
Of the Sun
A Poem for the Land's First Peoples
Xelena Gonzalez(Author)
Barefoot Books Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 19. August 2025
Book
Hardback
32 pages
979-8-88859-650-0 (ISBN)
Description
"Of The Sun is a loving homage to the Indigenous peoples of this land-both in Gonzalez's beautiful, lyrical poem and Kewageshig's warm, vibrant Anishinaabe-styled artwork. A wonderful read aloud you must add to bookshelves at home, at school, and in community!" - Traci Sorell, award-winning author of We Are Grateful Otsaliheliga and At The Mountain's Base
A powerful and hopeful ode to Indigenous children.
Indigenous. Native. On this land, you may roam.
Child of the sun, on this land, you are home.
Of the Sun is an uplifting and mighty poem that wraps the Indigenous children of the Americas in reassuring words filled with hope for a brighter future and reminders of their bond and importance to the land. Each page fills them with pride and awe of their cultural heritage and invites them to unite and inspire change in the world.
Paired with powerful art reflecting cultures of various Indigenous Nations and Tribes, the poem offers all readers a sense of the history and majesty of the land we live on and how we can better care for ourselves and the world when we recognize our connection to the land and to each other.
Written by Xelena Gonzalez, poet and activist in the Native and Latinx communities, and an enrolled member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation
Bold illustrations by prominent Anishinaabe illustrator Emily Kewageshig depict landscapes across the Americas and children from many backgrounds
Endnotes provide more information on Native and Indigenous unity and activism in younger generations
A powerful and hopeful ode to Indigenous children.
Indigenous. Native. On this land, you may roam.
Child of the sun, on this land, you are home.
Of the Sun is an uplifting and mighty poem that wraps the Indigenous children of the Americas in reassuring words filled with hope for a brighter future and reminders of their bond and importance to the land. Each page fills them with pride and awe of their cultural heritage and invites them to unite and inspire change in the world.
Paired with powerful art reflecting cultures of various Indigenous Nations and Tribes, the poem offers all readers a sense of the history and majesty of the land we live on and how we can better care for ourselves and the world when we recognize our connection to the land and to each other.
Written by Xelena Gonzalez, poet and activist in the Native and Latinx communities, and an enrolled member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation
Bold illustrations by prominent Anishinaabe illustrator Emily Kewageshig depict landscapes across the Americas and children from many backgrounds
Endnotes provide more information on Native and Indigenous unity and activism in younger generations
Reviews / Votes
Of The Sun is a loving homage to the Indigenous peoples of this land-both in Gonzalez's beautiful, lyrical poem and Kewageshig's warm, vibrant Anishinaabe-styled artwork. A wonderful read aloud you must add to bookshelves at home, at school, and in community! - Traci Sorell, award-winning author of We Are Grateful Otsaliheliga and At The Mountain's Base "A luminous song, poem, promiseof cultures and connection,
of kinship and caring,
for Indigenous children across the continent."
- Cynthia Leitich Smith, author of JINGLE DANCER
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Bath
United Kingdom
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: From Preschool to Kindergarten, Interest Age: From 3 to 5 years
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 257 mm
Width: 249 mm
Thickness: 9 mm
Weight
428 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-88859-650-0 (9798888596500)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Xelena Gonzalez practices the healing arts through writing and movement. Her picture books include the award-winning titles All Around Us, Where Wonder Grows, and Remembering. A member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, Xelena grows her garden in Yanaguana/San Antonio, Texas, USA. Visit her online at Xelena.Space.
Emily Kewageshig is an Anishinaabe artist and visual storyteller whose work captures the interconnection of life forms using both traditional and contemporary materials and methods. She creates artwork that highlights Indigenous knowledge and culture. Emily is a mother of two, and comes from Saugeen First Nation in Ontario, Canada.
Emily Kewageshig is an Anishinaabe artist and visual storyteller whose work captures the interconnection of life forms using both traditional and contemporary materials and methods. She creates artwork that highlights Indigenous knowledge and culture. Emily is a mother of two, and comes from Saugeen First Nation in Ontario, Canada.