Les enfants de l’eau [écrit par Angèle Delaunois; illustré par Gérard Frischeteau]

Cette histoire est sur le sujet de comment des enfants des cultures différentes voient l’eau. Les pages décrivent plusieurs perspectives. Ce livre serait utile dans une salle de classe parce qu’il permet aux élèves de voir des lieux différents autour du monde, ainsi encourageant la diversité. De plus, l’auteur a

mis la traduction de “l’eau est la vie” dans la langue qui correspond avec la culture de l’enfant qui raconte leur relation avec l’eau, donc il y a un élément d’exposition à des nouvelles langues. Ce livre est facile à lire et contient des très belles illustrations. À la fin du livre, l’enseignant(e) peut trouver la liste des pays/régions qui sont décrits par chaque enfant.

LBTQI+ Parented Families and Schools [by Anna Carlile and Carrie Paechter]

This book goes beyond studying how gay and lesbian parents and their children have experienced schools. The authors have taken into consideration the experiences of trans (including those who identify as non-binary), queer, and intersex parents as well as the experiences of gay and lesbian parents. This book covers topics such as, but not limited to, media representations of LGBTQI+ parented families, the visibility/invisibility of LGBTQI+ parented families in school policies, and the experiences of children of LGBTQI+ parents at school. Carlile and Paechter are both established authors, having published many books and articles between them, although this is their first collaborative work.

Rhodes Must Fall [by Rhodes Must Fall, Oxford]

The commemoration of colonial leaders through publicly displayed statues is a topic that has been in the news on several occasions recently, both in the United States and in Canada. The Rhodes Must Fall movement was started after an act of vandalism against the statue of Cecil Rhodes at the University of Cape Town in Africa. The focus of this work is on the group Rhodes Must Fall, Oxford (RMFO), and their efforts to decolonize an institution that has served the British elite since the 12th century. This book is divided into three parts. Part one highlights the voices of RMFO, part two looks at similar movements at the national level, and part three contains reflections and global perspectives, as well as what it means to decolonize education in the 21st century (Rhodes Must Fall, Oxford, pp. xxi-xxii). Rhodes Must Fall features many diverse voices, but they all share “a common theme of decolonization and liberation” (Rhodes Must Fall, Oxford, p xxii).

Surviving Canada: Indigenous Peoples Celebrate 150 Years of Betrayal [edited by Kiera L. Ladner and Myra J. Tait]

2017 marked the Canada’s 150th year as a country, which meant that celebrations took place all over the country throughout the year, albeit with the main events happening in Ottawa. However, as the title of this book suggests, there was little cause for celebration among Canada’s Indigenous peoples. This work was written with the goal of educating, challenging and inspiring better Canadians and better Indigenous people (Ladner and Tait, p 12). The authors featured in this book are political and community leaders, scholars, artists, and activists. The essays contained within the pages of this book cover a multitude of topics, such as the legitimacy of the Canadian state, missing and murdered Indigenous women, and reconciliation. This collection is excellent to read cover to cover, but it is also excellent for those looking to read on specific issues.

A Moment Comes [by Jennifer Bradbury]

This Young Adult novel takes place in India in 1947 during a tumultuous time: the impending creation of Pakistan, meant to be a Muslim country separate from the Sikh. The British are also still very present at this point, which adds another layer of unrest to the story. This novel is told through three different perspectives: Tariq, who wants to study at Oxford but is working in a white man’s home; Anupreet, who works in the same man’s home; and Margaret, who is the daughter of the white man employing Tariq and Anupreet. Tariq is Muslim and Anupreet is Sikh, which means she is off limits to Tariq despite his interest in her. But Margaret’s affection for Tariq may help him get to Oxford. This book would be useful in a high school classroom for a world history unit, particularly as an example outside the norm of Western history. A Moment Comes is Jennifer Bradbury’s third novel.