If You Make a Mosom Tea

If you spend the afternoon with Mosom, you might make him tea and listen to stories.

If you make him tea, chances are that he will want some bannock to go with it. He will tell you his stories, show you pictures from when he was young and share his Knowledge. Although Mosom may move a little slower and sometimes forget things, you can help him find his glasses and go for walks together. It’s okay to go slow. Along the way, Mosom will teach you new Cree words and the best places to find delicious saskatoon berries. And when you're back home again, Mosom might just ask you to make him another cup of tea.

With warm, engaging illustrations, this story celebrates the joy and importance of spending time with Elders, passing down Traditions, and the lasting bond between a child and his mosom. A gentle story that highlights meaningful connection between generations.

Praise for Tonya Simpson

?“In warm, soothing language, a mother speaks to her infant, poetically describing their ancestral surroundings and reflecting on traditional Cree knowledge…Luxuriantly alive with glowing colors and textured patterns, Dumont’s (Onion Lake Cree Nation) exquisite pointillist illustrations resemble three-dimensional beadwork. This eloquent and insightful picture book (…) honors the enduring relationship between a child, their ancestors, and the land.” – Booklist, starred review for This Land Is a Lullaby

?“This solemn and serene volume should be considered a first purchase. Essential for most collections, and with its wildlife-centric art, it’s also a perfect read-aloud for Earth Day.” – School Library Journal, starred review for Forever Our Home

Key Selling Points

• This story highlights the special bond between a child and their grandparent through shared moments and storytelling.
• Told through an Indigenous lens, it reflects the importance of intergenerational connections and passing down wisdom.
• Gentle, engaging narration is peppered with fun interjections from the grandson, capturing the beauty of spending time together. The narration mimics the style of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, making for a fun read-aloud experience.
• Cree words are woven throughout the story, with a middle spread of Cree words accompanying their pictures as well as a picture glossary at the back of the book.
• Author and Indigenous anthropologist Tonya Simpson is Scottish and Cree and a member of the Pasqua First Nation. This is her third book, following Forever Our Home and This Land Is a Lullaby.
• Also available in an English-Cree dual language edition.

Tonya Simpson is a member of Pasqua First Nation and resides in Pigeon Lake, Alberta with her husband and two children. Tonya works full-time as an anthropologist and loves to explore through storytelling what it means to be human in a changing landscape. Her writing focuses on connections between people, the land and ancestors. She is the author of Forever Our Home and This Land Is a Lullaby, which celebrate the sights and sounds of the Prairies and the Plains.

Emily Côté is an illustrator originally from Windsor, Ontario. She has a unique perspective on art due to her education in both fine art and illustration. Since discovering her Métis ancestry, she has been learning more about Indigenous culture through art. Emily uses narrative art to highlight our inherent connection with nature. She loves working digitally while also incorporating traditional media such as watercolor and colored pencil. At home, she has many houseplants as a way to bring the green indoors. In her free time, she enjoys drinking tea and walking on trails—touching moss and looking for wildlife, mushrooms and wildflowers!