Wood Mountain Lakota member wins book prize

Little Chief and Mighty Gopher: The Pemmican Frenzy has won “Alberta Children’s and Young Adult Book of the Year 2011.” The bright colourful children’s book, written by Victor Lethbridge, band member of Wood Mountain Lakota First Nation, tells the story of a young Aboriginal boy who finds friendship and acceptance in unexpected places when he unites with a new found gopher friend to restore order to his prairie tipi village. “It was amazing to have been selected from 164 submissions and to find ourselves in the company of Alberta’s finest writers. What started as a project to encourage youth with bullying has blossomed to an award-winning book. This is really an exciting honour to win,” said Lethbridge in a news release.