Berry Song

Song of the Seasons #1

by Michaela Goade

Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade's first self-authored picture book is a celebration of the land she knows well and the wisdom of elders.

On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries.

Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry.

Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.

Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Indigenous, Childrens, Food, Family, Native American

40 pages, Hardcover

First published July 19, 2022

About the author

Michaela Goade is an American illustrator. She won the 2021 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations in the book We Are Water Protectors written by Carole Lindstrom. She is the first Native American to win the award. She is of the Tlingit and Haida tribes.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my stars, this book is beautiful in every way! It truly made my heart sing. The illustrations are breathtaking. They are full of warmth, joy, beauty, wonder -- they feel almost dreamy, but also with such a deep realness. I could frame several of these illustrations and let them fill my cup of happiness and inspiration all day long. I love that there is a very present-day feeling about the little girl and her grandmother (you know that this is a contemporary story) yet there's such a timelessness conveyed in their connection with one another and the earth, as well as with the ancestral wisdom and spirituality of their Tlingit Nation. This book is so joyous and uplifting, gently reminding us to care for and appreciate Mother Earth and our connections with those we love. And the berries -- oh my goodness, yes, precious jewels of beauty, deliciousness, and health! I love everything about this book and highly recommend it.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tlingit illustrator Michaela Goade, who won the Caldecott Medal in 2021 for her work on Carole Lindstrom's We Are Water Protectors , makes her debut as an author as well in this gorgeous, deeply-felt picture-book, and the result is a triumph! The simple narrative follows a young girl and her grandmother as they gather the many berries growing near their island home by the edge of the "wide wild sea." The beauty of the natural world around them, and the theme of gratitude for what the land provides are dominant themes, which is emphasized in Goade's lovely afterward, in which she speaks more of the spiritual aspect of her people's relationship with the world around them, and with the "medicine" of berry picking...

Having greatly enjoyed Goade's work in a number of other picture-books, including the Lindstrom title, and a few folkloric works published by Sealaska Heritage, I picked up Berry Song with great anticipation. I was not disappointed, finding it to be a lovely book, one which pairs a simple but emotionally resonant narrative with breathtakingly beautiful artwork. Some of the scenes were just so gorgeous, both in their overall composition and in the little details—the scene of the little girl entering the forest with her blue bucket, the one in which her hair is made of berries and her dress is the sea—that I need to pore over them. There is true magic in these pictures! The narrative was also lovely, emphasizing the girl and her grandmother's relationship to land and sea, and the ties and love and gratitude that bind them together. As a berry lover myself, I was interested in the great diversity of different kinds mentioned, and I appreciated the use of both English and Tlingit words for them, on the gorgeously decorative endpapers. As someone who has only encountered cloudberries in Scandinavia before (I discovered them while visiting Sweden some years ago), I was tickled to see them included, and fascinated by some others (bunchberry, chalkberry) that I had never heard of before. Now I want to try them all...

Truly, a wonderful book, one I highly recommend to all picture-book readers looking for gorgeous artwork, stories of our ties to the land, or featuring a Native American / Tlingit cultural background. I borrowed this from the library, but I think I would like to own a copy of my own!

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is why many people become book reviewers or illustrators themselves. It will certainly help children to become lifelong readers. Berry Song is glorious. Michaela Goade is not only one of the top illustrators today, but she can also write terrific books! Berry Song is Goade's first self-authored and illustrated title. It is about a girl and her grandmother (how I love the hot grandparent and grandchild trend), who find all kinds of gifts from the land during the different seasons. Simply marvelous. I didn't know so many berries existed. Michaela Goade lists and paints darn near all of them. Berry Song is a loving and grateful work. One of my top favorite 2022 books and most definitely a strong 2023 Caldecott contender.

[Bethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Lush watercolors and lyrical text depict the respect and wealth of the land by the native peoples. Love how the seasons change, generations sharing the forest change. Author note explains more of her native heritage.

[Capn · Rating 5 out of 5]

GORGEOUS. After b*tching about the Caldecott Honor bestowed on the very, very ordinary and uninspired This Story Is Not About a Kitten, and casting aspersions on the committee at large (I stand by what I intimated regarding them being force-fed potentially profitable publisher's darlings), THIS BOOK was wholly deserving of the medal.

