A Day with Yayah Book Review

Book Review
A Day with Yayah
Written by Nicola I. Campbell
Illustrated byJulie Flett
Published March 16, 2018

Why we chose this book: 
The cover caught my eye. And the synopsis sealed the deal. Crocodile Books provided a review copy.

Mom's Review

Nikki and her grandmother harvest wild plants in springtime.

There is so much to A Day with Yayah that I have spent days now trying to figure out where to begin. I'm still not sure, but I think I'd best begin with a summary. Nikki and her friends accompany Yayah (her grandmother) on an excursion to find wild plants they like to eat. Along the way, Yayah teaches the eager learners new words in the language of their forebears. This book is worth reading for so many reasons. Readers see several examples of loving relationships: intergenerational, familial, and neighborly. Everyone is playful with one another, kind, and respectful. It's clear from the conversation that these are close individuals who make up part of the fabric of each other's lives. And the focal relationship is that of Nikki and Yayah. Here is a grandmother who has a special bond with her granddaughter; from teaching Nikki new words to gently braiding her hair, the story and illustrations exude the care and attention given Nikki.

The new words bring me to my second point. Nikki and her friends ask Yayah, "What are they [different plants] called our language?" This language is a Nlaka'pamux (Thomson River Salish), a First Nations language spoken in what is now British Columbia. Back matter informs the reader that the Nlaka'pamux language is considered critically endangered. This book serves to introduce it and this issue to a wider audience while also allowing young Nlaka'pamux readers to see their indigenous language in a mass-market picture book. It is only because I've been delving deeper into children's literature that I have become aware of First Nations authors and the way in which indigenous peoples and languages were treated as a result of colonization in Canada. You know by now that one of my major goals when selecting books for T is fostering a respect and appreciation for the rich variety of cultures. This hits that target. A pronunciation guide in the back is exceedingly helpful, as is the way the children sound out the words as part of their conversation with Yayah. They set an excellent example of enthusiasm for learning, and the joy of childhood flows with each turn of the page.

I would recommend this beautiful picture book for the relationships, the attitude toward nature, the introduction of a particular culture and language, and the love of learning that A Day with Yayah showcases.

It is worth noting that both the author and the illustrator are of First Nations heritage.

Son's Review
(Age: almost 4)

Mom: At the end here, the author thanks us for letting her share her language with us. Do you think her language is important to her?

Son: Yeah.

Mom: Not a lot of people speak this language in the book anymore. I've been thinking a lot about that. I feel like it would disconnect me from the past and the people in my family if I didn't speak their language anymore. How would you feel if not a lot of people spoke your language?

Son: Sad.

Mom: What would you do?

Son: Make people speak my language by getting a lot of people together and making them speak my language. I would look it up on the puggie [computer] and send it to them.

Mom: Do you think it's fair for the government to make people speak one particular language, and not let them speak their own language?

Son: No. Why did the government say that?

Mom: That's a good question. Usually that happens because a group of people wants power. Can you think of a better rule?

Son: To not take power away.

Mom: Should we protect languages? How do you think it would make people feel to be able to speak their own language?

Son: Yes! Happy!

Mom: How might you feel if you didn't know your grandma's language? Would you want to learn it?

Son: Bad that I didn't know my grandma's language. We would look up their language. ... Yeah. Of course yeah.

Mom: How are you like the kids in this story?

Son: I like to harvest vegetables...carrots, tomatoes, and kale.

Mom: Would you want to be friends with Nikki? What would you do together?

Son: Yes. Positively. I would do everything with Nikki. Harvest vegetables. Make something.

Mom: What did you like about the book? What was your favorite part?

Son: I just really liked it. The part when they saw the poison ivy.
(He's been stuck on poison ivy since we found some in our yard in summer. This is lasting a long time.)

Mom: What should people know about A Day with Yayah?

Son: Well, that it's about a grandmother and grandchild.