On the Trapline is a beautiful story following a boy and his grandfather as they return to a special hunting spot his grandfather used to frequent. It's sprinkled with Cree words and definitions that my pre-schooler and I practiced. This book is over the head of my young son, but would be excellent for an elementary age child. Or, honestly, I enjoyed it as an adult.

The illustrations are realistic but artsy and inspiring. The story is structured well, beautiful, and wonderfully paced. It has that dreamy sense of nostalgia as we see a loving grandfather through the eyes of a child, and also, as the adult, I could see the child and the places through the eyes of the grandfather. It's a stunning story.

Aside from its beauty, it's a story with lessons to teach. I enjoyed taking a little step into another culture and place, taking a glimpse into the past.

Thank you Tundra Books and NetGalley for an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This is a beautiful book, conveying the warmth, curiosity, and easy stillness that can exist in a relationship between a child and their grandparent. The simple story shows the healing power of returning to the place one first felt home and belonging, and sharing the stories with another. The spare text honors the act of remembering one's connectedness to land and history through the child's wonder at natural beauty, in the addition of Cree words and their meanings, and in the inclusion of the child and his grandfather at the community feast at the close of their visit.

Illustrations by Julie Flett invite the reader to pause and breathe, leaving room for conversation with young hearers about where they might find themselves in this story and what do they wonder about?