Once upon a magical time, a young rabbit named Weeskits hurried home to Kisoos—a town known as the Earth’s belly button—to deliver some thrilling news. Salamoo Cook, the Grand Chief of all rabbits in the world, was on his way to announce a mysterious contest. The prize? A year’s supply of all-healing waaskee-choos juice fresh from spruce cones that have just fallen. Would Weeskits be able to help his brother Keegach win the juice to rid his wife of the dreadful manchoos? From Tomson Highway, acclaimed author and playwright, best known for his plays The Rez Sisters and Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing and most recently his award-winning memoir, Permanent Astonishment . Grand Chief Salamoo Comes to Town! is a laugh-out-loud riot of a tale, interspersed with eight jazzy songs performed in Cree. This musical picture book includes a QR code to access the narrated story and songs online and a glossary of Cree words used throughout the tale.
In the six decades since he was born in a tent in the bush of northernmost Manitoba, Tomson Highway has traveled many paths and been called by many names. Residential school survivor, classical pianist, social worker and, since the 1980s, playwright, librettist, novelist and children's author.
He is fluent in French, English and his native Cree. In 1994 he was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada -- the first Aboriginal writer to receive that honour. In 2000, Maclean's magazine named him one of the 100 most important people in Canadian history.