Our Sacred Land of Phežúta

Story by Tanaǧidaŋ To Wiŋ Tara Perron

Illustrations by Holly Young

$18.95

Plants of all kinds fill a blooming landscape—and offer healing and knowledge to benefit those who connect with phežúta (medicines) and give thanks for their bounty.

In the early mornings of summer I go with my grandmother to pray and visit some of her oldest friends.

“Grandmother, who will we get to visit with today?” I ask.

“Little one, we must listen quietly and see who decides to greet us this morning,” she replies.

Grandmother’s friends are the plants of her sacred garden. They are known as phežúta, or medicines. They help her heal herself and others. Grandmother’s understanding of these plants has been passed down from person to person for generations.

Grandmother and Granddaughter sing a special song to the plants. They say hello to Chaŋíčaȟpehu (Stinging Nettle), to Čhaŋȟdóȟu (Broadleaf Plantain), to Čhaŋpȟá (Chokecherry). Some of these plants are full of vitamins. Some help soothe stings and pains. Some make tasty and healing syrups. Together, Grandmother and Granddaughter offer Čhaŋšáša (Tobacco) to honor each plant in their path.

Granddaughter cherishes these lessons and the gifts of phežúta. She is grateful to her grandmother for sharing her wisdom. Perhaps one day she too will walk in this sacred land with her own granddaughter.

Through words and images, this tender story from educator and healer Tanaǧidaŋ To Wiŋ Tara Perron, illustrated with evocative ledger-style artwork by Holly Young, highlights the treasures of an abundant prairie landscape. 

Writer and educator Tanaǧidaŋ To Wiŋ Tara Perron is the author of Takóža: Walks with the Blue Moon Girl. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dakota artist Holly Young creates in the traditional mediums of ledger art, beadwork, and quillwork. She lives in Bismarck, North Dakota.

• Hardcover Picture Book
• Ages 3–7
• 32 pages
• Fully Illustrated
• 10 in H | 10 in W
• ISBN: 9781681342139

Starred review in School Library Journal

  PreS-Gr 2: A young Dakota child accompanies her grandmother on early morning walks through a landscape of phežúta (medicinal plants), learning to greet, honor, and care for each relative with intention and gratitude. As they encounter stinging nettle, bergamot, red clover, and more, the grandmother shares practical uses and cultural teachings, grounding botanical knowledge in relationship, ceremony, and responsibility to the land. The narrative unfolds with a gentle call-and-response cadence that mirrors oral storytelling traditions. Young’s illustrations are striking in their restraint and purpose. Figures and plants are rendered in careful marker strokes atop ledger-style backgrounds, with visible columns, numbers, and faint handwriting lending a sense of recordkeeping and continuity. The compositions feel spacious and unhurried, reinforcing the book’s thematic emphasis on listening, patience, and reverence. The interplay between text and image is cohesive and contemplative; nothing feels extraneous. The tone is steady and devotional throughout, offering a notable counterpoint to the frenetic pace of many picture books. Extensive back matter includes plant identifications, Dakota words, and pronunciation support, all presented in a way that remains accessible to young audiences without diluting complexity.

VERDICT A meditative, culturally grounded exploration of plant knowledge and kinship; a strong addition for libraries, especially those seeking authentic Indigenous perspectives.

Reviewed by Rose Garrett , May 15, 2026