Sugar Bush Babies: Stories of My Ojibwe Grandmother

by Janis A. Fairbanks

A memoir of lessons learned from an Ojibwe grandmother during the time of Relocation
 

Why, her mother asked, did Janis keep running away from kindergarten? She wanted to go home. But not to the house they had just moved to in Duluth, with its gravel yard and traffic noise. She was a country girl, and home was the log cabin among the wildflowers on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in Bena, Minnesota. Knowing they were now going to stay in the city, Janis’s parents offered her a during the summer, Janis could leave the bustle of Duluth and live with her grandmother on the Fond du Lac Reservation, listening to stories, learning Ojibwe, and finding her place in the world. In Sugar Bush Babies, Janis A. Fairbanks returns to that time of Relocation, dislocation, and discovery, taking us home with her through stories of childhood and lessons learned at her grandmother’s knee, enveloped in love and tradition.

Through the eyes of a child and the teachings of an elder, Fairbanks revisits her life during Indian Relocation from reservations to urban areas, from Ojibwe villages to white communities whose ideas about Indians came from Hollywood Westerns. Recalling her early childhood at Leech Lake, her school days in Duluth, and her summers in Fond du Lac, Janis brings the gifts of living history full circle, continuing the traditions of carrying family lore, women’s wisdom, and Indigenous culture from generation to generation.

There are tales told at nighttime or during thunderstorms; lessons in Native medicine; stories of Grandma’s recollections of boarding school, Daddy’s days as a lumberjack, and Mother’s special powers; memories of wash days and dancing, of powwows and Girl Scout camp, of snaring rabbits, selling lilacs, and attending the circus. A lyrical memoir, Sugar Bush Babies conveys the eloquence of women speaking and sharing through generations and the lasting power of tradition.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Indigenous

Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[szreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sugar Bush Babies was a much shorter book than I anticipated, but I found myself immersed in their words and wanting to not only read more but understand more.

The book is a collection of stories from Janis A. Fairbanks, a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The stories range from her early childhood until the death of her grandmother with the central theme being the impact and importance of her grandmother on her life.

Interestingly, the book is split into sections based on geography (Bena and Duluth) despite the stories occurring in both locations and following no discernible chronological order. I imagine the stories are organized in a way that makes sense to the author but not necessarily the reader. It is best to assume there is no order when reading and enjoy each story individually.

A nice addition to the book was approx. 25 photos throughout which add to the stories and memories shared by Fairbanks and cumulate a fuller understanding of the information shared.

Sprinkled throughout are mentions of relocation, Indian boarding schools, and loss of language. However, they are not written about in detail. Too often, when we read Indigenous stories, there’s an unspoken expectation that they will centre on trauma or hardship. While those stories are important, they are not the only stories which deserve space. It was refreshing to read a book that focused on kinship, joy, and identity rooted in Fairbanks’s memories of her grandmother and their impact on their life since Fairbanks maintains a very positive outlook throughout the book.

I found the first 30 pages a bit repetitive since it is mentioned multiple times her dad was unhappy and moved back, and how he was such a happy worker. It also seemed like the middle part of the book did not directly include her grandmother. However, I came to realise that despite her non direct inclusion her experiences with her were often reflected in other aspects as she navigated life in a city and growing up.

I loved the moment when the naming of the book “Sugar Bush Babies” clicked when I realised it was tied to her grandmother’s birth story.

Readers who are interested in Minnesotan experiences, Indigenous experiences more broadly, or lovers of short story collections will very much enjoy this book.

I will be recommending my university library add this book to their collection.

Thank you to University of Minnesota Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Michael Doane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sugar Bush Babies: Stories of My Ojibwe Grandmother is a tender and deeply resonant memoir that preserves memory, culture, and generational wisdom with grace and clarity. Janis A. Fairbanks writes through the eyes of a child, allowing readers to experience the warmth, disruption, and discovery of Indian Relocation in a way that feels intimate and honest. The storytelling is gentle yet powerful, grounded in lived experience and cultural continuity.

What makes this memoir especially meaningful is its focus on women’s voices and the transmission of knowledge across generations. Through stories of everyday life, teachings, and tradition, Fairbanks captures a living history that is often overlooked or simplified. Sugar Bush Babies is not only a personal memoir, but a cultural record one that invites reflection, empathy, and understanding, and that deserves to be read widely by both Indigenous and non Indigenous audiences.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of "Sugar Bush Babies" From NetGalley. Janis Fairbanks. writes loving memories of her beloved Grandmother who was an Ojibwe. Her grandmother was a wise woman who lived in a small shack that she loves. Janis speaks of the lessons she learned from her adored grandmother. She spent the first years living nearby in Bena Minnesota but had to move with her family to Duluth. Janis writes of her years in Duluth but always looked forward to visiting her beloved grandmother back in Bena. she speaks fondly of going to a "Pow Wow" and the fun she had at the event especially with her grandmother joining in on the dances she learned. This a nice memoir from Janis and her loving trubute to her grandma. She lncludes many pictures ot her family and grandmother. A nice read.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read about the author’s formative years as a young Native American girl growing up in Minnesota.
The author’s reverence and respect for her grandmother reverberates from every page.
I enjoyed reading about her life and her family.
Thanks NetGalley and University of Minnesota Press for the advance copy.

[Mark Bourdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many stories, which created many memories. I appreciate that family stories are written and shared for the seven generations to come. Aho