Pipa:m̓

Part of the Kwantlen Stories Then and Now series, this story explores the healing power of the frog, told by award-winning storyteller Joseph Dandurand with stunning illustrations by Elinor Atkins.

In the Kwantlen village, Tsa’kwi’ah tries her best to help the other children gather wood, mend nets and stoke the fires, but she’s small and can’t keep up. Then she finds a green frog. The frog smiles at her and she smiles back. She touches the frog, and she becomes tall and strong. She runs with the children and carries fish for her father. When Tsa’kwi’ah’s mother and the other villagers become sick with red spots and fever, Tsa’kwi’ah remembers the green frog. Can the touch of the frog help her family and friends too?

For children ages 6–8, Joseph Dandurand’s fifth children’s story continues reimagining Kwantlen legends, following The Bears and the Magic Masks (2024), The Girl Who Loved the Birds (2023), A Magical Sturgeon (2022) and The Sasquatch, the Fire and the Cedar Baskets (2020).

AUTHOR

Joseph Dandurand

Joseph Dandurand is a member of the Kwantlen First Nation, located on the Fraser River about twenty minutes east of Vancouver, BC. He resides there with his three children. Dandurand is the director of the Kwantlen Cultural Centre and the author of several books of poetry including The East Side of It All (2020), which was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize. In 2021, Dandurand received the BC Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence.

AUTHOR

Elinor Atkins

Elinor Atkins (Miməwqθelət, “the first bird to sing in the morning”) is a member of the Kwantlen First Nation and a Nɬeʔkepmx artist. Her works draw from the traditional teachings of the Coastal and Interior Salish culture and a deep connection to the land and water. She creates in different mediums including illustration, painting, printmaking, wood carving and public art installation.