• Age: 4 to 8
• Grade: p to 3

Nibi is determined to bring clean water to her community.

Nibi is the Anishinabemowin word for water. In Nibi’s Water Song, Nibi is an Indigenous girl on the search for clean water to drink. Though she is faced with repeated obstacles, Nibi’s joyful and determined energy becomes a catalyst for change and action as her community rallies around her to make clean drinking water available for all.

First published in 2020, Nibi’s Water Song was shortlisted for both the IODE Jean Throop Award and longlisted for the First Nations Communities READ Award. This dual language edition presents the text in both English and Anishinabemowin.

CHIEF LADY BIRD est une artiste Chippewa et Potawatomi des Premières Nations Rama et Moosedeer Point qui est basée à Toronto. Elle défie constamment les idées préconçues envers les peuples autochtones en chapeautant des initiatives d’art urbain, des ateliers communautaires, des projets d’illustration digitale et des techniques d’art mixtes. Elle est connue pour ses murales partout sur l’île de la Tortue. Elle signe les illustrations des albums jeunesse Nibi a soif, très soif et Un si beau sourire.

CHIEF LADY BIRD is a Chippewa and Potawatomi artist from Rama First Nation and Moose Deer Point First Nation. The first artist to create an emoji for Twitter for Indigenous Peoples Day/Indigenous History Month, she uses digital illustration, mixed-media work, street art/murals, and community-based workshops, to centre contemporary truths and envision Indigenous Futurisms. She is the illustrator of Nibi's Water Song and Smile So Big.You can find her online as @chiefladybird.

Sunshine Quem Tenasco's profile page

TINA NOTTAWAY is an Algonquin Anicinabe Ikwe artist and translator from Rapid Lake, Quebec. She is fluent in her language, Anicinabemowin. Tina is also a crafter and facilitates workshops on moccasin making, birchbark basket making and other cultural activities.

Tina Nottaway's profile page

Praise for Nibi's Water Song:

“Tenasco writes openly and honestly about the unequal treatment of Indigenous communities . . . Nibi’s song conveys the powerful message that clean water is a basic human right that should be afforded to everyone regardless of their ethnicity. The book successfully functions as a catalyst for an important conversation between parents and children. Yet, despite the subject matter, the text remains age-appropriate.” —Quill and Quire

←

“One gutsy girl leads the way.” — Kirkus Reviews

←

“The compelling narrative with its accompanying illustrations explains the fight for clean water in simple and relatable terms, making this a great first purchase.” —School Library Journal

←

“Nibi’s arc educates readers about the lack of potable water in many Indigenous communities while encouraging children to speak out about conservation issues.” — Publishers Weekly

←

“Astute readers will easily draw connections to the news headlines about the Dakota Access Pipeline protests by the Standing Rock Sioux.” —The Horn Book

←

“A good introduction to this under-reported injustice.” — Booklist