Swift Fox All Along

What does it mean to be Mi'kmaq? And if Swift Fox can't find the answer, will she ever feel like part of her family?When Swift Fox's father picks her up to go visit her aunties, uncles, and cousins, her belly is already full of butterflies. And when he tells her that today is the day that she'll learn how to be Mi'kmaq, the butterflies grow even bigger. Though her father reassures her that Mi'kmaq is who she is from her eyes to her toes, Swift Fox doesn't understand what that means. Her family welcomes her with smiles and hugs, but when it's time to smudge and everyone else knows how, Swift Fox feels even more like she doesn't belong. Then she meets her cousin Sully and realizes that she's not the only one who's unsureand she may even be the one to teach him something about what being Mi'kmaq means. Based on the author's own experience, with striking illustrations by Maya McKibbin, Swift Fox All Along is a poignant story about identity and belonging that is at once personal and universally resonant. (From Annick Press)

Swift Fox All Alongwasa finalistfor the 2020 Governor General's Literary Prize for young people's literature illustrated books.

RebeccaThomas is aMi'kmawwriter living in Nova Scotia. She was the Halifax poet laureate from 2016 to 2018. She is also the author of thechildren's bookI'm Finding My Talk, which is a poem responding to theiconicRita Joe poemI Lost My Talkand the poetry collectionI place you into the fire.

Maya McKibbin is a two-spirited Ojibwe, Yoemeand Irish illustratorand filmmaker.Swift Fox All Alongis her first picture book.

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Interviews with Rebecca Thomas

The Next Chapter16:12Rebecca Thomas on I place you into the fire

Rebecca Thomas talks to Shelagh Rogers about her poetry collection I place you into the fire.