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Siha Tooskin Knows
Siha Tooskin Knows the Gifts of His People
Transportation, housing, agriculture, communications…there are so many modern conveniences. But are they really modern? Where did they really come from?
Paul Wahasaypa—Siha Tooskin—will learn about their origins and more on his walk home from school with Ade (his father). There’s so much to learn about the earliest forms of technology, travel, medicine, and food from right here on Turtle Island. Come along with Paul and Ade to hear all about the gifts of his people.
The Siha Tooskin Knows series uses vivid narratives and dazzling illustrations in contemporary settings to share stories about an 11-year-old Nakota boy.
Paul Wahasaypa—Siha Tooskin—will learn about their origins and more on his walk home from school with Ade (his father). There’s so much to learn about the earliest forms of technology, travel, medicine, and food from right here on Turtle Island. Come along with Paul and Ade to hear all about the gifts of his people.
The Siha Tooskin Knows series uses vivid narratives and dazzling illustrations in contemporary settings to share stories about an 11-year-old Nakota boy.
24 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2020
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 30, 2019
This book is one of a series about 11 year old Siha Tooskin and his family, who are members of the Nakota tribe. In this one, Siha is asked to bring a food that's from his culture to school and his father teaches him about all of the foods and inventions that Native American people brought the world. Nakota language is worked into the text for words like mother and father. This is much-needed representation in children's books and it does a great job of dispelling myths about Native American culture and teaching some history. I regret that I'm not a fan of the art style, but I'm so glad that the authors and illustrator are all First Nations people. I plan to check out other books in the series with my kids.
I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
February 6, 2026
This series of books is awesome, I have enjoyed every single one!
I love Paul's Ade because he reminds me of my father, his stories rambled sometimes but always got to a very important point in the end. I enjoyed hearing all of Ade's stories about the First Nations from around the world and the traditional knowledge that was adopted by and credited to European settlers. I have already recommended to my Manager (I work in a book store) that we should order all of the books in this series and create an end cap to highlight these fantastic books.
#SihaTooskinKnowsTheGiftsOfHisPeople #NetGalley
I love Paul's Ade because he reminds me of my father, his stories rambled sometimes but always got to a very important point in the end. I enjoyed hearing all of Ade's stories about the First Nations from around the world and the traditional knowledge that was adopted by and credited to European settlers. I have already recommended to my Manager (I work in a book store) that we should order all of the books in this series and create an end cap to highlight these fantastic books.
#SihaTooskinKnowsTheGiftsOfHisPeople #NetGalley
April 27, 2020
I got this e-ARC that I got from NetGalley. This is one of eight books featuring the teachings of a Nakota family (Indigenous peoples that live in Alberta, Canada) in the form of a short book (no chapters but not exactly a picture book either) with some illustrations. In this book, Siha's father picks him up to walk home from school and Siha explains that he is to take a nutritious snack that is part of his culture when he heads to school the next day. He asks about taking bannock. This prompts a long discussion about whether bannock is traditional part of his people's culture or not. Siha's father tells him about some of the many things that people think of as being modern that are actually long held traditions of Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island such as forms of housing, agriculture, and medicine.
November 6, 2019
While the reading level of Siha Tooskin Knows the Gifts of His People is designed for elementary students, the content is perfect for K-8. It talks about the struggle Siha Tooskin faces in appreciating and understanding his culture. The book is written in English with the inclusion of a few words in the Nakota language. Siha Tooskin means “little foot” but he also carries the English name of Paul.
In the first couple of pages Siha Tooskin’s dad talks to him about how Indigenous groups had more food than just bannock which people automatically tend to associate with Indigenous cultures. I love that he explains where bannock actually originated and what Indigenous foods are really like.
As the book goes on, it continues to talk about a variety of topics including, harvesting, medicines, and communication (to name a few). This book does a great job of normalizing Indigenous lives while proving background information about the history of the culture. On the walk home from school, Ade (Siha’s father) points out things they see every day and then gives him the history of how Indigenous cultures did those same things before the ‘conveniences’ of modern systems.
