Photo: Canada: We are the Story is the colourful and engaging children’s picture book that re-imagines “The Canada Poem” by late Ojibway writer Richard Wagamese.
By Shari Narine
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Windspeaker.com
Canada: We are the Story is the colourful and engaging children’s picture book that re-imagines “The Canada Poem” by late Ojibway writer Richard Wagamese.
David Robertson, editorial director of publisher Swift Water, a new imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, was approached by Wagamese’s agents and asked to adapt a number of the writer’s works into picture books.
“‘Canada’ was just the first one that really struck me. And so I agreed to do my best to adapt it and to bring it onto the list for Swift Water…and decided that it would be a perfect fit for what kind of vision I had for Swift Water,” said Robertson, who is Cree. “And I think it turned out really beautifully.”
Swift Water Books was launched in 2025 as an Indigenous-led imprint to make publishing accessible for Indigenous writers and artists. It publishes a wide range of books aimed at children and youth.
In Canada: We are the Story, Robertson uses the premise of a young Indigenous child being given the school assignment of “What makes you proud to be Canadian?” The original poem invokes the voices of Indigenous ancestors, as well as perspectives from ethnic groups. It also relates to animals and nature. The child draws on these as he’s doing his assignment and, says in the book, “Nothing is truly separate. Everyone and everything carries the spark of Creation and exists in the sacred breath of that Creation.”
Robertson said he felt it was important to use the classroom setting because “the spectrum of how we create action starts with learning…It always starts with being inquisitive…understanding through that learning, and then through that understanding, figuring out what kind of action we can take. And so that’s how and why I constructed the story in the way that I did.”
“The Canada Poem” comes from Wagamese’s poetry collection Runaway Dreams (2013). “Canada” is written in seven parts and is 10 pages long. Robertson primarily used the first and last parts of the poem and a portion of the sixth part, totalling about two pages of the original text.
“The process of creating a picture book…might be a little bit different (from) adapting it, but the process is probably pretty similar in that you look at what you want to say. You look at how you can say it most effectively. And then you find the right words to convey that message. And Richard’s poem was right there on the page,” said Robertson, who’s written a handful of picture books and considers it one of his strongest areas of writing.
Robertson reworked passages of the poem slightly to give it rhythm, cadence, and chose words for repetition.
“I really felt like I was writing it with Richard and channeling his spirit through the book and channeling his words into a message that he would be proud of. It was something I was really honoured to do,” said Robertson.
Wagamese passed away in 2017. He is the author of such notable work as Indian Horse, Medicine Walk, Embers, and Starlight. Robertson admired Wagamese, but never had the opportunity to meet him.
For the creation of the manuscript, as well as the illustrations done by Anishinaabe artist Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, Robertson worked with Wagamese’s agents and estate.
“The approval process throughout was something I sought at every stage…making sure …there was a level of comfortability from the people that really mattered, which were the people that were close with Richard,” said Robertson.
Robertson does not take credit for Canada: We are the Story although Wagamese’s estate recognizes Robertson for his adaptive work.
For Indigenous readers, Robertson hopes that Canada: We are the Story helps them “on that journey of healing…It’s such an important thing for us to be able to do.”
He also wants them to see themselves as storytellers and “to read this story and feel like their story matters too…Because every story matters, every story is instructive, every story has meaning, and everybody has a truth that needs to be heard.”
For non-Indigenous readers he hopes they understand that Canada is a community.
“We have an equal and important responsibility to hold each other up… What are the questions that you can ask and what are the answers to those questions and the actions that you can take to…(be) walking together like people are at the end of this book?” he said.
Robertson sees Canada: We are the Story as the perfect coffee table book for every household in the country.
“To have this book as one of the big anchors for this imprint, it’s such a joy. It’s such an honour and responsibility,” said Robertson about Swift Water’s collaboration with Wagamese.
Canada: We are the Story, release March 17, can be ordered at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/752868/canada-by-richard-wagamese-illustrated-by-mangeshig-pawis-steckley/9781774886380