Thomas loves to tell stories. Big stories. Stories about how skilled he is on the land. But when one of his friends grows tired of his tall tales, Thomas has to prove how skilled he really is. Taking the challenge to spend a night alone in the forest, Thomas heads into the wilderness. The trees, who have heard his stories, watch him tear off their bark and litter as he goes. And so, while Thomas sleeps, they dance a dance that will leave Thomas with a very different kind of story to tell—if he can find his way home…

Prizes

Short-listed for First Nation Communities READ Award (Canada).

“. . . the fable accomplishes its educative goal while entertaining readers with memorable characters and suspense.”

* Kirkus *

Educators looking for a contemporary story that focuses on honouring the land may find The Dancing Trees to be a useful resource. A boastful adolescent boy agrees to a challenge by his friends: to spend a night in the bush—alone. His Elders have tried to instill a respect for nature, but he litters, breaks branches, and pulls bark off trees. The trees decide to teach him a lesson. Wet, hungry, scared, and lost, Thomas remembers his grandma’s words, cleans up his mess, and finds his way home. The colourful illustrations and present-day characters will engage young readers, while the author’s message will be easily identified. This story is suitable as a read-aloud, read-to-self, and as a springboard to learning about connecting to and respecting nature.

* Books BC - Indigenous Books for Schools *

Masiana Kelly is Inuit and Dene from Kugluktuk, Nunavut, and Fort Simpson, NWT. Masiana is her Inuinnaqtun name. She was named after an Elder from Kugluktuk, where she currently lives with her husband and two sons. Masiana has been an educator for over 10 years and has always loved literacy and the art of storytelling, which she studied at the University of Alberta. She has always wanted to write children's stories to share the legends, traditions, and culture that she grew up with.

Michelle Simpson is a professional illustrator & designer based out of the Niagara Region. Michelle graduated with a BAA in Illustration from Sheridan College and now works as a full-time freelance illustrator. She has worked as a concept artist at KeyFrame Animation for kids cartoons such as Ollie: The Boy Who Became What He Ate (season 2) and Tee and Mo (season 1).