The First Day: A Story of Courage

Makwa’s family just moved to the city, and it’s his first day at a new school. He doesn’t know anybody, he doesn’t have any friends, and everything is so new and scary. Can Makwa find the courage to overcome his fears and enjoy his first day?

In this relatable story, a young Anishinaabe boy learns that things that seem scary at first are often not so bad after all. A pronunciation guide for the Anishnaabemowin words can be found at the back of the book.

Rich in culture and grounded in traditional knowledge, Katherena Vermette’s The Seven Teachings Stories series features themes of love, wisdom, humility, courage, respect, honesty, and truth. Contemporary Indigenous children explore the Seven Teachings of the Anishinaabe through stories of home and family that will look familiar to all young readers in these books for ages 3-5.

Katherena Vermette is a Métis writer of poetry, fiction, and children’s literature. Her first book, North End Love Songs (The Muses’ Company) won the 2013 Governor General Literary Award for Poetry. She is the author of a new series of graphic novels from HighWater Press, A Girl Called Echo. Her poetry and fiction have appeared in several literary magazines and anthologies, including Manitowapow: Aboriginal Writings from the Land of Water. Her first novel The Break is a National Bestseller and a 2016 Governor General’s Literary Award Finalist. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia, and lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.