pêyak little duck

PreS-Gr 3–This well-crafted picture book by Lamouche (Cree) and First Nations artist Littlechild follows a Cree child and her mother as they take a springtime walk in the prairie: “pimohte./ Come this way./ Let’s count in Cree all the things we see!” As they observe birds, they count from one to 10 in Plains Cree. Simple rhyming prose, along with phonetic pronunciation, helps readers sound out the Cree words, as in: “Peyak [pronounced Pay-yuck] little duck./ I see one splashing in the muck.” Gouache and digital collage illustrations add appealing details. As the young girl in her boots and yellow raincoat spies each bird, her eyes widen in delight. Outlined in broad lines with splashes of color, the birds have character as well. Ducklings waddle, loons dive, and eagles circle the sun. An afterword helpfully reiterates each of the phrases, accompanied by small pictures and phonetic pronunciations; the book concludes with encouragement and resources for further learning.