REVIEWS
Te mental health of youngsters has been a persistent topic of conversation, not only among educators and other school staff, but also parents, guardians and caregivers. Whether in the staff room or in the school yard at pick-up, we all know that many On- tario children are struggling. As educators we feel the weight of this challenge, as well as a lack of funded, staffed mental health resources. Catherine Hernandez’s most re- cent picture book, Where Do Your Feelings Live?, refocuses this effort on young children themselves and their feelings. Hernandez and illustrator Myriam Chery
WHERE DO YOUR FEELINGS LIVE? By Catherine Hernandez, illustrated by Myriam Chery HarperCollins Canada, 2022 32 pages, $24.99 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Reviewed by Gordon Nore
explore big, confusing feelings small chil- dren experience and reimagine them as animals that youngsters can interact with. In one instance, the reader is asked, “When you’re someplace unfamiliar, how do you feel?” Te feeling is characterized as a large pink-and-purple ostrich that buries its head in the sand. Te author reassures the reader, “Your feeling is wise to close its eyes until the bad things go away. Welcome your feeling into your cozy blanket fort until it is safe.” In other scenarios, children grapple with
everything from parents arguing to witness- ing the righteous anger of an anti-racism
Deidre Havrelock’s Buffalo Wild! is a beauti- ful book that brings Indigenous teachings to life in an easy-to-understand way. Declan is a little boy who loves learning
BUFFALO WILD! By Deidre Havrelock, illustrated by Azby Whitecalf Annick Press, 2021 32 pages, $21.95 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Reviewed by Kat Honeywell
about buffalo from his Kokum, who loves to share her excitement about the once- numerous animal with her grandson. Declan wants to live in a world with the buffalo. One night he asks for the buffalo to return and to his amazement they appear in the sky trying to come home. Trough some creative think- ing, Declan helps the buffalo, only to realize there is a reason the buffalo are disappearing. Luckily, the Creator answers his request for help and leaves Declan with a few buffalo to enjoy the magic of the creature while living in harmony with them. Tis book is an excellent read for the el-
ementary classroom, especially Primary and Junior levels. Students in Kindergarten will love the story and Azby Whitecalf ’s illustra- tions, which are wonderfully craſted, with characters that come alive within the book’s pages. Older students will be able to under-
protest. Hernandez consistently respects what the child is trying to express and how they react to it, instead of having adults tell them how they should feel. Hernandez as- sures children that their feelings are legiti- mate, as well as manageable, and reminds adults that we can support them. For readers aged four to seven, Where Do
Your Feelings Live? is perfect for class discus- sions, as well as art and journaling activi- ties. Te book connects to the healthy living strand of the 2019 Ontario health and physi- cal education curriculum, in which students “learn about mental health as a part of over- all health and begin to build understanding about the connections between thoughts, emotions, and actions.” Similarly, the 2016 Ontario Kindergarten
program stresses that, “educators help pro- mote positive mental health in the classroom by providing children with opportunities to learn adaptive, management, and coping skills; communication skills; and relationship and social skills – the personal and interper- sonal skills they need to develop resilience, a secure identity, and a strong sense of self.”
Gordon Nore is a member of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto.
stand more of the messaging in the book. Buffalo Wild! is a great prompt to discuss what happened not only to the buffalo but also other endangered animals. It asks us to consider what we can do as a society to help protect these animals and all of nature. At the back of the book there is some add-
ed information about the Buffalo Treaty and what it means to Indigenous Peoples. Tis material can help facilitate a discussion of what the treaty means and what its goals are. Tis book could be added to any class-
room library. Te story is a great way to teach students about Indigenous teachings and customs, protecting animals, and what happens when society doesn’t protect these creatures. It can be taught as a specific lesson or a standalone read aloud.
Kat Honeywell is a member of the Ottawa Carleton Teacher Local.
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