It's simply gorgeous - even better than the art of Daniela Drescher (for example, What's Hiding in There?). It is the exact inverse of This Story Is Not About a Kitten: the cover here is the least impressive artwork in the book, not the most.

If you can find a "look inside" option that shows something of the contents, do. But know that each page was different. There was a plethora of variety and perspective and mood (though all of it I'd label 'the magic of nature'), and did I use the word 'gorgeous' already?! Simply stunning - I'd wear each page as a t-shirt, given the chance, I really would. :)

The story is lyrical, and there's a handing down of knowledge from elder to child to peer, which I found refreshing (grandmother teaches granddaughter; granddaughter teaches sister), avoiding the usual trite generational theme, AND giving the child reader the opportunity to see themselves as a teacher of others today, rather than in the nebulous far away adult future.

It did make me homesick for the West Coast (BC girl), though. This comes from a Tlingit author in Sitka, Alaska. I didn't even finish reading the afterword before I came to rave about it, but I do love a chunky 'about the author' or 'further reading' at the end of an engaging picture book.

If you're looking for a West Coast picture book about Salmonberries, Huckleberries, etc., this one beats out The Hike (also cute, though). It's even more beautiful than If You Take Away the Otter (and there's an otter or two to spot here, too!) or Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera, and I really can't gush about it enough. It's one of those books that kept getting put on hold or pruned from my shopping cart - the cover was cute, but again, I feel a lot safer with secondhand books whose reviews and appeals have stood the test of even a handful of years, once the bloody marketing hype has abated. So I came up empty with This Story Is Not About a Kitten today, but found a rich harvest in Berry Song. This is my favourite picture book of the decade so far, no exaggeration. And it had some serious competition in What A Shell Can Tell, Wildflower (simple but cuuuuute), and The Big Book of Blooms.

Next up today will be Mushroom Rain. Hoping for another windfall. :)

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luminous, lyrical, full of love.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a grandmother teaches a young girl how to forage berries and other foods, she also enriches her with Tlingit culture, lore, and traditions so she'll be able to pass it on in turn. Nicely written and illustrated by an #OwnVoices creator.

(Another project! I'm trying to read all the picture books and graphic novels on the kids section of NPR's Books We Love 2022.)

[Jassmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just honestly don't know what to write about this one, but I'm going to try anyway. This is a book about a little girl and her grandmother and the way she teaches her about their bond to the earth. It shows them foraging together, making it into a somewhat spiritual experience which speaks to me deeply.
The art work isn't my favourite, but it's very pretty and I quite like it.
Rounding up for this one!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most beautifully illustrated, important message picture books I’ve ever seen. The way the author/illustrator connects people with the land is powerful and her artwork sings to your soul. If you are a grown up and just want to gaze upon a delight for the eyes, and you want to share a story about people connecting deeply with our world, I highly recommend this treasure.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea there were so many different varieties of berries! I only ever see strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries in the grocery store. I am also familiar with blackberries, huckleberries and boysenberries. But beyond that, I need to do more research.
This is a lovely story with dreamy, misty illustrations.

[Eve G · Rating 5 out of 5]

People are so awesome stories are so awesome… more adults need to read picture books I am learning

[Maria George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated watercolor! This is a very charming book about foraging, and showing thanks to nature for all that the earth provides.

[Alicia Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm the worst. I didn't care for this book apart from the perfect illustrations and seeing the different berries. The we-are-one-with-the-earth just never resonates with me. Nor does anything that really rings of earth worship.

But, wow, the illustrations! While I didn't find the flow of words or text structure to suggest music, the pictures absolutely do. There's so much movement and resonance. Lovely.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous artwork! Lily and I have both decided it deserves to be the 2023 Caldecott winner! ❤️

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetic with BEAUTIFUL illustrations.

[LG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful drawings

[Sierra Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this might be the most beautiful picture book I've ever read.

