GREATER TORONTO AREA, Ontario — (CANADIAN CHRISTIAN NEWS SERVICE) – A great celebration is planned for the launch of award-winning author Tim Huff’s fifth title and third children’s book from Castle Quay Books entitled The Honour Drum: Sharing the Beauty of Canada’s Indigenous People with Children, Families and Classrooms. The event will occur Saturday, October 15th at 10:30 a.m. at The Ontario Science Centre’s Telus Hall.
One of the greatest challenges that Indigenous peoples have had to face – and continue to face – is stereotyping. In modern history, movies, television and novels have often perpetuated images and portrayals of North American Indigenous peoples that have been inaccurate, unfair and often unkind.
The Honour Drum is a uniquely envisioned and crafted children’s book project shared between Tim Huff and Cheryl Bear, an Indigenous woman and well-known, award-winning singer/songwriter from the West Coast to dispel just such stereotypes. Their work was born from their desire to reach children, families and classrooms across Canada and around the world with a message of honour, respect and a shared truth about the beauty of Indigenous values and traditions. Huff says, “The Honour Drum is a love letter to the Indigenous people of Canada and a humble bow to Indigenous cultures around the world.”
This new children’s book follows the pattern of two previous successful titles by Huff in a series called The Children’s Compassion Series. The content is another jewel of perfectly-illustrated themes that encourage children to look at North American Indigenous cultures with excitement and understanding, rather than badly-rooted assumptions, judgment or misunderstanding.
Tim is the author of five award-winning titles: Bent Hope: a Street Journal, Dancing with Dynamite: Celebrating Against the Odds (which won Best Canadian Book of the Year award in 2011), The Yuletide Factor: Cause for Perpetual Comfort and Joy and his previous illustrated children’s books, The Cardboard Shack Beneath the Bridge: Helping Children Understand Homelessness and It’s Hard Not to Stare: Helping Children Understand Disabilities, all published by Castle Quay Books.
Cheryl Bear, an acclaimed speaker and teacher, is from the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation community (Bear Clan) in northern British Columbia, Canada. Cheryl has visited several hundred Indigenous communities across North America. She is a multi-award winning singer/songwriter who shares stories of Indigenous life-the joy, sorrow, faith and journey.
The October 15th launch event will be highlighted by the presence of The Honourable David C. Onley and features a special performance of original music by Cheryl Bear. There will also be a launch in Vancouver, Saturday, April 8, 2017.
The Honour Drum: Sharing the Beauty of Canada’s Indigenous People with Children, Families and Classrooms is available at most bookstores through Ingram International Distributors and from the Castle Quay Books website.
Written by Cheryl Bear and Tim Huff
Illustrated by Tim Huff
Parent and Teacher Discussion Guide by Cheryl Bear
Forewords by Ray Aldred and Steve Bell
ISBN 978-1-927355-64-0 soft cover
$12.95 in Canada
40 pages, size 8.5″ x 8.5″
Distributed by Ingram International
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For review copies:
Contact: Larry N Willard – Publisher
Email: lwillard@castlequaybooks.com
For author interviews and book launch event details – author at honourdrum@gmail.com
Bookstores may Phone: 1-800-937- 8000
Website: http://www.castlequaybooks.com
Photo: The Honour Drum Book Cover