One of the titles in The Land Is Our Storybook series, which introduces young readers to the lands and native peoples of Canada's Northwest Territories, We Feel Good Out Here follows the story of Julie-Ann André, a Gwich'in mother, hunter, trapper, businesswoman, and Canadian Ranger, who divides her time between the towns of Inuvik and Tsiigehtchic, and the land near Khaii Luk, "the place of winter fish."

As André lays out her yearly schedule, from summer months spent on the land, to winter months in town, where both she and her two daughters, Anna-May and Amanda, attend school, she also provides some fascinating cultural background on the Gwich'in. The opening story, which concerns the folk-hero Atachuukaii and the giant Ch'ii choo, was fascinating, and made me want to track down the very-difficult-to-locate collection from which it comes (Gwichya Gwich'in Googwandak). I was also interested to see that André speaks frankly about her experiences as a survivor of Canada's Residential School system, the anger she still feels at not being able to speak her own language, and the struggle she has had to regain a sense of her own culture.

As mentioned in my review of The Delta Is My Home, I appreciate the fact that these well-packaged and informative books, with color photographs and informational asides, are told from the perspectives of native people themselves, as so many titles about the First Nations are not. The entire collection is a valuable resource, and would make an excellent addition to any children's library. ( )