[Maria H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully watercolor-illustrated Caldecott medalist book travels through Sitka, Alaska. It follows a young girl and her grandma as they navigate the land and water by listening and thanking the land for what they give them.
This story captured my heart as the pictures are beautifully painted and capture the beauty that the Author Michaela Goade was trying to showcase of her hometown. Having visited Alaska, the story gave truth the to people I met when visiting as they are in rhythm with nature and the seasons to live a prosperous life.
The story begins with the little girl and the grandma using everything the land gives them to fish, garden, etc. Then the story begins to change when the berries are introduced and the importance of listening to the land and being grateful and more colors begin to emerge on the page. Students can visibility see the life that is brought into the story through the animals, nature, and plants that are illustrated. The story ends with continuing the cycle of sharing knowledge as we see the little girl growing up and teaching her younger sister all that her grandma had taught her years before.
I give this book 5 stars as the pictures would capture any age students interest but I would specifically use this for 3-8 year olds. The story teaches about the importance of caring about our world and being in tune with nature which is very hard for children to do in the age of technology. It also teaches them about natural berries that they may not know even existed as I did while reading.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous, wonderful picture book. I loved reading this with my kids, and I look forward to teach this book alongside _We Are Water Protectors_ in my college-level picture book class. A 2023 Caldecott contender.

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sweet and mostly quiet story about grandma taking her granddaughter berry picking, and they sing while they pick berries, both to scare away the bears and to thank the land. Little kids may enjoy the repetition. This really didn't do much for me, but it would be a fine companion to Blueberries for Sal, especially if you are looking to diversify your picture book reading (always a goal of mine!)

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable book that reminds me a little of my childhood. I used to go fishing with my maternal grandfather / grandparents and we'd drive along until we found a wild raspberry patch and pick raspberries. We'd also go out and forage for mushrooms when they were in season.

[Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book with a beautifully told message about living with the earth and its abundance.

[Kayser Zayir · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated traditional literature/folk tale about a young Tlingit girl Niya, who learns the importance of sharing while picking berries with her grandma. The author wants to teach children that nobody can achieve success/happiness by themselves without sharing it with the community, because sharing makes us happier and helps us become better person. For example, Niya and her grandmother share their berries with a hungry bear, and Niya learned the importance of kindness. The main genre of the book is children's traditional literature. This book is educational because it teaches children to embrace our mother nature and open to share and stay kind. Two more educational concepts in this book are kindness and empathy, that I want to read to children, and this is also why I think this book is wonderful. Author used several writing craft techniques, such as repetition, and imagery. For example, the author used repetition to highlight the themes and to make the story more engaging for children. The phrase "from the bushes to the bears, to the birds, and to me" is used throughout the story. This book is an anti-bias book because it promotes kindness, empathy and understanding. By telling a story of Tlingit girl as the main character to educate readers about Tlingit culture and traditions and promote diversity and inclusivity.'

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a gentle lyrical text and lush watercolor and mixed media illustrations, this gorgeous picture book tells the story of a young Tlingit girl and her grandmother foraging on an island off of the coast of Alaska. The grandmother is teaching her granddaughter how to "live on the land" to gather what they need and to give thanks for their bounty. They share a berry song that catalogs the variety of berries that they will pick. Don't miss the note of caution about mistaking toxic berries, the informative author's note, and the lovely endpages with Tlingit and English labels. A very special book with broad appeal for all ages.

[Mark Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author here did amazing illustrations for the children's book "We Are Water Protectors," about the Dakota Access pipeline. This illustrations are equally fabulous in "Berry Song," where the pages feel lush, misty, inviting, like the reader is invited into a special place. The natural world is a comfort to be in, as the family picks different wild berries and then enjoys eating them and sharing them with neighbors. Just lovely.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t used it in storytime yet, but I will! The refrain of speaking to the land as the land speaks to us make it a nice selection for an Earth Day storytime. The text is poetic, and introduces Tlingit words for berries. It’s also a lovely celebration of sharing family traditions. Beautiful for sharing with nature lovers.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Berry picking is medicine." This is a great picture book which reminds me of a summer working in Naknek, Alaska. Salmon Berries were the big deal. I love the indigenous history and the importance of honoring Nature with whom we are intertwined.

[Cara (Wilde Book Garden) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous and heart-filling. This book solidifies Michaela Goade as an all-time favorite picture book creator!

[Margo Tanenbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations and beautiful, lyrical text. Adults will love it; not so sure about kids. Probably a better fit for older children, 5-10; I could see it as a read-aloud in elementary school, although the illustrations are so vibrant and splendid they merit being pored over in a child's lap or with an adult. Lengthy backmatter as well.