If you haven’t done so already, be sure to head over to our main PaperTigers site and read our interview with Canadian Métis author and literacy advocate David Bouchard. David has produced more than 35 picture-books for readers of all ages, as well as two guides on reading for parents and educators. An erstwhile teacher and school principal, he is particularly concerned with Aboriginal-related issues and is a sought-after speaker for school presentations and on topics of reading and literacy.  Earlier this month David was named to the Member of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honor, “for his contributions as an author of children’s books and an advocate who has championed the cause of reading and writing, and who has shared his pride as a member of the Métis community through his stories.”

Winchester Galleries, located in Victoria, BC, Canada, is currently hosting an exhibition entitled David Bouchard – Our Author and his Collection. Throughout his career, David has worked with over two dozen accomplished artists, the likes of Allen Sapp, Michael Lonechild and Jim Poitras, and has amassed a diverse and interesting collection of fine art.  Paintings from David’s collection, as well as autographed copies of his best-selling books will be on exhibit and sale at Winchester Galleries until May 1st. Here’s a video from the opening night:

Children’s stories told and/or illustrated by Aboriginal people have been receiving serious attention for several decades now. It’s a different world from that of early pioneers like Australian Dick Roughsey, of Mornington Island in Queensland. I’ve posted previously about illustrator Bronwyn Bancroft and Magabala Books in western Australia. To delve deeper, this article about the history of aboriginal children’s literature illustrators features work by another early favorite, Pat Torres.

Magabala publishes a list of Australian and New Zealand children’s books by and about Aboriginals. AustralEd also has a list of books about Australian indigenous peoples, many by Aboriginal writers. Indij Readers publishes school reading materials by Aboriginal people that provide “diversity of Aboriginal identity, voice, and representation.” Here’s an introduction to their work.

In Canada, Pemmican publishes children’s books by and about the Metis aboriginal people. The Penumbra Press, a small fine-art and literary publishing house, offers many books for children based on Northern and Native literatures. And the Our Story website publishes stories by young winners of the Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge.

Unsympathetic governments worldwide, east and west, make it difficult for the stories and traditions of native peoples to be passed on to subsequent generations. It is gratifying to salute the great work of organizations, writers and illustrators who bring these treasures to all of us.

Another supplement to our January-February update on illustrators…

Whenever I browsed children’s books in Australia (I was there September-December, 2007), I was drawn to the vivid illustrations of award-winning Aboriginal artist and designer Bronwyn Bancroft, whose most recent books, published by Little Hare, are An Australian ABC of Animals (2005), Patterns of Australia (2006), and An Australian 123 of Animals (2007). Throughout Bronwyn’s multi-faceted career she has been raising consciousness about Aboriginal culture. Early on, she developed a line of textiles based on Aboriginal patterns that’s now in a museum collection (search here). She’s also an internationally recognized painter with work in many museum collections. Her painting, “You don’t even look Aboriginal,” inspired a widely-used classroom teaching unit in Australian schools.

Bronwyn’s children’s book illustrations were award-winners from the get-go. The Fat and Juicy Place, written by Dianna Kidd, won the Australian Multicultural Children’s book award in 1993. Her illustrations of Stradbroke Dreamtime were the Australian candidate for the Ezra Jack Keats international award for excellence in children’s book illustrations. (These prestigious awards have since been discontinued.)

In this transcript of an inspiring 2004 Australian national television (ABC) profile, Bronwyn talks about her early life and the development of her work, career, and mission.