This past weekend, the Spark team had the privilege of attending the Wayfinding in the Early Years Conference in Jasper—a gathering filled with thoughtful conversations, inspiring speakers, and meaningful connections. As we listened to educators and community leaders share their experiences, one message resonated with us: stories matter.
Stories have the power to reflect who we are, help us understand others, and create a sense of belonging. For children, seeing themselves and their families, communities, and cultures represented in books builds confidence and self-worth. Diverse stories also open windows into the lives of others, nurturing empathy, curiosity, and respect.
Inspired by the conference’s focus on inclusion and belonging, we pulled together a list of local Alberta authors who share culturally diverse and inclusive stories for children.
The Doll by Nhung N. Tran-Davies
A young girl and her family arrive at an airport in a new country. They are refugees, migrants who have travelled across the world to find safety. Strangers greet them, and one of them gifts the little girl with a doll. Decades later, that little girl is grown up, and she has the chance to welcome a group of refugees who are newly arrived in her adopted country. To the youngest of them, a little girl, she gifts a doll, knowing it will help make her feel welcome. Inspired by the author’s own experience as a child refugee, when a stranger’s wonderful gift made such a difference that she was determined to repeat it years later.
Dot to Dot in the Sky: Stories of the Moon by Joan Marie Galat
People all around the world gaze up in wonder at the Moon. Ancient peoples marveled too, and told many stories inspired by its mystery. Dot to Dot in the Sky: Stories of the Moon, the third book in the Dot to Dot in the Sky series, is a collection of stories and myths from many different cultures.
Join Rabbit of the Mi’k Maq legend as he captures the thieving Moon Man. Discover why, in China, the Man in the Moon has a greedy face. Learn why the Moon in West Africa is now a treasure for everyone to share.
Forever Our Home by Tonya Simpson
A lullaby of reconciliation and reclamation, celebrating the ancestral relationship between Indigenous children and the land that is forever their home.
Under glowing morning sun and silvery winter moon, from speckled frogs croaking in spring to summer fields painted with fireweed, this meditative lullaby introduces little ones to the plants and animals of the Prairies and the Plains. Featuring stunning artwork by celebrated artist Carla Joseph, Forever Our Home is a beautiful and gentle song about our spiritual connection to the land.
Howdy, I’m John Ware by Ayesha Clough
Howdy, I’m John Ware is an illustrated children’s book about Canada’s legendary Black cowboy. The story, ideal for ages 7-10, brings the real-life legend to a new generation of kids.
Despite experiencing enslavement, war and discrimination, this gifted horseman blazed a trail of kindness, becoming one of Alberta’s most loved and respected pioneer ranchers.
The Two Brothers: A Haida Story by Diane Brown
The Two Brothers presents a wonderful opportunity for Canadian children of all ages to learn about Haida culture through colourful illustrations and text translated by a Haida author who has been instrumental in the protection of the Haida language. Beautifully illustrated by Gwaai and Jaalen Edenshaw, the Haida artists who carved the new totem pole, this book tells the story of the Two Brothers—of a journey long ago from the west coast islands of Haida Gwaii to the Canadian Rockies, and of an unusual connection between two very different places. (Available in Haida, English, and French)
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