I HOPE / NIPAKOSÊYIMON

Written in English and Cree, this book conveys an unseen adult’s wishes for a child.

The hopes expressed have a reassuring and universal nature: “I hope you know beautiful happiness.” “I hope that when sad tears leave your eyes someone is there to catch them.” Many books of this nature tend to hope for wonderful things to happen to the child; refreshingly, this one expresses the hope that the child will also make wonderful things happen: “I hope you are helpful.” “I hope you are a caretaker of Mother Earth.” “I hope you are respectful.” Grimard translates these feelings into luminous artwork that often expands upon the sentiment in question. On a page with the words, “I hope you are courageous,” several children are shown holding placards that read “Every Child Matters,” “We Are One,” and “Equal.” Every double-page spread expresses a hope, first in English, then followed by its Cree equivalent: “I hope that you are kind / nipakosêyimon ka-kisêwâtisiyan.” Fittingly, given that this is a book addressed to children, the book ends, “I have lots of hopes, for you and for me, / but I wonder….What are your hopes?” The people portrayed are diverse in terms of ethnicity, skin color, and age. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Comforting, encouraging sentiments that adult readers and their little ones will appreciate.