The Cree Word for Love: Sâkihitowin

by Tracey Lindberg, George Littlechild

Bestselling author of Birdie, Tracey Lindberg, and renowned artist George Littlechild join together in a stunning collaboration of story and art to explore love in all its forms—romantic, familial, community and kin—in the Cree experience

In The Cree Word for Love, author Tracey Lindberg and artist George Littlechild consider a teaching from an Elder that in their culture, the notion of love as constructed in Western society does not exist. Here, through original fiction and select iconic paintings, Lindberg and Littlechild respond.

Together they have created and curated this collaboration which travels, season by season, mirroring the four rounds in ceremony, through the themes of the love within a family, ties of kinship, desire for romantic love and connection, strength in the face of loss and violence, and importance of self-love, as well as, crucially, a deeper exploration of the meaning of “all my relations.”

Together, art and story inspire and move readers to recall our responsibilities to our human and more than human relations, to think about the obligation that is love, and to imagine what it could possibly mean to have no Cree word for love. The result is a powerful story about where we find connection, strength, and the many forms of what it means to live lovingly.

Genres: Indigenous, Short Stories

224 pages, Hardcover

Published September 2, 2025

About the author

Tracey Lindberg is a citizen of As’in’i’wa’chi Ni’yaw Nation Rocky Mountain Cree and hails from the Kelly Lake Cree Nation community.

A graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, Harvard University and the University of Ottawa law schools, she is the first Aboriginal woman in Canada to complete her graduate law degree at Harvard. Lindberg won the Governor General's Award in 2007 upon convocation for her dissertation "Critical Indigenous Legal Theory".

She is an award-winning academic writer and teaches Indigenous studies and Indigenous law at two universities in Canada. She sings the blues loudly, talks quietly and is next in a long line of argumentative Cree women. Birdie is her first novel.

Reviews

[Renay Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book written as a collection of short stories about a family at various points of time.

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

“It will be decades before she understands that calling someone an addict is just grieving for them while they are alive. Thinking of them as human, fallible, capable of love and good allows you a better grief.”

“Colonial Violence is a cash racket. Cash rackets have longevity.”

I spent the Day for Truth and Reconciliation reading this book by indigenous author, Tracey Lindberg (author of Birdie), and I have mixed feelings about it.

So, firstly this book is gorgeous, filled with art work from George Littlechild. Breathtaking, bold pieces full of colour and rich imagery.

The book itself felt a little bit messy, almost like I couldn’t really understand all that I was reading. Being Metis I do not have the understanding of Cree teachings that perhaps is needed to truly enjoy the story. There were certain lines or paragraphs that took my breath away, however the novel as a whole feels disjointed.

[Esosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and poetic - this felt like an exploration, in many ways, of what love isn’t. It feels like a reflection on love as a verb, as something we do rather than something we say. Each story touches on lessons learned, experiences lived, and the quiet moments of choosing to see things for what they are.

The writing is lyrical and layered. I’ll admit, some of the messages definitely went over my head (as tends to happen with poetic short essay collections 😭), but even when I didn’t fully grasp every nuance, I could still recognize how beautiful it was.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up

Audiobook Gifted for review by @librofm and Harper Avenue

Going into this blind and on audio seems like the worst possible way you could read this—so that’s on me! I found it really confusing to parse at first if this was memoir/personal essays, or short stories, or connected short stories. And I still didn’t really feel the connection until I found out afterwards that these are stories from one family through the ages. So, I wish the connection was stronger for me.

But, despite that kind of lost feeling I had through listening to this I did enjoy certain stories a lot. The one told through the little girl’s pov about the wolf in man’s clothing, the modern tales of regrettable love, the allies turned enemies. I think if I had read this in the physical as intended I would have enjoyed it so much more so I strongly encourage people to choose that over the audiobook, even though it was well narrated.

I did look through the accompanying PDF of the paintings too but it just didn’t hold the same impact I’m sure it would have on the page.

I feel like I’ll have to revisit this one on physical and give it the attention it deserves because I feel like I did it a disservice.

The Cree Word for Love is actually about the many ways there is to love and not love, what it is, isn’t, what it could be and how that changes relationally and through time. Reflective and meaningful, worth spending time with.

