‘Biboon’ full of winter words to learn

Reviewed by Alex Hebert

“Biboon” by Susan Johnston is a good book for young kids to learn Anishinaabemowin. It is good for children who are already familiar with how to make the double vowel sounds in Anishinaabemowin because this book doesn’t tell you how to do that. It would have been nice for the syllables to be selected so you know how to pronounce them for easier learning.

Biboon means “Winter” and so all of the words and phrases in this book are about winter activities.  The book includes photos rather than drawings and is consistent through the book – not a mix of photos and drawings.  Real situations with real kids.

This is a good book for teachers. It’s easy to understand and I hope that more books are made in this style in other topics.

I am not sure what dialect of Anishinaabemowin this is in because the book doesn’t say. The author Susan Johnston is from Thunder Bay and she has both a traditional and formal education.  I hope she writes more books!

Susan Johnston, Biboon. Manitoba: Goldrock Press, 2019. ISBN 978-1-927410-61-5

Alex Hebert is a 14 year-old citizen of Dokis First Nation and attends White Woods Public School in Sturgeon Falls.  At age seven, he was the designer of the world’s first Treaty of Niagara LEGO wampum belt.  His story is featured in the book “Alex Shares his Wampum Belt”, which is available through the Anishinabek Nation head office.