Motivational speaker gets nomination for second book

For Victor Lethbridge, being shortlisted with authors who have followed their writing passion for years is accomplishment enough. After all, Lethbridge is late coming to the writing party.

His second book, Little Chief and the Gifts of Morning Star, was one of five titles shortlisted for the 2014-2015 First Nation Communities Read program, which took submissions of children’s books that encouraged family literacy, intergenerational storytelling, and intergenerational information sharing. Winning the FNCR award was Julie Flett, author-illustrator of Wild Berries and Pakwa che Menisu. Flett was also the first-time recipient of Periodical Marketers of Canada’s new Aboriginal Literature Award.
“I’m a new comer to the literary world,” said Lethbridge. “For me, my passion for writing came in to what more can I do to help my audience with the issues that I feel are important.”

Lethbridge is a motivational speaker in First Nations schools, travelling all over western and northern Canada. His second book, which is the second in the Little Chief series, talks about loss. While it focuses on a little girl, whose horse has died, it presents a universal theme.

“The feedback I got from the story is that it really gets the readers thinking and pondering about different situations, about putting themselves in the position of the girl or the boy in the book. It’s more of an emotionally charged situation,” said Lethbridge. “It gets the reader to be empathetic with others.”

FNCR initially considered 40 submissions for the award before longlisting to 31 titles from 17 publishers. That eventually was knocked down to five. Along with Lethbridge’s and Flett’s works, up for consideration were The Diamond Willow Walking Stick: A Traditional Métis Story about Generosity, written and illustrated by Leah Marie Dorion, with Michif translation by Norman Fleury; Moccasin Creek written and illustrated by Rene Andre Meshake; and, Raven Brings the Light written by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd, and illustrated by Roy Henry Vickers. First Nation Communities Read is the Ontario First Nation public library community’s contribution to the popular reading movement.
Lethbridge is no stranger to awards. His first book, Little Chief and Mighty Gopher The Pemmican Frenzy, won the Children’s and Young Adult Book of the Year at the 2011 Alberta Book Awards. The positive comments and feedback he received encouraged Lethbridge to launch Little Chief into a series.

Recently, Lethbridge participated in a literacy read event in Saskatchewan, where he presented to students. He was thrilled at their response, noting that many authors don’t get to hear first-hand how their writing impacts others.

Gifts of Morning Star, like the first book in the series, has First Nations’ content. It is Lethbridge’s way to connect with an audience that is often times overlooked. But even more, it allows Lethbridge to teach First Nations’ history and tie back to traditional ways in an entertaining manner.

Lethbridge’s third book will be a departure from the Little Chief series. Entitled You’re Just Right, the book, although it has First Nations content, is aimed at a wider audience, to encourage and affirm the unique gifts and characteristics individuals have. The book takes the reader from infancy to “being an old person.” Like the Little Chief series, it will be published by Tatanka Productions and it will also be illustrated by Ben Crane, although the pictures won’t be cartoonish like Little Chief. You’re Just Right will be going to the press no later than early June.