Encounter

July 15, 2019
How might Indigenous and European people have connected if non-Native explorers had visited First Nations territories instead of colonizing them? Shared humanity is at the center of this Indigenous author and illustrator team's alternative history. Fisher, an Indigenous person with rich brown skin and long black hair, notices a stranger rowing into the bay--Sailor, a white-skinned redhead who "came from away" in search of "unknown lands." Quickly challenging this settler narrative that frames Europeans as discovering Indigenous territories, Sailor spots Fisher from a distance and shifts his thinking: "Perhaps these lands are not so new." Fisher and Sailor's ensuing friendship is tender but brief, as Sailor's excursion to Fisher's homeland ends in his eventual "journey home." Under the affirming gaze of nearby animals, who emphasize Fisher and Sailor's similarities through their anthropomorphic commentary, Fisher and Sailor observe their differences respectfully. Luby's (Anishinaabe) creative reimagining of historical events is brought to life by Goade's (Tlingit) vibrant multimedia illustrations, which weave Fisher and Sailor brilliantly into their jewel-toned surroundings. Encounter's most valuable aspect is its backmatter: Both an author's reflection and a historical note offer crucial context to this spirited revision. "This peaceful encounter does not forgive...violent actions," Luby notes. "Instead, it reminds us...that everyday people, like Sailor, can participate in systems that hurt others." Without this addendum, this story runs the risk of obscuring legacies of violence rather than "learn[ing] from our history and tak[ing] the opportunity to map a better future." An uplifting, #ownvoices vision for what could have been and what we are responsible for now. (Picture book. 6-11)

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November 1, 2019

K-Gr 3-Luby, a professsor of Indigineous history, imagines an encounter that might have occurred in 1534 when Jacques Cartier's ship arrived in Gaspé Bay, where Stadaconans fished. When Fisher heads out in his canoe, he meets Sailor, who has rowed from the anchored ship. Heading to shore, they spend the day together. Although they are puzzled by one another's food and clothing, they both enjoy swimming in the bay and running along the beach to follow beluga whales. Animals that observe the humans note their similarities from casting long shadows to providing a tasty snack for mosquitos. Their day ends peacefully, with each hoping to meet again. An author's reflection explains the impact of French exploration on Luby's own ancestors while an historical note discusses European explorers' disrespectful and sometimes violent treatment of Indigenous peoples. Goade's evocative watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations create a natural world bursting with plant and animal life. Double-page spreads of sunrise and sunset bookend the day of friendship. VERDICT Eye-catching illustrations and a low-key but thought-provoking story could stimulate group sharing about ways we interact with people from other cultures.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato

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