CHI MIIGWECH, BIG THANK YOU

Concise text and bold visuals pair for an explanation of an Anishinaabe expression of gratitude for the tangible and intangible, the seen and unseen.

“Chi miigwech means big thank you,” notes martá. “There is a lot to say chi miigwech for”—for natural wonders like the sun and the moon, for “rocks and minerals and irons and ores,” for living things like winged creatures, bugs, and animals who live in water. We even say chi miigwech for “sights, sounds, smells and sensations” and the “invisible creatures” (an accompanying image depicts amoebae and other microscopic life-forms). And we give thanks for gifts of the Seven Grandfathers of the Anishinaabe First Nation: “truth, love, honesty, courage, humility, wisdom and respect.” The matter-of-fact text will speak to young readers as Stranger’s arresting, stylized illustrations weave a continuous thread across each page; swirling lines, simple shapes, and flat colors draw the eye and convey movement and energy. His artwork is laden with symbolism; backmatter explains that the sacred principles are represented by animals depicted throughout. One especially strong image—on a page urging readers to give thanks for “the earth and everything in, on, around, above and underneath”—portrays a weeping mother earth with a forest crown surrounded by water and mountains. Characters vary in skin tone and ability.

A wonderfully reverent exploration of all we have to be thankful for, pitched perfectly for a young audience.