The Girl and the Wolf written by Katherena Vermette and illustrated by Julie Flett is an interesting take on the classic wolf fairy tale. This book was about a little girl that went against her mother's wishes to go out into the woods alone.
The little girl is greeted by a wild animal that is described by Katherena Vermette as "a tall grey wolf with big white teeth". The little girl had been in a panicked state right before losing her mother and didn't know what to do. Typically, I would assume that the wolf was a "bad guy" for lack of better words. The wolf in this story helps the girl get food and water, and get back to her mother! There are some moral values brought up lightly in this story such as trust in others and being honest. Trusting others comes into light when the girl meets the wolf for the first time, closes her eyes around the wolf, and even when she is eating/drinking around the wolf. Being honest with each other and yourself is important, like when the little girl admits to herself that she is scared and doesn't know what to do.
Katherena Vermentte has a long heritage that includes being Metis. This means that she is among the first people of Canada. Metis means "mixed" in french, so this could be part of the #OwnVoices movement! There are some parts of the author's heritage and culture sprinkled into the book as well including the idea of a wolf as a main character and the daughter/little girl knowing how to gather food. What really stood out to me regarding culture and traditions was at the end of the book, when the little girl leaves out tobacco for the wolf to thank the animal for its help and kindness.
Tobacco leaves are mentioned in the author's note as "one of the four sacred medicines. It can be enclosed in a tie of cloth, or simply given, in thanks or to ask for something respectively." This note in the back of the book helps us understand why the little girl leaving something like tobacco in order to thank a wild animal. I would be curious to know why Katherena chose to color the fabric, and if that had any cultural meaning too. "That night she tied tobacco in red cloth and left it at the brush's edge. Because she didn't know a better way to say thank you." (Vermette 2019).
