Beautiful, loving story of an adult sharing their wishes for a child. Would make a lovely bedtime story, and an excellent writing prompt for educators to use with young students. The words are beautiful, and the illustrations are absolutely amazing!

Thanks to Monique Gray Smith, Orca Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this title.

Such a lovely book about the hopes the narrator has for the children in their life. Reminiscent of "I Wish You More" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, I Hope is light and positive and makes readers feel cared for and loved. The illustrations featuring so many different children are filled with joy and beauty as well.

Sometimes the simplest books are the best. This book is the authors list of hopes for the children and families reading it. A reader can feel the love coming off the pages in the words and in the illustrations. The words are presented in both English and Plains Cree. (It is also available in just English and in French). Even without both languages this book is five star. I love to see the two languages side by side. I personally have no hope of trying to pronounce the Cree without assistance, but Indigenous people deserve books by indigenous authors and to see and read in their language. Even without both languages this book is five star. The duel languages yanks this book up to a 10.

I really enjoyed this book, that reminded me a lot of Monique Gray Smith's When We Are Kind. This one has simple statements about aspects of our character that we hope to see in ourselves and others paired with great illustrations from Gabrielle Grimard. Each spread has a translation in Cree. About the only complaint is that I couldn't find this one on Goodreads.

This is a wonderful book written in English and Cree with a warm message of hope. You can feel love coming off the pages. Looking forward to adding this to my library and reading to students.

Having the book in both English and Plains Cree was very cool and I love when children's books are published (like the Beautiful Yetta books that are in English, Yiddish, and Spanish). I think it's something that needs to be implemented more often given the chance. Especially with languages that are not as widely known or spoken.

The illustrations are beautiful and flowing and very fitting for the theme of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

I hope is such a simple yet positive book! i loved the simplicity in the writing and complexity in the beautiful illustrations.

This is, quite simply, gorgeous.

Written in English and Cree, this is a lovely story of hope and love and a reminder to be kind to all those around us, including our earth. In reading this, I so wish I knew how to read/pronounce Cree - it was so fascinating and I love that kids will be able to encounter this language in this lovely book and I hope that it encourages them to seek out more of this and other languages other than their own.

I loved every page of this - what a lovely, lovely, lovely read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Monique Gray Smith, Gabrielle Gimard - Illustrator, Delores Greyeyes Sand - Translator, and Orca Book Publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Introduction

I hope that you and those you love know joy
nipakosêyimon kiya êkwa kisâkihâkanak
ka-kiskêyihtamêk miyawâtamowinp. 1

I Hope / nipakosêyimon is a new picture book by Monique Gray Smith with illustrations from Gabrielle Grimard. This edition is also translated into Plains Cree by Dolores Greyeyes Sand. This is an upcoming book, set to be released in September 2022, which I received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The book consists of hopes we have for the children in our lives while asking them what their hopes might be for themselves and those around them.

The Good Stuff

Well I hope you're happy, Monique Gray Smith, because once again I have cried because of your book. This is another beautiful addition to your bibliography and I'm thrilled for the chance to include it in our library's collection when the time comes around. My other favorite from Gray Smith is My Heart Fills With Happiness (with illustrations by the incomparable Julie Flett), so a similar book talking about looking forward and wishing the best for the children in our lives is a perfect compliment. Let's dive in to what makes it so wonderful.

The Illustrations

Often the easiest place to start is with the pictures that accompany the text, so let's dive in to Grimard's work here. It's gorgeous! It's another wonderful, representational effort that helps to show that the hopes in Gray Smith's text are universal for the children we love. Different bodies and activities are represented, and I especially appreciate the inclusion of "Every Child Matters" in the latter pages. The soft colors and gentle, somewhat sketchy linework gives a dreamlike quality that emphasizes the specific hopes that Gray Smith puts forth. There's a sweet simplicity to the artwork that I really appreciate and can't wait to share with my patrons.

The Text

Now we get to talk about the text, and what a text it is! The quote at the top of this post is the very first thing that we get to read when coming into this book, and it truly sets the tone and expectation for the rest of the book. The other hopes are similar, sweet things; the best part is that they are universal and not limited to one culture or experience. Without giving the experience away, they are things that we should all wish for the children in our lives and should actively work to ensure they get. Additionally, I'm always thrilled to see Indigenous languages featured in children's books! I'm really happy that I got the chance to review the edition with the Plains Cree translations next to the English. (That said, I'm Odawa, so I hope that there will be a pronunciation guide if I ever have to read this one out loud!)

In Summary

Genuinely, what a treat to get to read this book. My coworkers may or may not have heard me gasp out loud when I saw it come across my NetGalley Recommends feed, so needless to say I will be pestering our Collections friends the minute it's published. This book is highly recommended.

