When the Trees Crackle with Cold

by Bernice Johnson-Laxdal, Miriam Körner (Illustrator)

A bear sleeping safely in her den, Kohkom telling a story by the fire, the trees crackling with cold—we are all connected to the seasons and the cycle of nature. The calming rhythm of the words echoes the rhythm of the land in this timeless picture book about the moon calendar of the northern Cree, and its warmly rendered watercolour illustrations bring Saskatchewan’s north to life. When the Trees Crackle with Cold is written in English and the northern Plains Cree y-dialect, inviting Cree and non-Cree speakers alike to explore the traditional moon calendar.

Genres: Indigenous, Picture Books, Canada, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

[Keitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful watercolours and I loved the Cree names for the months. For example, May, my birth month, is called "Leaf Budding Moon". The Cree pronunciation guide at the back is also very helpful.

[C2015 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous gorgeous book. I didn’t realize they viewed there were six seasons.

[BJ Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love love love the title! Gorgeous illustrations. Dialectally thoughtful. Helpful pronunciation guide at the back of the book. Fun and well incorporated bilingualism. Sweet.