. Muted watercolour illustrations bring to life the sparse forests of northern Canada and give special attention to the wild creatures living throughout the woods. A great introduction to indigenous culture, Canadian geography and an appreciation of nature, this is a story that will resonate with everyone who treasures memories of times spent with a beloved grandparent.