Another great thing about the book is the way it touches on many Indigenous tribes with the understanding that Indigenous peoples are not monolithic. It gives a variety of examples of how tribes lived on the different coasts.
The use of pictures in this book are a great way to further illustrate the beauty of Indigenous culture.
Overall I think this is a worthwhile book for any classroom or home library.
In the first couple of pages Siha Tooskin’s dad talks to him about how Indigenous groups had more food than just bannock which people automatically tend to associate with Indigenous cultures. I love that he explains where bannock actually originated and what Indigenous foods are really like.
As the book goes on, it continues to talk about a variety of topics including, harvesting, medicines, and communication (to name a few). This book does a great job of normalizing Indigenous lives while proving background information about the history of the culture. On the walk home from school, Ade (Siha’s father) points out things they see every day and then gives him the history of how Indigenous cultures did those same things before the ‘conveniences’ of modern systems.
Another great thing about the book is the way it touches on many Indigenous tribes with the understanding that Indigenous peoples are not monolithic. It gives a variety of examples of how tribes lived on the different coasts.
The use of pictures in this book are a great way to further illustrate the beauty of Indigenous culture.
Overall I think this is a worthwhile book for any classroom or home library.
May 26, 2020
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC copy to give my honest opinions.
I thought this was such a good story about a young boy named Siha who is walking home with his father talking to him about how in health class they needed to bring some kind of food from their culture and Siha does not know what to bring. His father begins to explain about the history of the Native Americas and how they used the earth to live and grow food. I think this is the kind of story children need to hear because we don't have enough stories out there about Native Americans.
I thought this was such a good story about a young boy named Siha who is walking home with his father talking to him about how in health class they needed to bring some kind of food from their culture and Siha does not know what to bring. His father begins to explain about the history of the Native Americas and how they used the earth to live and grow food. I think this is the kind of story children need to hear because we don't have enough stories out there about Native Americans.
September 5, 2021
This story begins with Siha Tooskin asking his dad a question. Ade sees this as an opportunity to teach his son many things about many First Nations people.
January 4, 2022
I as mid 30s adult learned from this childs/youth flip book.
April 12, 2020
It is so good to see books with Native American kids and their families and culture portrayed! I can’t wait to read some of the other books!
September 7, 2020
Review copy: Digital ARC via Netgalley
This is a wonderful book. Siha Tooskin has been asked to bring a food from his cultural background. This leads to a conversation about the indigenous foods that preceded European contact and remain. Talking about things that the Nakota people have had and done over the years leads to a discussion about the many things people have mistakenly believed are new that Indigenous people have been doing in different places around what is now called North America for thousands of years.
Siha Tooskin even learns about the way that Nakota people have been educating their children over time. Rather than a story with a problem and solution, this follows a conversation between father and son. It is definitely interesting and has a warm family feeling to it.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book for anyone, but especially those teaching history and changes over time. This book shows some of the ways Native and colonial practices have affected each group. There's a lot of content in these few pages that can lead to great discussions. Highly recommended for elementary age readers and their teachers or families.
This is a wonderful book. Siha Tooskin has been asked to bring a food from his cultural background. This leads to a conversation about the indigenous foods that preceded European contact and remain. Talking about things that the Nakota people have had and done over the years leads to a discussion about the many things people have mistakenly believed are new that Indigenous people have been doing in different places around what is now called North America for thousands of years.
Siha Tooskin even learns about the way that Nakota people have been educating their children over time. Rather than a story with a problem and solution, this follows a conversation between father and son. It is definitely interesting and has a warm family feeling to it.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book for anyone, but especially those teaching history and changes over time. This book shows some of the ways Native and colonial practices have affected each group. There's a lot of content in these few pages that can lead to great discussions. Highly recommended for elementary age readers and their teachers or families.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews