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Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie
Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie, music legend, activist and teacher! Buffy Sainte-Marie is not exactly sure where or when she was born, but it was likely the Piapot Reserve in the Qu’Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan. As a baby she was adopted out to a white family in the United States. But nothing would stop Buffy from connecting to her roots and sharing the power and the beauty of her heritage with the world. As a musician, Buffy’s songs have inspired three generations of fans, garnering international acclaim and many awards. She’s a peace activist, an advocate for Indigenous-focused education, and a tireless supporter of Indigenous rights. After an incredible career lasting more than 60 years, Buffy’s music and message are as uplifting and important today as they ever were. Now is the right time to introduce young readers to this fascinating change-maker, with this accessible, engaging book. The Scholastic Canada Biography series is an award-winning collection of titles focused on fascinating people who have shaped Canada’s past and present. Written by acclaimed non-fiction author Elizabeth MacLeod, each book also features comics-inspired illustrations by Mike Deas, which appeal to today’s readers and help bring the story to life.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published May 2, 2023
4 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth MacLeod
111 books31 followersElizabeth MacLeod was born on October 21 in Toronto. As a child Liz liked to read Nancy Drew and Anne of Green Gables books, swim, sing, dance, and hang out with her friends. Encouraged by her parents, she began writing stories and poetry for her own enjoyment at the age of 10, her favorite subjects being mad scientists and tyrants who threatened to take over the world.
Today Liz is inspired by almost anything--her friends, reading, and the funny, beautiful world around her. Her first job in publishing was at OWL magazine, and Liz credits editor Sylvia Funston as one of her mentors. Liz also names Valerie Wyatt, a writer and editor, as an important influence on her work, as well as a good friend.
An avid reader, Liz enjoyed digging up amazing facts and researching historic royals and their countries and customs for Royal Murder (2008). She encourages anyone with a desire to write to "just do it." Even if no one ever reads it, the joy that comes from expressing yourself through words is reward enough. Liz adds that writing takes practice, and with each day you are bound to improve.
Liz lives in Toronto with her husband, Paul, and their two cats, Smedley and Cosmo.
She enjoys keeping active, spending time with friends, music, theater, and cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Liz plans to continue writing about a broad spectrum of topics in both fiction and non-fiction, and would like to work on more picture books in the future.
Today Liz is inspired by almost anything--her friends, reading, and the funny, beautiful world around her. Her first job in publishing was at OWL magazine, and Liz credits editor Sylvia Funston as one of her mentors. Liz also names Valerie Wyatt, a writer and editor, as an important influence on her work, as well as a good friend.
An avid reader, Liz enjoyed digging up amazing facts and researching historic royals and their countries and customs for Royal Murder (2008). She encourages anyone with a desire to write to "just do it." Even if no one ever reads it, the joy that comes from expressing yourself through words is reward enough. Liz adds that writing takes practice, and with each day you are bound to improve.
Liz lives in Toronto with her husband, Paul, and their two cats, Smedley and Cosmo.
She enjoys keeping active, spending time with friends, music, theater, and cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Liz plans to continue writing about a broad spectrum of topics in both fiction and non-fiction, and would like to work on more picture books in the future.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 26, 2023
#StandWithBuffy October 26, 2023 Update
Apparently the Canadian CBC television show The Fifth Estate will transmit a takedown story tomorrow Friday October 27, 2023 which will question Buffy Sainte-Marie's indigenous origins. Aside from the ridiculous nature of questioning the sincerity of someone who has devoted their entire life and career to promoting indigenous culture and values, it actually becomes offensive and is yet another instance of the trash journalism so prevalent today.
Buffy Ste. Marie has responded in advance of the story today on Twitter and on Facebook.
Power in the Blood
Review of the Scholastic Canada Ltd. hardcover edition (May 2, 2023).
I don't usually review picture books, but I've enjoyed Buffy Sainte-Marie in concert many times and recently saw the premiere of the documentary about her life Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On (2022) directed by Madison Thomas in September 2022 at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival).
Sidenote: Buffy Sainte-Marie came to the screening we went to and sat in the first row of the risers with a huge bag of popcorn 🍿 which she proceeded to share with the people next to her and with the people in the 2nd row directly behind her, before the movie started. We were in the 3rd row and could not reach far enough to grab any for ourselves 😋. After the film ended to a roaring standing ovation, she leapt up and participated in an enthusiastic Q&A session.
Having such a recent biographical overview via that excellent film, I can also say that the picture book Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie does an excellent job in portraying that life for its 6 to 10-year-old targeted audience. But hey! this 70-year-old Buffy Sainte-Marie fan enjoyed it just as much.
A sample 2-page panel from 'Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie' portraying her early career of singing in folk clubs and coffee houses. Image sourced from Scholastic Canada.
In its short 32 pages, the book covers all the major life and career highlights. It does include some of the more depressing issues such as racism and discrimination, first mentioned through the fact that as a young child she was removed from her Piapot Cree Nation birth parents in the Sixties Scoop (which actually began much earlier than the 1960s) in the Indigenous Oppression led by the Canadian government. There is also her blacklisting by American radio stations in the 1970s due to her anti-Vietnam War stance. Some of these difficult issues may have to be explained to curious and observant youngsters, so teachers and parents should also know the meaning of the red dress that Buffy hangs on stage during concerts and which is seen in some of the illustrations here, but without an explanation.
Soundtrack
Most of these songs are quoted or mentioned in the book, they represent a sample of her best known works, which have often been performed and recorded by others.
1. Universal Soldier (orig 1964, this is a later TV show version).
2. Until It's Time For You To Go (orig 1965, this is a later version).
3. Up Where We Belong (orig 1982). Her Oscar winning song from the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" as originally sung by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes on the movie soundtrack.
4. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (orig 1992, this is a later version).
5. Carry It On (orig 2015, this is a later live version).
6. Starwalker (orig 1992, this is a later live version). TURN IT UP LOUD!
Trivia and Links
Scholastic Canada provides a School Class Discussion Guide for Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie which you can read here (the link opens a pdf file).
Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie is part of the Scholastic Canada Biography series of picture books on a variety of Canadian personalities, not necessarily just celebrities but gamechangers in various ways. You can see a selection of the books at Scholastic Canada.
Apparently the Canadian CBC television show The Fifth Estate will transmit a takedown story tomorrow Friday October 27, 2023 which will question Buffy Sainte-Marie's indigenous origins. Aside from the ridiculous nature of questioning the sincerity of someone who has devoted their entire life and career to promoting indigenous culture and values, it actually becomes offensive and is yet another instance of the trash journalism so prevalent today.
Buffy Ste. Marie has responded in advance of the story today on Twitter and on Facebook.
Power in the Blood
Review of the Scholastic Canada Ltd. hardcover edition (May 2, 2023).
I don't usually review picture books, but I've enjoyed Buffy Sainte-Marie in concert many times and recently saw the premiere of the documentary about her life Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On (2022) directed by Madison Thomas in September 2022 at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival).
Sidenote: Buffy Sainte-Marie came to the screening we went to and sat in the first row of the risers with a huge bag of popcorn 🍿 which she proceeded to share with the people next to her and with the people in the 2nd row directly behind her, before the movie started. We were in the 3rd row and could not reach far enough to grab any for ourselves 😋. After the film ended to a roaring standing ovation, she leapt up and participated in an enthusiastic Q&A session.
Having such a recent biographical overview via that excellent film, I can also say that the picture book Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie does an excellent job in portraying that life for its 6 to 10-year-old targeted audience. But hey! this 70-year-old Buffy Sainte-Marie fan enjoyed it just as much.
A sample 2-page panel from 'Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie' portraying her early career of singing in folk clubs and coffee houses. Image sourced from Scholastic Canada.
In its short 32 pages, the book covers all the major life and career highlights. It does include some of the more depressing issues such as racism and discrimination, first mentioned through the fact that as a young child she was removed from her Piapot Cree Nation birth parents in the Sixties Scoop (which actually began much earlier than the 1960s) in the Indigenous Oppression led by the Canadian government. There is also her blacklisting by American radio stations in the 1970s due to her anti-Vietnam War stance. Some of these difficult issues may have to be explained to curious and observant youngsters, so teachers and parents should also know the meaning of the red dress that Buffy hangs on stage during concerts and which is seen in some of the illustrations here, but without an explanation.
Soundtrack
Most of these songs are quoted or mentioned in the book, they represent a sample of her best known works, which have often been performed and recorded by others.
1. Universal Soldier (orig 1964, this is a later TV show version).
2. Until It's Time For You To Go (orig 1965, this is a later version).
3. Up Where We Belong (orig 1982). Her Oscar winning song from the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" as originally sung by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes on the movie soundtrack.
4. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (orig 1992, this is a later version).
5. Carry It On (orig 2015, this is a later live version).
6. Starwalker (orig 1992, this is a later live version). TURN IT UP LOUD!
Trivia and Links
Scholastic Canada provides a School Class Discussion Guide for Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie which you can read here (the link opens a pdf file).
Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie is part of the Scholastic Canada Biography series of picture books on a variety of Canadian personalities, not necessarily just celebrities but gamechangers in various ways. You can see a selection of the books at Scholastic Canada.
October 30, 2023
I read this awhile ago but seems I forgot to add it here, despite commenting on Alan's review.
Now, post-the big reveal, I'm feeling so sad. There are many diverse and penetrating commentaries on her identity, many layers of analysis, and I feel for indigenous peoples in all of this. For my part, what I'm thinking is that this is such a lesson in basic truth-telling, an illustration of how what might be a spontaneous, small, seemingly innocent comment/lie in any particular moment can grow into a monster, a monster you have to feed with more lies and protect with threats. Why so hard for individuals, groups, institutions to walk back inaccuracies, mistakes, and lies?
I wonder, does she believe her lie, or did she live in fear of it being revealed? Oh Buffy, you're human, and I still love you.
Now, post-the big reveal, I'm feeling so sad. There are many diverse and penetrating commentaries on her identity, many layers of analysis, and I feel for indigenous peoples in all of this. For my part, what I'm thinking is that this is such a lesson in basic truth-telling, an illustration of how what might be a spontaneous, small, seemingly innocent comment/lie in any particular moment can grow into a monster, a monster you have to feed with more lies and protect with threats. Why so hard for individuals, groups, institutions to walk back inaccuracies, mistakes, and lies?
I wonder, does she believe her lie, or did she live in fear of it being revealed? Oh Buffy, you're human, and I still love you.
May 9, 2023
Another great true story from Scholasti Canada Biography series. An eye-opening look at Buffy's life as an indiginous child taken from her family and adopted by a family in the United States. Her mom was part Mi'kmaq. Buffy's love for music and pride in her heritage had her courageously performing and informing the public about the rights of Indiginous people.
December 6, 2023
Given recent revelations about Buffy, it will be interesting to see how this book is received. She, according to this book, has done so much good for Indigenous peoples around the world. How will this fitting with the news story about her heritage?
August 10, 2023
Awesome look into the fabulous life of a Canadian icon who has made the world a better place because of her music, songs, art and activism!
November 14, 2023
It's a good basic book to tell kids about buffys life and barriers she overcame.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews