Children's book the work of mother-daughter team

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Two beavers and their friends learn the value of teamwork as they battle a fierce forest fire in a new children's book called The Beaver's Big House. Published by the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research (GDI), the book is aimed at children in grades 3 and 4.

Beaver's Big House tells the story of siblings Baptiste and Betsy, who are busy building a house in the woods. When a neglected campfire spreads and threatens to destroy their home, Baptiste, Betsy and their forest friends all band together to prevent the house from burning to the ground. In the end, the home is saved and the animals are all invited to live with the beavers.

"It's a story that is about teamwork and co-operation and preparedness ... it will teach kids about the forest and about the different animals," said Cheryl Troupe, a publishing support officer with GDI.

The book was written by Metis author Olive Whitford and her daughter Joanne Panas and features artwork by Panas and photographs by Dennis Chamberlain. Panas and Chamberlain have collaborated previously, having provided illustrations for The Bulrush Helps the Pond. That book, written by Ken Carriere and also published by GDI, was the 2002 recipient of the Saskatchewan Book Award in the First People's Publishing category.

The Beaver's Big House will be available in both English and Michif and will be accompanied by a CD featuring English narration by Panas and Michif narration by Norman Fleury, who also provided translation for the Michif version of the book.

The book will also include a glossary and additional information about each of the animals to provide teachers with educational materials for students.

For more information about The Beaver's Big House, or any of the other books celebrating Metis culture and heritage published by the GDI, visit the institute's Web site at www.gdins.org.