c̓əsqənelə teacher-librarian Janet Smith recommends the graphic novel Borders by Thomas King.
I first read this graphic novel during the summer of 2021 when I saw this CBC blurb. As a non-Indigenous person, Thomas King’s works have been a source of understanding and insight for me into Indigenous culture, storytelling, and worldview. Growing up on the prairies, I too travelled into the United States using the same border crossing described by the Blackfoot family. An authentic resource helping students wonder about freedom of travel, land rights, and citizenship, this book is a timely reminder that current political boundaries continue to limit traditional connections. Natural water paths are reminding us that the line on the map has only been there for a brief time and that we have a lot to learn about traditional land use, familial ties, and the stories that connect us. This graphic novel is based on a short story by King of the same name.
• Check out Borders here.