This Land

K-Gr 3–Fairbanks and George, both Anishinaabe, combine accessible prose and detailed illustrations in this introduction to the centuries of abuse faced by Indigenous communities in North America. In a first-person narration, an unnamed white child explores the history of the family’s home and the land around it, which once housed “a whole village full of families…even annoying little brothers” before Europeans “forced most of those families to leave their homes.” Gentle, straightforward language explains the harrowing treatment Indigenous communities have endured since the Columbian exchange, and the ways these cultures have persisted. A song, to the tune of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” reminds readers that “Indigenous people have always been here, and they’re still here, wherever we go.” As the characters learn about the pre-Columbian history of their town and vacation destinations including the Grand Canyon and New York City, earth-toned digital illustrations depict children and families from various Indigenous communities past and present. Back matter includes discussion questions, an explanation of land acknowledgements, and suggested ways to “learn more about Indigenous people in your area.”