The Dancing Trees

A story about the importance of honouring the land, The Dancing Trees by Masiana Kelly and Michelle Simpson teaches us to never take too much and always give thanks for the natural world.

Thomas is a boastful child. Not only is he a boastful child but he also doesn’t seem to care very much for the environment, always throwing his garbage on the ground. One day he is challenged to prove his boast about spending the night alone in the forest and in doing so learns the importance of giving thanks and caring for the world around him.

The Dancing Trees is a great book to remind readers the importance of being caretakers. It is our collective responsibility to take care of the land and given the climate crisis, this message could not be more important. Masiana Kelly shares with readers a thoughtful story based in her grandparents Inuk/Dene teachings. I love that this story is in book form so that many readers can enjoy it but I would absolutely love to hear it told in the oral tradition. It reads like a story you would listen to instead of read. The book is not only available in English but also in INUINNAQTUN, preserving and teaching the language for future generations. It’s a long story so keep that in mind when sharing it as not all children have the same ability to sit still and listen to longer stories.

Michelle Simpson’s illustrations are bold and colourful. They have an animated quality that is really appealing to young readers and given the length of the story, the illustrations hold onto the reader’s interest.