Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
With a title that echoes a song long protested as erasing Indigenous history, this work--part of the Race to the Truth series--aptly communicates the issue of land acknowledgments. As the book opens, a child narrator notes how "this is my house.... Before us, another family lived here"--a concept that introduces "a whole village full of families, laughing, cooking, and playing," whom European settlers would forcibly remove to reservations. A question the child asks during travels ("Who lived here before the people who live here now?") leads to several spreads that acknowledge Indigenous homelands ("At the Golden Gate Bridge, I learned that the Ohlone have been fishing here for thousands of years"). Shape-based art by Anishinaabe illustrator George (Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior) foreground landscapes and portraiture in this work about how Indigenous people "have always been here, and they're still here, wherever we go." And Anishinaabe author Fairbanks, making a picture book debut, renders a memorable message: "This land is sacred./ This land is living./ From the Black Hills/ to Pueblo Canyon,// From the swampy bayous/ to the salmon swimming,/ this land all has a history." More about land acknowledgment concludes. Ages 4--8. Author's agents: Jess Regel, Helm Literary. Illustrator's agent: Nicole Geiger, Full Circle Literary.(Aug.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--Fairbanks and Podemski create a formidable Anishinaabe pair, reminding audiences that throughout this American land were Indigenous families forced from their homes "when people came here from Europe," and banished to "move onto small pieces of land called reservations." A young girl with an Anishinaabe friend learns the history and culture of the Indigenous people through sharing food, songs, rituals--most importantly, she learns to ask, "who lived here before the people who live here now?" Havasupai, Yavapai, Paiute, Hopi, Zuni, Hualapai, Apache, and Diné call the Grand Canyon home; Ohlone fished in San Francisco Bay; Lenape inhabited NYC. "This land all has history." Fairbanks appends further information about land acknowledgement, discussion questions, and resources. VERDICT "When we learn about the history of the land we live on, we begin to heal the wounds of our past," Fairbanks encourages. Podemski gently but firmly emphasizes that need to know.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Anishinaabe creators Fairbanks and George encourage young people to consider the history behind the land they live on. At home, surrounded by family, a white-presenting child with long red hair contemplates the past. "Before us, another family lived here. Before that, another family lived here, too. And another. And another." The unnamed narrator recounts how European colonizers expelled Native Americans from their homes and forced them onto reservations. An Anishinaabe boy named TJ, who's friends with the protagonist, and his grandmother Noko have taught the young narrator to honor Indigenous peoples' connection to the land. They remind the protagonist that "Indigenous people have always been here, and they're still here, wherever we go." The child reflects on these principles often: "Now, whenever my family goes somewhere, I ask, 'Who lived here before the people who live here now?'" Thoughtful backmatter urges readers to take land acknowledgments seriously and to find ways to act beyond merely cultivating awareness. Though the book's lessons will resonate more with non-Native audiences, many young Native readers will appreciate the reverence shown to Indigenous people (past and present). Accompanied by engaging, comic-style artwork, this is a gentle, age-appropriate introduction to Indigenous history and cultures. A stirring tale that fosters respect for Native peoples. (discussion questions, learn more about Indigenous people in your area) (Picture book. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
