I thought this was a really sweet children’s book. I love seeing the birds of prey and hawks in particular being represented in children’s fiction, building their love for them at an early age. Will definitely be buying for my nephew once he is old enough!

This was a very well written story celebrating culture and bonds of siblings. Big Ed is Gekek, the Keepers of the river. He is headed fishing with his sister, Serenity, is following him. When Big Ed runs into trouble will his sister be able to help?
Your family will enjoy this story. It is full of Anishinaabe cultural traditions.It is so well written and so relatable to children and their families. I loved the vibrant illustrations. It has so many hidden meanings to find. Discover them all with your family.

**I received an E-ARC from Netgalley and the publisher. This is my honest review.**

As a homeschool mom I am always on the lookout for books that can be used to teach. I read this with my 11 year old son. I was happy to find that the storywriting was complex enough to hold his attention but simple enough that I could see all four of my kids (the youngest being 7 years old) happily enjoying this book. The artwork was beautiful, detailed, and opens up a lot of different conversation starters. I appreciate how the main characters culture and heritage was interwoven into the story without making it feel too dry. I also have a love of ravens and it was cool to see them shown in this story.

I would absolutely suggest this book to families with younger children through middle school, teachers, and librarians.

This book was really good and I loved the message that comes over through the story.

It was well written and easy to follow and I really enjoyed being able to read more about the Anishinaabe cultural traditions and their strong links to nature. The book also had a key focus on sibling bonds and I loved how the story panned out - the ending was great and very much in keeping with the story.

I really enjoyed the illustrations and they brought the story to life and added to the theme of being at one with nature. A good introduction to the Ojibway people and I loved that the author has provided an insight to the indigenous life she sees in her family and community too.

A great read - 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended

Book Review: The Hawk Shadow by Jan Bourdeau Waboose & Karlene Harvey (Illustrator)

Rating: 4 Stars

As a lover of children's literature, I'm always on the lookout for books that not only entertain but also educate. "The Hawk Shadow" by Jan Bourdeau Waboose, beautifully illustrated by Karlene Harvey, checks all the boxes for me. This picture book is a delightful mix of sibling bonds and Anishinaabe cultural traditions that left me feeling uplifted and inspired.

The story follows Serenity as she accompanies her older brother, Big Ed, to his fishing spot on Hawk River. It’s a serene setting where they bond over nature and the wisdom of the indigenous culture. Big Ed introduces Serenity to the significance of the river’s namesake, Gekek, the Hawk, who is said to be the guardian of the river and its surroundings. He explains that the Hawk has the ability to see what we cannot, a beautiful metaphor for intuition and guidance. The plot thickens when Big Ed finds himself in a bit of trouble while fishing. In an act of bravery and love, Serenity follows the hawk’s shadow to come to her brother’s aid.

I found this book to be a endearing exploration of listening to nature and the bonds between siblings. The writing style was engaging and perfectly pitched for young readers, making it delightful to read aloud. The illustrations by Karlene Harvey were simply stunning—vibrant and creative, they captured the essence of the natural world beautifully.

What I especially appreciate about "The Hawk Shadow" is its celebration of Indigenous culture. It's wonderful to observe more children's books highlighting the voices of Indigenous authors and illustrators. They not only enrich our reading experiences but also provide vital representation in stories that many children can relate to. This book serves as a fantastic resource for teaching about local cultures and fostering appreciation for nature, making it a valuable addition to any child's bookshelf.

In conclusion, "The Hawk Shadow" is a charming and educational read that I would highly recommend for both parents and educators looking to enrich young minds with lessons about nature, family, and Indigenous heritage. It’s a book that opened my eyes to the beauty of storytelling traditions and the importance of listening to the world around us.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This children's book written and illustrated by Canadian Indigenous artists Jan Bourdeau Waboose and Karlene Harvey, tells the story of a young girl, Serenity and her brother Big Ed, who explore the bush and go fishing together. The beautiful illustrations and well written descriptions of nature around the two characters allows the reader to become immersed in the environment. Infusing a Indigenous languages, cultures, traditions and teachings throughout the story, this book is offers a great opportunity for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Canadians to learn about the rich understandings of Canada's first people. I could definitely see this book in my classroom library and think students in K-4 would enjoy the book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

We loved learning more about the Indigenous culture and having an Indigenous main character is an awesome representation - we need more books like this. The illustrations are beautiful!

After reading "The Hawk Shadow," I enjoyed the sibling relationship portrayed throughout the book. The book includes many tiny details about Indigenous culture, which will help Indigenous children see themselves represented in the story. Along with non-Indigenous children, we can see the culture is steeped in tradition. It also highlights that sometimes you must be still and listen to your surroundings. Doing so lets you learn much about nature and be there for someone who might need your help. The illustrations for the book were gorgeous and matched the story perfectly as if you were walking the path with the siblings.