This book is written in Plains Cree and English. It's such a beautiful simple book expressing hopes for children. Hopes that they will smile and laugh. Hopes that they will receive comfort when they need it. Hopes for the caretaking of our environment and hopes for personal responsibility. The words and illustrations are simple but powerful. The illustrations integrate such a mix of skin colors and identities, and I loved that the book ended in asking kids what their hopes are. Kudos to Monique Gray Smith for this lovely book!

Miigweetch to Netgalley and Orca Book Publishers for the DRC.

The story is told from the vantage of an older adult (presumably grandmother but I feel like it could also be an auntie or family friend; it’s not specified who the speaker is which is nice because it leaves it open to reader interpretation), who speaks of their wishes and prayers for a younger loved one.

The language is simple, straightforward, and powerful. I recommend this book for elementary readers and above, although the message is applicable for all ages. This is the book that I wish my Nokomis (grandmother) had been able to write to me.

Having the Cree translation alongside the English text was a wonderful addition and I hope we continue to see this trend of integrating Indigenous languages into slice-of-life stories and not limiting it to certain genres or the historical past.

This book is so sweet and warm. I love that, in the closing lines, the narrator brings things back to what the child wants.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of "I Hope / nipakosêyimon" by Monique Gray Smith in exchange for an honest review!

This book is catered toward the age ranges of 3-5 but I think it has appeal for a wider range. The story is short and brief, but the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and the messaging is sweet and memorable. I can see a person of any age marveling at the combination of imagery and prose. With it being for kids 3-5, I do think it is age appropriate. The book is short enough to not lose their attention, the pictures take up the entirety of the pages and are bold and beautiful, and the message is comprehensible. Kids that age may not understand the depths of the story, but the feelings associated with the words are what they will remember and I think kids will look back on this story fondly.

What is even more incredible is how the story is both in English and Plains Cree. I don't speak Plains Cree but I imagine there are tons of little kids who speak it that will be excited to have a story they can understand in their native language. I also think anyone who is reconnecting and trying to learn the language will enjoy this because it is simple enough to help them learn. I would really love some stories like this in Bodewadmimwen. I would read them until I had them memorized. I can easily see that happening with this book.

Ultimately, it has appeal for its target audience, while being expansive enough to appeal beyond the age range. I am also just really obsessed with the messaging, the imagery, and more. I also like that it shows native kids of all different types of looks, from blonde hair and white skin to type super curly brown hair and dark brown skin. Native children of any type of outward appearance will be able to look at this book and see themselves represented on the page. I also loved that one of the girls in the story wore the trans flag on a shirt, in subtle solidarity. This book is 5 stars for me and I absolutely adore it.

Sweet book about hope. The hope that we all have for our children, no matter where they come from. As always Monique Gray Smith gives us a sweet picture book with lovely pictures, and great sentiment to warm the love in our hearts.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

This book written by an Indigenous award-winning author, tells the story of the hopes and dreams parents and grandparents have for the children they are raising. Told in alternating English and Plains Cree, the story is also a wonderful way to bridge the two cultures and languages and remind children of the importance of Indigenous language and culture. The sweet message and beautiful words and illustrations make this book the perfect opportunity to bring Indigenous stories into homes and classrooms, even for non-Indigenous readers. As a Grade 3 teacher I would definitely purchase a copy of this book for my classroom library. I would recommend this book to parents and teachers wanting to diversify their libraries and book collections, especially those working with children in the age 4-9 range. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

Such a wonderful book that holds a very powerful message.. The Cree translation is a wonderful addition that affirms that every child does matter. To see such inspirational words in ones own language gives them even more power. This book will be a wonderful gift and addiction to any classroom.

This was just beautiful from the words to the beautiful illustrations full of hope and joy! I also loved the dual-language (English and Plains Cree) and would love to hear a version of this book to hear the Plains Cree translations.

I will definitely be buying this one for my library collection and you should too!


Highly recommend this one!!

This is a lovely book with beautiful illustrations. I love how diverse the people within the book are, and that the text is quite simple to read but powerful in its message. I especially appreciate the final line which invites kids into the story themselves in an engaging way.

Such a warm uplifting loving book that made me go “awwww” several times. The most audible awww was “I hope you are caretaker of Mother Earth.”

Beautiful illustrations of diverse people. This book stands out because it has two languages. Would be interesting if an auditory version was published.

Will buy this for my youngest grandchild.

I Hope is a lovely book with English and Cree translations. This was a calming, caring book that would be perfect for bedtime. Lovely, pastel illustrations.