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Review: Berry Song

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By Michaela Goade
New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2022. Picture book.

On the edge of the wild sea in Alaska, a young Tlingit girl and her grandmother forage for wild berries on their island. The pair wanders into the forest discovering all kinds of berries -- salmonberries, cloudberries, blueberries, nagoonberries, and more. As they do, they are careful to say thank you -- Gunalchéesh!-- to the land for taking care of them. When the weather gets colder, we see the family at home making syrups and marmalades and pies and crisps out of the berries they have harvested.

Caldecott winning illustrator Michaela Goade, who is a member of the Tlingit nation, creates a lush and lustrous picture book with poetic text that speaks to the connection between people and the land. The book bears also the reminder to protect our land for the future. The message of connectedness between people and nature is enriched by truly gorgeous illustrations on each page -- brightly colored, rich, and dreamlike. Share this picture book with early elementary readers.
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