My Heart Fills With Happiness (Sâkaskinêw Nitêh Miywêyihtamowin Ohci) by Monique Gray Smith. Julie Flett

Cover of "My Heart Fills With Happiness" by Monique Gray Smith

Recommended Age: 5-9
Citation: Gray Smith, M. (2021). My heart fills with happiness/ Sâkaskinêw nitêh miywêyihtamowin ohci (J. Flett, Illus.; M. C. Collins, Trans.). Orca Book Publishers.
 
 
What fills your heart with happiness? This question is answered from the perspective of modern Cree children. 
 
Happiness is universal to all children. Yet, there are still elements of Plains Cree culture incorporated into the book. There is also aspects that are applicable to many children, so there’s something for everyone. 
 
Having the Plains Cree text below the English and in grey makes it seem secondary to the English text. 
 
Another book that represents a (somewhat) specific culture yet has universal elements is The Gift of Ramadan (Lumbard, 2019). kimotinâniwiw itwêwina / Stolen Words (Florence, 2019) also has parallel text in Cree.