Dragonfly Kites, Pimithaagansa is the paper edition of one of Tomson Highway's Songs of the North children's book trilogy. Cree playwright and musician Tomson Highway created this series that focuses on the lives of two Cree brothers who live in northern Manitoba with their parents and a pet dog. The family is a traditional one that lives on the land and during the summer the family camps along one of the many lakes in the region. It is in this homeland that the two young children let their imaginations soar. Their playmates are the family dog and various baby animals and birds as well as sticks and stones. The boys invent their playmates and carry on a dialogue with them. Taking what is at hand the boys' summer is full of simple adventures. Their favourite playmates are the dragonflies. Carefully netting the dragonflies and gently tying red thread from their mother's sewing basket around the middles of the dragonflies creates wonderful soaring kites. The boys run with the dragonfly kites until sunset. Then they carefully release the tiny kites and return to the camp. At night the brothers continue the adventure by dreaming about the dragonfly kites. In the dream the brothers are trailing behind the kites as they fly over the land and lakes. The book is a wonderful example of children playing without manufactured toys and taking what the rich environment has to offer. The boys' imaginative play involves the animals and insects around them. The story is greatly enhanced by the colourful illustrations of artist Julie Flett. Tomson Highway has written a simple dual language story that creates a magical world in this picture book told in Cree and English. Highly recommended. Audience: Ages 6-8.
