Heart Berry Bling
Heart Berry Bling by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Eva Campbell is an intergenerational story about traditions, culture, beauty and bling.
Maggie visits Granny in the city from time to time and when she does, she loves sitting with Granny as she beads. Granny always prepares delicious food to eat and there are always a multitude of beautiful glass beads to admire. All the colours of the rainbow can be found at Granny’s house. On this particular visit, Granny shows Maggie how to make a pair of beaded earrings and talks to her about beading, the Indian Act and her Auntie Jeannie, who taught her how to bead. They spend a lovely day together and Maggie goes home with her very own heart berry bling.
Intergenerational stories are always special. Showing readers the joy that can come from a strong relationship with an elder is one way to hopefully be sure that our elders are cared for and not forgotten as they age as so many are in North America. Grandparents are some of our most impotant teachers and Maggie’s Granny is a wonderful teacher full of wisdom and patience.
Jenny Kay Dupuis tells a fictional story about an Anishinaabe girl visiting with her Granny, which has it’s foundations in some real life experiences for herself as well as others she knows from her community. She ensures that readers are aware of how discriminatory the Indian Act is and how it especially discriminated against Indigenous women and it is only very recently that women who marry non-Indigenous men are able to retain their status and for those who lost it, to reclaim their status. It’s a small part of the story but a very impactful one. It’s not told with sadness but with strength and resolve. Maggie knows that it was unfair for Granny to experience losing her community but is learning from Granny and welcomes all that Granny has to teach her.
Jenny Kay Dupuis also includes information about the Indian Act how the changes to the Act came about. She also give credit to the women who lead the charge for change.
Eva Campbell’s illustrations exude the warmth and love between Maggie and Granny. She captures the joy and the stillness of beading together in unison. Readers will enjoy seeing all of the beautiful colours of beads and the gorgeous final product.
