• Age: 6 to 8
• Grade: 7
• Reading age: 6 to 9

First Nations peoples and Native Americans in North America have long believed in the power of spirit animals or totems. They believed that these animals had lessons to teach and healing or inspirational powers:

- One of the strongest spirit animals, the bear is known as the grandfather for many peoples; they are seen as strong, powerful creatures that can never die. Bears also mean leadership, confidence and courage. - The buffalo/bison is a symbol of strength and power but also of life because for many peoples it was the major source of food, hides, etc. White Buffalo Woman is also a strong spirit, teaching people to walk through life in a sacred manner. - Trickster and the creator in one is the coyote, and some say that humans descended from the coyote. Legends tell that the coyote brought fire, knowledge of herbs and food to the humans but at the same time brought death. - The lizard is a gateway animal to the dream world - Many peoples call North America Turtle Island because the turtle carried the earth on its back. Turtles carrying the earth must have peace and balance, so turtles are symbols of these attributes. - The wolf is known to many as the Great Teacher. Wolves taught many humans how to form communities and to hunt. The medicine of a wolf is very strong and can offer much but also demands full participation and sincerity.

Wayne Arthurson delves into the world of spirit animals and shows the meanings of these animals to Native peoples and how nature has made its mark on their world.

Wayne Arthurson, 2016 writer-in-residence for Edmonton libraries, is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Saturday Night, Air Canada's En Route, Writer's Digest, Canadian Living, and AlbertaViews.

Fall from Grace, the second novel in his Leo Desroches series, won the 2012 Alberta Readers' Choice Award.

Wayne is also the author of several history books and the co-author of the most popular fanblog for Amazing Race Canada, Gord and Wayne's Amazing Race Canada. He is a husband and father, and he drums in a band which is as yet unnamed, in Edmonton, Alberta.

Wayne Arthurson's profile page

Spirit Animals: The Wisdom of Nature

Spirit Animals is a compendium of knowledge regarding the relationship between Native peoples and animals. The author claims that indigenous peoples have a different view of animals than others. When Aboriginals kill an animal they use every part of the animal. They honour the animal that has sacrificed its life for humans. This book is a guide to introduce the significance of animals to Native people. There are three main sections: Air, Earth and Water. Air contains Crow, Eagle, Owl and Raven. Earth has Bear, Buffalo, Cougar, Coyote, Dog, Horse, Polar Bear, Spider, Wolf and Deer. Water animals are Beaver, Duck, Muskrat, Orca, Salmon and Turtle. The format for each animal includes attributes, legends from many different Native groups, interesting facts, clan references and spiritual aspects of each animal. A Native American zodiac is included.