Blue Bearies

Story by Brenda J. Child (Bíne)

Illustrations by Jonathan Thunder

Translation by Gordon Jourdain

Available September 2026

Minnesota Historical Society Press

Description

In this follow-up to the bestselling Bowwow Powwow, Windy Girl and her classmates learn to appreciate our bear relatives and the wisdom that comes from observing their actions and antics in various northland scenes.

“Bears are our teachers!” exclaims Mrs. Mukwa at the end of a field trip with Windy Girl’s class. Indeed, beyond an intertwined history that includes a woman “as fierce as a bear” during a long-ago battle and a cub that traveled on the shoulders of an Ojibwe man, these animal relatives have much to teach us. Stop by stop, the students learn about habitats and habits, landscapes and lore—the assorted ways that bears seek out the gifts of their environment. Windy Girl and her classmates marvel as they witness bears digging medicinal herbs, munching on berries, and playing with their families. The ultimate lesson is to respect our bear relatives. Will Windy Girl remember this advice later in the summer as she prepares for a berrying trip with Uncle?

In Blue Bearies Brenda J. Child (Bíne) reprises the adventures of Windy Girl and her dog Itchy Boy with a focus on history and ecology, while Jonathan Thunder’s lively illustrations teem with playful humor. Anishinaabe educator Gordon Jourdain retells the story in Ojibwemowin. This much-anticipated sequel to the award-winning Bowwow Powwow celebrates the wonders of a time when, as Mrs. Mukwa shares, “we lived closely with our animal relatives”—to our mutual benefit.

Author Information

Brenda J. Child (Bíne) (Red Lake Ojibwe) is Northrop Professor of American Studies at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Distinguished digital artist Jonathan Thunder (Red Lake Ojibwe) lives in Duluth. First-language Ojibwemowin speaker Gordon Jourdain (Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation) resides on the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation.

• Hardcover
• 32 pages
  
• 10 x 10 inches
  
• Fully illustrated
• ISBN: 978-1-68134-338-9