November 1, 2020
Gr 4-6-Cuthbert Grant, who was the son of a Scotsman and a M�tis (mixed-race Cree) woman, played a significant role in the lives of the M�tis people. Grant was sent to Montreal in his youth to be formally educated. He returned to the Red River Region as an officer of the North West Company, which was a major Canadian fur-trading company cofounded by his father. The rivalry between the North West Company and the Hudson Bay Company over resources as well as the encroachment of Scottish settlers on Indigenous lands led to conflict between the companies. Cuthbert sided with the M�tis and Indigenous people in their efforts to protect their lands. He eventually led the M�tis in creating a new farming community. The factual narrative examines the impact of colonization and capitalism on the M�tis and Indigenous people. Woods's acrylic, oil, and collage on canvas art depict energetic action scenes, such as Cuthbert living and working in the Red River region, and detailed moments that capture his time in Montreal. Black-and-white and color photographs are interspersed throughout the narrative. The text is offset in color boxes with a border of bison. The "For More Information" section lists books and websites. Lindstrom is Ojibwe/M�tis/Cree/Haudenosaunee; Grant is Lindstrom's uncle, four generations removed. Woods is Dakota/Ojibwe. VERDICT Cuthbert's care for the M�tis and Indigenous people shines throughout his life. A good #OwnVoices purchase.-Tamara Saarinen, Pierce County Lib., WA
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 15, 2020
An illustrated biography of an early-19th-century M�tis leader. Alas, a fascinating life does not make a fascinating read in this book about Cuthbert Grant (1793-1854), mixed-race son of a Scottish fur-trader father and M�tis mother. Author Lindstrom (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe Indians) presents Grant here as a man ahead of his time due to his combined Indigenous and Western education. With a foot in both worlds, he gains influence in powerful business circles and rises to help his people through the creation of a M�tis town known as Grantown in the wake of laws that prevented them from hunting the buffalo. Notably, the story positions him as loyal to the fur trade. He is a champion of the M�tis and protector of the hunt, though his reasoning goes beyond tradition to commercial concerns. The frequently digressive text mentions both the death of his father and the tragic disappearance of his wife and child with flat language that does little to invest readers. The battles and wars are mentioned in passing, and little attention is given to the competing value systems of the era. If Grant was passionate, conflicted, or angry, readers do not feel it. Illustrator Woods (Long Plain First Nation) gives this dryly factual biography all of its color, combining the occasional photo with vivid, textured paintings. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22.8-inch double-page spreads viewed at 22% of actual size.) The M�tis visionary never fully comes to life in this book. (author's note, bibliography) (Biography. 8-12)
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