The Hawk Shadow

In the new story by Jan Bourdeau Waboose and Karlene Harvey, The Hawk Shadow, readers enjoy an escape to the river and learn some Indigenous knowledge along the way.

Serenity and Big Ed are on their way to the Hawk River to do some fishing. Serenity is so excited to be going fishing with her big brother and her enthusiasm makes it hard for her to listen to the forest and river songs. When they get to the river she quiets her mind and uses her knowledge to help her catch a big one.

Jan Bourdeau Waboose shares a day in the life story with readers. I love these stories that are all centred around a day with family, doing things that families do while also sharing a little bit of Indigenous wisdom and knowledge with readers.

The brother/sister dynamic in the story is wonderful. They are kind with each other but also tease out of love which is something I have come to understand is quite familiar for many Indigenous families as a way to express their love for each other. I also appreciate how Big Ed is reminding Serenity of how to walk the path in a good way and listen for the teachings and songs from the nature all around. In the end, it’s that knowledge that helps Serenity help her brother out of a real jam.

The illustrations by Karlene Harvey are so beautiful. She captures the joy and the light of a trip through the forest on a sunny day perfectly and immerses readers into the sights and sounds of the day. It’s easy to get lost in the illustrations and even hear the sounds of the crow and the hawk through the pictures.