[Susan Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a few stories to truly receive this book that way it was intended. I think I had to let go of Birdie in my reading, one of my most favourite books of all time written by Lindberg. First of all, the art of Littlechild, what a gift, what a joy! I just want to see his canvases in life, large, bright and beckoning. The stories crafted by Lindberg are so needed in this day and age, honouring of all life forms, reweaving of gender and play, so much play. This is a book I will return to for its hope and teachings. Experiencing this book as an audio book would be ideal - except you must see the art - as it is written in an oral tradition/non-tradition and I could imagine hearing these stories again and again preferably around a fire.

I adored All My Relations, centring characters whose life has largely been on a bar stool and telling the story of love and transition. Things I Loved About People I Hate, I think I'm living that story right now, the complexity of all forms of relationship. I'll be recommending this book to many.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute gift. Tracey’s writing is so powerful, wise, and thoughtful. She’s that aunty that will quietly observe and then write an absolute masterpiece about it later on. A Hex for Colten genuinely took my breath away. That story alone deserves the highest praise. She holds that part of Colten’s story with such care and kindness, but also rightful rage and grief. George Littlechild’s illustrations complement Tracey’s writing so perfectly. I’ve loved his work since I was a child and he illustrated Richard van Camp’s books. It was so nice to visit with him again through this book. He has such a unique and stunning style that helps make this book worth its weight in gold ten times over.

[Laurie Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @harpercollinsca for sending me this gem. “The Cree Word for Love: Sakihitowin” by Tracey Lindbergh (Birdie author) and with beautiful illustrations by George Littlechild. There is a lesson in coming at this book with a new perspective and with a careful mindset. I don’t think you should read this from a colonizer mindset you need to dig deeper and have patience and take your time. Try to connect with the book and take moments to reflect. The author guidance questions and answers at the end of the book are very helpful.

[Random Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every chapter of the story invites you to slow down, reflect, and sit with the profound truths and beauty within its pages. Tracey Lindberg’s words are poetic and powerful, while George Littlechild’s artwork brings an emotional, visual richness.

This book is a meditative experience, both literary and visual. It rewards readers who take their time.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. But don’t rush it. Let it unfold, chapter by chapter. That’s when the story truly speaks

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is love and truth and honesty and learning here. While some understanding is beyond me, much soaked in and there’s no denying the writing is both impactful and beautiful. While I listened to the audiobook, there’s accompanying art and I likely will look for the print book to better understand the integration.

Thank you to Libro.fm and HarperAvenue for the Audiobook Listening Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sooch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully intimate writing and I really loved the accompanying art. I found keeping track of everyone in the family a bit confusing so ended up reading it as a collection of essays with overlapping themes and characters. I think worth a reread to fully sit with the meaning of each chapter and agree with other reviews that it should be read slowly.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a mixed bag. Some of the stories left me scratching my head, some were amusing, and a few felt profound. They are divided into seasons. I didn’t succeed in puzzling out why any particular story was included in a section really. The art is beautiful. Overall, a worthwhile read. 3.5 stars.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up as a local novel at my library. I don't know how it is local, but I enjoyed it.

I think this book would be best read in a short amount of time (i.e. binging in a day or two). Reading it over a couple of weeks, I lost track of the relationships between the characters and I also lost track of who was narrating each section.

[Enid Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What truly stunning artwork - and a gorgeous cover.

Lots to reflect on here. I really appreciated both the Introduction and the Discussion questions at the end… they helped greatly with my understanding.

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are many ways to be, and multiple genders to be born as; it would be so thrilling to envision a public conversation that normalizes the idea that we all can exist/shift amongst a spectrum. Of gender. Of beings.”

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this ... absolutely wonderful!

[Nat Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. One of those books I’ll revisit.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review soon!
Thank you to the publisher for my ARC!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really 4.5

Informative short stories.

[Christy Stef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art supplements the narrative in these emotional and vulnerable tales. It’s a thought-provoking work.

[Kristin Gibeault]

Was a bit strange to get into the various stories. Loved how the book was sectioned into the medecine wheel stages of life and what love meant at those times.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected but poetically written and thought provoking. Accompaniment of paintings was a creative touch.