Great story with fantastic cultural connections. Nature ... art ... family. This book has it all. The character points of view are extremely important, and must reside in the author's culture, which they do. An important story to share.

A beautifully illustrated book in which a girl and her brother go fishing. Karlene Harvey does a lovely job of depicting detailed forest and river scenes while keeping the focus on the two main characters. The characters are given details that are traditionally known to be part of indigenous culture - the brother has long braided hair and is wearing a bear claw necklace, the sister has a beaded bracelet, they come across a Raven (known for many trickster tales. The author, Jan Bordeaux Waboose, incorporates many indigenous words and elements in the book, but at the heart of the book is the relationship between the siblings and the importance of listening to nature.

In the book, as they are fishing, the brother gets his foot stuck in the river rocks - a perilous situation. The river is named Gekek, after the Red-Tailed Hawk. By following a Hawk, the sister is able to get to her brother in time to save him from potentially drowning in the river.

This book would make a great addition to any home or classroom library. Children of all ages would enjoy reading this book and seeing the delightful illustrations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for allowing me to read this Advanced Reader's Copy.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A picture book about a young girl following her brother to hawk river. They stop along the way to try different berries and look at wildlife. I like that they share words of the indigenous tribe, Ojibwe.

The Hawk Shadow (Hardcover)
by Jan Bourdeau Waboose ,Karlene Harvey

Karlene Harvey has an interoperative artwork influenced by her heritage. The beauty of the art work is inspiring, and something that should be discussed in the book, but also in art classes. The influences of native art work should be acknowledged and celebrated.
The story shows the native connection to the environment. The siblings have a give and take relationship, of older brother and younger sister. Their connection stands before all problems and allows them to aid each other.
This is a great book to share with elementary school students, showing native ideology, but also normalizing native point of view.

This Indigenous story about sibling relationships will teach the reader some important vocabulary from their culture and draw the reader in with the story of their fishing adventure gone wrong.

The Hawk Shadow follows a brother and sister who are going fishing at Hawk River. Serenity takes her time to appreciate nature, but her brother Big Ed is eager to fish. However, once at the river, Big Ed gets in trouble, and it is up to Serenity with the guidance of the Hawk Shadow to help. The book has beautiful illustrations, and the story highlights the importance of nature in Anishinaabe culture and encourages children to be attentive to the world around them.

The Hawk Shadow is a heartfelt book about a young Anishinaabe girl named Serenity, her big brother Big Ed, and what begins as a simple day of fishing. Despite her boisterous energy, Serenity becomes immersed in the beautiful silence of nature when she's fishing — so much so that she doesn't realize Big Ed is in trouble. With the help of the hawk who leads the way, she saves Big Ed and all is well again.

Overall, this is a sweet story with simple but beautiful explanations about Anishinaabe beliefs, and a wonderful lesson for kids about listening to the world around them.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.)

A beautiful story of siblings on their way to go fishing. Throughout their journey they share the nature they find along the way and how it holds purpose in their culture.

This is a cute picture book about listening to nature. Serenity goes with her brother, Big Ed, to go fishing at the Hawk River. Her brother wants her to be quiet, but she is so happy to be out in nature, she finds it hard.

So, she stays quiet, and then hears a hawk trying to lead her somewhere.That somewhere is where her brother is stuck in the river, and he needs her help to be free. If she hadn’t listened to the hawk, she wouldn’t have found him.

Nice story telling of being one with nature, as all things along the walk and at the river are discussed in terms of what it means to their people.
A sweet colorful book. A good introduction to the Ojibway people. The author says that she tries to write about the indigenous life she sees in her family and community.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 3rd of September 2024.

Overall, a really good and fun book, but the story was a little undeveloped for me. Everything else was great, though: the writing style, the colorful, creative, and very well-done illustrations, and the premise. It warms my heart to see a really nice book about Indigenous culture be added to the world of children's books. All kids will enjoy reading this book, but it will be especially touching for kids that can find affinity in this book. As for the story/plot, it fell a bit short. I think part of it was that the story moved along too quickly, and majority of it was just scenic descriptions rather than plot development. While the descriptions were great, I think that readers more prefer a book that has a clear plot to follow. This is especially important for kids' books because it allows them to learn more about story structure and writing techniques.

⭐️=4

summary: a young Anishinaabe girl, Serenity, and her brother, Big Ed, are going to the river to fish. suddenly, Big Ed is in trouble and Serenity has to follow the Hawk Shadow to save him.

thoughts: I liked the illustrations, especially the landscapes. cute story!! I don’t feel like I have much to say/know what to say about picture books, but this was fun.