Review by Booklist Review
Forever Our Home was originally written as a lullaby by the author for her newborn son, and this illustrated book extends its essence to all Indigenous children. Written in both Plains Cree and English, the song addresses children, assuring them of their place among the wondrous flora and fauna of a homeland where the spirits of ancestors can be felt and promising them that a future is secure. The illustrations depict expanses of breathtakingly beautiful landscapes in all the seasons. In these realistic, hand-painted renderings, nature is foregrounded so that the focus is on foxes, hawks, and deer against backdrops of lush meadows abloom with fireweeds and tamaracks and skies alive with sun and clouds, leaving no doubt as to their importance. On some pages, humans are completely absent, and in others they are small figures on the horizon, suggesting humility and connection rather than domination. The back matter and biographical information provide additional context for the message and the art.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K--Simpson's debut picture book, written in both English and Plains Cree, is a tribute to her homeland in the prairies and plains. Adapted from a lullaby she wrote for her newborn son, the lyrical text highlights the wildlife of the area while affirming her family's ancestral place in the land. "My sweet, beautiful child," she writes, "home is where the hawks hunt and the foxes run wild. This, my love, is where you are from." Simultaneously, Joseph's vivid spreads center the plants and animals of the area as the most visually important elements on the page, with the family frequently pictured as passing through in the distance, or on some pages absent entirely. It's a lovely reminder that our homelands belonged to so many more before us. With a continuing dearth of Indigenous voices, this solemn and serene volume should be considered a first purchase. VERDICT Essential for most collections, and with its wildlife-centric art, it's also a perfect read-aloud for Earth Day.--Lindsay Loup
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A tender hymn to the prairie in all seasons. Simpson (Cree/Pasqua First Nation) offers simple rhymes and gently rocking cadences in verse that extols the connection between a young child and the animals, plants, wind, and sky that comprise this landscape: "Where the morning sun glows / and the tiger lily grows // where the young bucks still roam, / this my baby is your home." Light, full-bleed illustrations by Cree artist Joseph include close-ups of wild creatures--deer, foxes, horses, hawks, chickadees, frogs, an owl--along with landscapes that convey the feel of wind and sun in a prairie meadow. "Where fireweed paints the hills come summer / and eagles rule the sky // this is where your spirit can feel / your ancestors as they pass by." Here the ancestors are depicted as translucent spirit faces like blossoms among the branches of a tree, while on the opposite page the outline of a child's profile contains a crescent moon and starry night sky. On other pages eagles soar overhead, bright splashes of wildflowers and tamaracks dot grassland hills, coyotes howl in a snowy landscape, a brown-skinned family, cued as Indigenous, walks together, and children dance. This one is nicely pitched to the youngest of listeners: "The morning is so happy that you are here. / Its colors are a gift to you, my dear." (This book was reviewed digitally.) Uplifting and joyous. (Picture book. 1-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
