Bebikaan-Ezhiwebiziwinan Nimkii: The Adventures of Nimkii

by Stacie Sheldon, Rachel Butzin (Illustrator), Margaret Noodin (Translator)

In this beautifully illustrated children's book, readers will experience the world in a new way as they see the seasons through the joyful eyes of Nimkii, a fun, nature-loving dog who will teach them a whole new Ojibwemowin, a language spoken by the indigenous tribes in parts of Michigan, Ontario, northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and Alberta.
Whether hunting for maple trees in the fall, playing in the snow in the winter, enjoying the spring showers, or swimming in the summer, Nimkii seeks out activities that allow her to enjoy her natural surroundings. Fun and inspiring, this bilingual book helps children and adults communicate in new ways while exploring different elements of culture.

24 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2020

Reviews

[James R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book after attending a talk by author, Stacie Sheldon, on Indigenous Peoples Day. I was moved to tears during the talk and I had heard of this book, so I bought it for my 5-year-old. My daughter was captivated by the pictures (such beautiful artwork and illustration!). We counted raspberries and animals and thoroughly enjoyed our bedtime routine with this new edition. Although I struggled to speak Ojibwe we also had English to fall back on and there are resources for pronunciation. See the link here: https://ojibwe.net/nimkii-book/. Being able to hear the words was really helpful! I am so happy to be able to introduce my daughter to a different language. My daughter often picks up the book and "reads" to herself (she really reads the pictures). I recommend this book to anyone, of all ages actually. It is a piece of art and history.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The text is simple and follows Nimkii the dog through the seasons and on a number of small adventures. The illustrations of Nimkii capture the playful mischievousness of dog life and remind me of my own dog. As a vessel for preserving and sharing language, this is a simple and fun introduction to Anishinaabemowin and I wish we had more such resources to share and explore, but languages are definitely not my strength.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book and read it to my child yesterday. The pictures are captivating and the story is wonderful. I loved the way the language was conjugated in different ways so as to build fluency and a deeper understanding of verbs. It was fun, silly, and had some good teachings in it too.
Great for kids and language learners.