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Reviews
The Gift Is in the Making: Anishinaabeg Stories by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Amanda Strong
kimuchi's review
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
eschnitger's review
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
carolinepl's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
rutt's review
5.0
powerful to hear the language and to hear these stories this winter. i listened to the audio and loved it. would listen again. would love to read the text with my eyes too sometime.
tomikorobson's review against another edition
4.0
I found this in the Yellowknife Public Library connection and read it so I could cross out another square on the adult read Indigenous bingo card…I’m so glad I found it! It’s a gem.
kiranmacarena's review
4.0
A solid anthology of folklore and stories. It is clearly meant for a younger audience but it still holds up with an older reader. The editing needs quite a bit of work.
I recommend this read with a tab opened to the Anishinaabeg. There's a lot of lore to dig through.
I recommend this read with a tab opened to the Anishinaabeg. There's a lot of lore to dig through.
anniemackillican's review
4.0
This is the kind of book that was totally different than what I expected, but I liked it a lot anyways. I picked this up as part of my quest to read everything Leanne Simpson has ever written, and I found an incredible gem in this book.
This book is a retelling of a number of different Anishinaabe stories about the land, specifically in Michi Saagiig Nishinaabeg territory, all starring Nanabush. Simpson makes it clear at the start of the book that her ideal reader (or listener) for this text is a young child, but that the stories will be useful to all to understand the history of the land.
I found myself finding specific stories in this collection that I wanted to read to my class, as they finished up an assignment about maple sap harvesting this past week. I also found myself finding stories I want to read to my kids some day.
Simpson’s scattered use of Anishinaabemowin throughout the text can only be described as comforting. I felt proud of myself when I remembered a word without looking at the index at the end of each story. I also gave myself the occasional “good enough” when I confused frog with duck, or something similar.
If you live in an area that is traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, I highly recommend giving this a read. It is an invaluable primer to the history of the land and the stories that live in the earth.
This book is a retelling of a number of different Anishinaabe stories about the land, specifically in Michi Saagiig Nishinaabeg territory, all starring Nanabush. Simpson makes it clear at the start of the book that her ideal reader (or listener) for this text is a young child, but that the stories will be useful to all to understand the history of the land.
I found myself finding specific stories in this collection that I wanted to read to my class, as they finished up an assignment about maple sap harvesting this past week. I also found myself finding stories I want to read to my kids some day.
Simpson’s scattered use of Anishinaabemowin throughout the text can only be described as comforting. I felt proud of myself when I remembered a word without looking at the index at the end of each story. I also gave myself the occasional “good enough” when I confused frog with duck, or something similar.
If you live in an area that is traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, I highly recommend giving this a read. It is an invaluable primer to the history of the land and the stories that live in the earth.
acrues's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
abbie_'s review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
3.5
This is such a lovely little collection to listen to on audio! It’s a collection of traditional Anishinaabeg stories, written to be read aloud to children and adults alike. They have moral teachings, but aren’t meant to brow beat the reader. They’re gentle reminders of Anishinaabeg values, such as the importance of community, respect for natural resources and the land and respect for one another. The narrator, Tiffany Ayalik, does a delightful job of bringing these stories to life with their humour and whimsy. Since they’re meant to be heard aloud, audio is the perfect way to experience this collection! They’d be ideal as bedtime stories for both children and adults.
I was appreciative of the Anishinaabemowin vocabulary at the start of every story. The author said one of the intentions of this collection was not to teach the language but to spark an interest in it, which I think is definitely achieved!