Remember Me: Tomah Joseph's Gift to Franklin Roosevelt

by Donald Soctomah, Jean Flahive, Mary Beth Owens (Illustrator)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the man who would become the thirty-second president of the United States, joyfuly spent his boyhood summers on Campobello Island. It's there that he met Tomah Joseph, a Passamaquoddy elder and former chief who made his living as a guide, birchbark canoe builder, and basketmaker. Authors Soctomah and Flahive imagine the relationship that developed between these two as Tomah Joseph taught young Franklin how to canoe and shared some of the stories and culture of his people. A beautifully decorated birchbark canoe that he made for Franklin remains at Campobello Island, a tangible reminder of this special friendship.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2009

About the author

Donald Soctomah is a member of the Passamaquoddy tribe, serves as his tribe's representative in the state legislature, and is a tribal historian. He has written seven books about Passamaquoddy history and culture and co-authored a tri-lingual children's book, Tihtiyas and Jean, 2005 winner of the iParenting Media Award in Canada, with Nathalie Gagnon. Donald lives with his family at Indian Township near Peter Dana Point. "

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Franklin Delano Roosevelt - whose presidency is one of the most celebrated in American history - spent his youth summering on Canada's Campobello Island, where his family maintained a vacation home. It was here that he was befriended by Passamaquoddy elder and artist, Tomah Joseph, who was his companion and canoeing instructor, and who, in later years, carved a beautiful birchbark canoe for the young man, inscribed with the phrase Mikwid hamin (remember me). This canoe can still be seen, at the Roosevelt Campobello International Park.

I enjoyed Remember Me - written by Donald Soctomah, the Passamaquoddy Tribe's representative in the Maine State Legislature, and Jean Flahive, a sometime consultant to the Passamaquoddy Tribe - but I couldn't help wishing that we knew more about this story. That Roosevelt and Joseph knew one another, and that Joseph gifted a canoe to Roosevelt, is well documented, but the actual interactions between the two - the lessons in Passamaquoddy history and culture passed on by Joseph - are pure conjecture, something the authors acknowledge in their brief prefatory remarks. Did Roosevelt never comment upon his relationship with Joseph? Is there no written documentation, no record of what they discussed? Reading this lovely picture-book, with its quiet, smooth-flowing narrative, and appealing illustrations, makes me wonder...

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture Book

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fiction based on a realistic event. It is written by a First Peoples member of the Passamaquoddy tribe. Lots of wisdom in it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a Native American theme also. It is a great read aloud for a unit on Native Americans or Presidents.