Close Modal

You Were Made for This World

Celebrated Indigenous Voices Speak to Young People

Look inside
Hardcover
$21.99 US
7.81"W x 10.25"H x 0.69"D   | 25 oz | 12 per carton
On sale Jul 29, 2025 | 120 Pages | 9781774882566
Age 8-12 years | Grades 3-7
Reading Level: Lexile 840L

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
THREE STARRED REVIEWS! • A joyful, proud and groundbreaking collection of letters and art for young people, You Were Made for This World brings together celebrated Indigenous voices from across Turtle Island.

Every young person deserves the chance to feel like they belong, that they are recognized, that they matter. In the spirit of A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader, You Were Made for This World brings together forty Indigenous writers, artists, activists, athletes, scholars and thinkers with a joint purpose: to celebrate the potential of young people, to share a sense of joy and pride in language, traditional and personal stories and teachings, and shared experiences, and to honor young people for who they are and what they dream of.

Including contributions from activist Autumn Peltier, singer/songwriter Tanya Tagaq, hockey player Ethan Bear, Governor General's Award–winning author David A. Robertson, artists Chief Lady Bird and Christi Belcourt, illustrator Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, and dozens of others, this beautifully collaborative collection urges readers to think about who they are, where they come from and where they're going, with a warm familiarity that will inspire you to see yourself and your community with proud eyes.

Also includes a ribbon bookmark.
A CBC Books Bestseller!

"Artists Chief Lady Bird and Christi Belcourt, illustrator Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, and many more are featured. Each one has a different element and a different medium, but they all are brimming with meaning. . . . An inclusive must-buy for all upper elementary collections and for any institution serving an Indigenous community." STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

"Young readers will gravitate toward this collection for its wide range of voices and perspectives on Indigenous identity, fortitude, and creativity. Like the sacred items in a medicine bundle, the entries in this work reverberate powerfully, individually and as a whole." STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"With voices ranging from activists to hockey players, and artwork ranging from embroidery to digital artwork, the polyphonic nature of You Were Made for This World is deeply encouraging and affecting." STARRED REVIEW, Bookpage

"In this deeply poignant collection, over thirty Indigenous artists, activists, and writers from across Turtle Island directly address a younger generation, offering guidance, commiseration, support, and celebration. . . . Each contribution is accompanied by a stunning piece of art, and while they vary in style and medium, their impact is inarguably powerful and unique to the text." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Deeply moving, the offerings celebrate Indigenous history and culture to create an understanding of the past, present, and future." —The Peterborough Examiner

Photos

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

About

THREE STARRED REVIEWS! • A joyful, proud and groundbreaking collection of letters and art for young people, You Were Made for This World brings together celebrated Indigenous voices from across Turtle Island.

Every young person deserves the chance to feel like they belong, that they are recognized, that they matter. In the spirit of A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader, You Were Made for This World brings together forty Indigenous writers, artists, activists, athletes, scholars and thinkers with a joint purpose: to celebrate the potential of young people, to share a sense of joy and pride in language, traditional and personal stories and teachings, and shared experiences, and to honor young people for who they are and what they dream of.

Including contributions from activist Autumn Peltier, singer/songwriter Tanya Tagaq, hockey player Ethan Bear, Governor General's Award–winning author David A. Robertson, artists Chief Lady Bird and Christi Belcourt, illustrator Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, and dozens of others, this beautifully collaborative collection urges readers to think about who they are, where they come from and where they're going, with a warm familiarity that will inspire you to see yourself and your community with proud eyes.

Also includes a ribbon bookmark.

Praise

A CBC Books Bestseller!

"Artists Chief Lady Bird and Christi Belcourt, illustrator Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, and many more are featured. Each one has a different element and a different medium, but they all are brimming with meaning. . . . An inclusive must-buy for all upper elementary collections and for any institution serving an Indigenous community." STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

"Young readers will gravitate toward this collection for its wide range of voices and perspectives on Indigenous identity, fortitude, and creativity. Like the sacred items in a medicine bundle, the entries in this work reverberate powerfully, individually and as a whole." STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"With voices ranging from activists to hockey players, and artwork ranging from embroidery to digital artwork, the polyphonic nature of You Were Made for This World is deeply encouraging and affecting." STARRED REVIEW, Bookpage

"In this deeply poignant collection, over thirty Indigenous artists, activists, and writers from across Turtle Island directly address a younger generation, offering guidance, commiseration, support, and celebration. . . . Each contribution is accompanied by a stunning piece of art, and while they vary in style and medium, their impact is inarguably powerful and unique to the text." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Deeply moving, the offerings celebrate Indigenous history and culture to create an understanding of the past, present, and future." —The Peterborough Examiner