• Age: 8 to 18
• Grade: 3 to 12

In The First Flute, David Bouchard tells the story of a young man given the name Dancing Raven. He was a dancer - the best from all the nations. But the other men and boys in his village don't appreciate Dancing Raven's talent - hunting, fishing and tracking are the truly important talents. Dancing Raven must prove to his village the importance of his song.

British Columbia's best-selling author and most sought-after public speaker has presented to hundreds of thousands of educators, parents and students the world over. This former teacher and principal of 28 years champions literacy. His message is spelled out in his best selling books The Gift of Reading and For the Love of Reading.
"The greatest gift we can give our children is the gift of reading and there is no magic in giving it. There is no toy or program that will do the job for us. It takes time, commitment and most of all, fire. We cannot hope to light a fire in the hearts of others without a fire burning in our own. Light and stoke yours, then spread the flame fast and furious. Let literacy be your legacy."
Bouchard outlines individual roles and responsibilities in ascertaining that all children are given the gift of reading. He inspires like none other and leaves his listeners with a concrete plan and the rejuvenation needed to face literacy issues head on.
Born and raised on the Canadian prairie, the author of over twenty five best selling books now lives in British Columbia with his wife Vicki and their combined family of seven.
David Bouchard's books have won several prestigious awards, among them: the Governor General's Award for The Song Within My Heart in 2004 and the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry award for Voices From the Wild in 1997. If You're not from the Prairie is listed on MacLean's list of the Top Twenty Children's books in the history of Canada.
You can access his web page at www.davidbouchard.com.

David Bouchard's profile page

Jan Michael Looking Wolf is a renowned and award-winning Native American flute recording artist and performer. He has recorded 18 CDs and 3 DVDs. He lives in western Oregon.

Jan Michael Looking Wolf's profile page

Don Oelze's profile page

"Audiences will quickly become immersed in the combination of storytelling, music, and artwork. . . Looking Wolf's music is atmospheric and moving. Masterful paintings, lush, vibrant, frequently suffused with sunlight?do not so much extend the text as accompany it, as if selected after the fact rather than crafted for it. If a bit patchwork, the package is still powerful."
— Kirkus Reviews

"The First Flute is a reverent retelling of a Dakota traditional story about the importance of names, and the value of music. Presented in both English and Dakota, each poignant page is accompanied by a stunning realistic painting of majestic, stirring portraits of figures from a Plains Peoples time past. . . Together the book and audio CD create an immersion experience of Native story telling."
— Midwest Book Review

"This is, once again, a winning collaboration by author, artist and musician. . . The design is impressive; the accompanying CD shares the story in English, French and Dakota. Jan Michael Looking Wolf's haunting flute playing is wonderful and adds special meaning to David's retelling of this traditional Dakota story. . . Dan Oelze's detailed images are infused with light, and set in the beauty of the prairie landscape. His fascination with North American Native life is evident on every page, giving readers clear context for Dancing Raven's life and experiences."
— Sal's Fiction Addiction blog

"The straightforward text, in both English and Dakota, is accompanied by dazzling works of art that feature richly attired characters and handsome horses against lush backgrounds and stunning vistas."
— Booklist Online

"The illustrations by Don Oelze are stunning and add a detailed visual to the to the storytelling. Before the story, there is a section entitled “Protocol?. Bouchard explains that this version of the story was told by Standing Elk, the uncle of the flutist, Jan Michael Looking Wolf. Bouchard also outlines the proper protocol for storytelling. The First Flute makes a good addition for any collection. The inclusion of the CD makes The First Flute stand out as readers can also experience traditional storytelling and the evocative sounds of the flute music to accompany the book.
Recommended. "
— CM Magazine