IF YOU MAKE A MOSOM TEA

In this tale riffing on Laura Joffe Numeroff and Felicia Bond’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (1985), a child tends to a beloved grandfather.

“If you make a Mosom tea, he will want some bannock to go with it,” an unseen narrator notes. Tea will inevitably lead to storytime as the elder reminisces about a childhood free of TV but rife with good times, from playing hockey to fashioning his own toys from wood. Next, Mosom will want to show off photos from his youth—don’t forget to help him find his reading glasses (“Oh, they are in his pocket!”). After a snack, Mom will help him check his blood sugar; he’s a bit nervous of needles, so “you can help by holding his hand.” Next, it’s time for a walk; Mosom will point out plants and berries—perhaps you can both pick some saskatoons to have with bannock. “Chances are, if Mosom is going to have bannock and berries, he is going to ask for some tea”—cleverly bringing this warm story of intergenerational bonding full circle. Simpson (Pasqua First Nation) matter-of-factly demystifies potentially overwhelming or unfamiliar aspects of aging while also adeptly incorporating elements of Native culture; Côté’s illustrations are labeled with Cree words, defined at the end in a picture glossary. Occasionally on the static side, the artwork is at its best while depicting outdoor scenes and animals. Mosom is brown-skinned; Mom and the child are lighter-skinned.

Tender and thoughtful.