The First Christmas Tree: An Innu Tale

http://www.renaud-bray.com

http://www.renaud-bray.com

It is very cold in the Far North. The Great Manitou knows that winter is the harshest season for the Innu, and he decides to find a way to make their winters a little brighter. He searches through the trees in the forest to find one who will bring joy, beauty and warmth to all. Could it be the larch, the tree that the Innu use to make sleds, bows or ointments? The birch, malleable and robust? Or the magnificent black spruce? “Do you want to become the Christmas tree?” he asks each one. But one after the other, the trees decline his offer. All except one, the little fir tree, whom the Great Manitou had initially overlooked.Key Selling Points In this vibrant picture book, the Great Manitou searches for the first Christmas tree to brighten up the winters for the Innu. The author, an Innu elder, has created an original Christmas tale that marries Indigenous and Christian traditions in a respectful way. The Creator, the Great Manitou, is depicted in the illustrations in an innovative way that reflects an animistic worldview. While the Innu characters are enduring a hard winter, they are depicted as resourceful, resilient and merry. The back matter includes a selection of Innu words for the animals, trees and other objects in the story. The original French version of this title, Le premier arbre de Noël, won a 2024 Governor General's Literary Award.