A great read and a perfect teaching tool for National Indigenous History Month!
Explore Métis history from the fur trade era in this time-travelling adventure for young adults.
Pemmican Wars is the first volume in the acclaimed A Girl Called Echo graphic novel series by Governor General's Award–winning author katherena vermette. Blending time travel, historical fiction, and coming-of-age, this Indigenous graphic novel introduces readers to Métis history through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Echo Desjardins.
Separated from her mother and adjusting to life in a new home and a new school, Echo struggles to find where she belongs. An ordinary history class turns extraordinary when Echo is transported to the prairies of 1814. There, readers will discover:
- A time-travelling adventure that connects a contemporary Métis teen with the history of her people
- Important events in Métis and Canadian history, including the Pemmican Wars, the fur trade, traditional bison hunting practices, and the events leading to the Battle of Seven Oaks
- A historically grounded portrayal of the prairies in the 19th-century and the experiences of Métis communities
As Echo moves between the present and the past, she experiences Métis history firsthand, gaining a deeper understanding of her identity, her community, and the connections that reach across generations.
Pemmican Wars brings to life the people, places, and events that shaped Métis history and Canadian history. It's an engaging introduction to Indigenous graphic novels, historical fiction, and stories of identity and belonging, Pemmican Wars is an excellent resource for classrooms, libraries, and readers interested in Métis history, Indigenous perspectives, Canadian history, and graphic novels for teens.
Price: $18.00
Pages: 48
Publisher: Portage & Main Press
Imprint: HighWater Press
Publication Date:
December 5, 2017
ISBN: 9781553797357
Format: eBook
BISACs:
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Comics & Graphic Novels / Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island, YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Indigenous / Historical, YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Historical / Canada, YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Family / Orphans & Foster Homes, Graphic novel / Comic book / Manga: Historical, American style / tradition comic books, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Historical fiction, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Places and peoples, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Family and home stories, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Families and family members, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Girls and women, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Racism and anti-racism
In this YA graphic novel, an alienated Métis girl learns about her people’s Canadian history. [...] A sparse, beautifully drawn story about a teen discovering her heritage.
Henderson’s realistic art and perfect pacing, particularly in the pages of wordless panels depicting Echo’s daily routine, highlight her silent nature and hint at the source of her unspoken sadness. Solitary teens are likely to strongly identify with Echo and look forward to more of her adventures.
Vermette expertly juxtaposes the isolation of an aboriginal teen in the current day with the emphasis on working together in traditional Métis communities. Henderson’s artwork and Yaciuk’s colours help to emphasize the differences between the past and present, as gorgeous prairie panoramas in vibrant hues contrast with crowded, dingy hallways and buses. [...] This reviewer is eagerly awaiting the second volume of the series.
— Roseanne GauthierRecognition is due Katherena Vermette’s collaborators on Echo – illustrator Scott B. Henderson and color artist Donovan Yaciuk. Because Echo speaks so seldom, it’s on the illustrations to convey key details about her life. And they do so with subtlety and grace!
— Jean MendozaStrong use of comics technique, a unique examination of a fascinating time of history, and the thoughtful narration by an aboriginal teen make this a must-read and a strong classroom or library choice.
— Meghann Meeusen...feelings of alienation, of loneliness, of not belonging, either at home or at school, are experienced by both genders and those teens – male or female - who eat their lunch alone and wander the halls without friends will understand Echo's plight. Recommended.
— Joanne PetersThe carefully constructed panels and sparse, meaningful dialogue skillfully remind us the past is never truly in the past but constantly living with us in the present. A Girl Called Echo is a series to watch.
— Alicia Elliott
