Monique Gray Smith,
Karlene Harvey (Illustrated by)
My drum feels like a gift that says I belong.
In this moving picture book, Charlie’s Kohkom tells the story of recently receiving her first drum. Kohkom wasn’t raised Cree because she was taken from her family as a child as part of the Sixties Scoop. After hearing her story, Charlie offers to teach Kohkom a song—and they agree to go to the Friendship Center drum circle every week from now on.When Charlie’s Kohkom asks him what the best part of his school day was, he knows right away: Indigenous drum circle!
Kohkom tells him that not very long ago she was gifted her very first drum at a ceremony for children who never returned home from residential schools. But Charlie doesn’t understand. How could she only have gotten her first drum so recently?
Kohkom explains that she was taken from her family when she was very little because of something called the Sixties Scoop. She was raised by an adoptive white family and only later learned what being Cree meant. It’s taken her a long time to feel like she belongs. Kohkom's story gives Charlie the idea to teach her a song so they can play their drums together.
