Award winning book is a great gift idea

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The Song Within My Heart

Written by David Bouchard

Illustrated by Allen Sapp

Raincoast Books

32 pages (h/c)

$21.95

Whether you're looking for a gift this Christmas for a child, an art lover, or even for your grandmother, the award winning book The Song Within My Heart may be exactly what you're looking for.

The book was written by David Bouchard, whose other books have included Qu'Appelle, The Elders Are Watching, and The Journal of Etienne Mercier, and illustrated by Saskatchewan's own Allen Sapp, who recently earned a Governor General's Literacy Award for children's literature illustration for his contributions to the book.

The Song Within My Heart is an interesting exercise in collaboration between author and illustrator. The words in the book were written by Bouchard, but the message they convey comes from Sapp.

The story, which takes on the form of a poem more than a narrative, has the storyteller recounting how his grandmother-his Nokum-taught him how to listen to the songs and drums of the powwow and how to find a song of his very own-the song within his heart.

The book is based on Sapp's own recollections of his childhood-of attending powwows, and of the huge role his Nokum played in his life. The story also speaks of the importance of parents and grandparents teaching children what is truly important in life. As the Nokum in the book tells her grandchild, "There are some things that you can call your very own. Your stories, songs and beating heart are truly yours and yours alone."

The book is illustrated throughout with full-colour reproductions of Sapp's painting, including powwow images and many images of Sapp's Nokum, Maggie Soonias, who encouraged him in his drawing when he was younger and who is a frequent subject of his work. The images shift from the excitement of the powwow to the tenderness and closeness of a Nokum's relationship with her grandchildren, and then back again, helping the reader to hear the beating of the drums, or feel the closeness of a loving grandmother.