"The Little Duck: Sikihpsis", written by Cree author Beth Cuthand from Alberta, with Cree language accompaniment by husband Stan Cuthand, is a heart warming children's story of an unhappy duck who struggles to fit in. The book is published by Theytus Books, a company that focuses on local and First Nations authors. The bright and bold illustrations are done by Mary Longman, who comes from the Gordon Band in Saskatchewan. This picture book is aimed at children ages 3 to 7, tells the story of a duck who feels lonely and out of place with his fellow ducks. So, he goes on a trip to meet the admired Cree people nearby his pond. Sadly though, the Cree people cannot understand his quacks and he isn't able to join in on their dances and traditional practices. In the end, the duck realizes that he fits in perfectly with the other mud ducks.
There aren't many reviews on this book other than it is a recommended resource on the website Aboriginal book publishing website Strongnations.com as a book for young elementary school students in a bundle of educational materials. However, the fact that the story comes from all First Nations contributors and the story contains both English and Cree text makes this book especially unique and worthwhile to read. The only drawback of this book is that it could benefit from an audio recording of the story being read in the Cree language, which would make for a great educational tool. Otherwise, this books serves as a solid introduction to the Cree language and culture.
Reference:
Cutand, B., & Cuthand, S. (2003). The little duck: Sikihpsis. Penticton, BC: Theytus Books.
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