Goade, Michaela. Berry Song. Michaela Goade, Illustrator. Little, Brown. 07/2022. [34]pp. Picture Book. GRADES Preschool – 2. HIGH ADDITIONAL. Trade $18.99. 978-0-316-49417-5.
A young girl and her grandmother gather berries and other supplies from nature in this beautiful picture book from the creator of We Are Water Protectors (Roaring Brook Press, 2020). The watercolor-and-mixed-media illustrations are soft, drawing the reader through the book and creating a sense of closeness with nature. The illustrations include light-and-medium-brown-skinned characters. The text has a steady rhythm with repetition of different types of berries and the Tlingit word for giving thanks, “Gunalchéesh.” There is also an author’s note at the end of the book that expands upon the author’s Tlingit heritage, connection to nature, and the themes woven through the book. Berry Song presents an opportunity to learn more about Indigenous cultures and the ways that people can connect to and preserve nature.
Lillian Whithaus — Berkeley Public Library