Author Nicola Campbell’s beautiful and didactic story A Day with Yayah has been included in the list of picture books for the BC First Peoples 12 Teacher Resource Guide. Developed by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and the First Nations School Association, this guide is designed “to bring relevant and appropriate learning materials to teachers in all BC schools, including First Nations, public and independent schools”, as the FNESC website describes. The site goes on to explain that this guide focuses on “holistic, student-centered learning” and provides, “students and teachers opportunities to develop their own learning activities with an emphasis on local First Nations and other First Peoples living in their region”.
Set in the Nicola Valley, British Columbia, A Day with Yayah follows the grandmother, Yayah, as she passes down her knowledge of the natural world to her young grandchildren. The joy experienced and the richness of the land the characters explore is emphasized by Julie Flett’s collage-like illustrators. Aptly described by the Globe & Mail, “by using a story about family and nature as a conduit to share Nłe?kepmxcmn, Campbell nimbly proves how the way we speak is intertwined with the rest of one’s life, and why it is essential to preserve Indigenous languages with a new generation.”.
It is with gratitude that we acknowledge and celebrate the recognition of this important book.