A picture book celebrating Indigenous culture and traditions. The Governor General Award--winning team behind When We Were Alone shares a story that honors our connections to our past and our grandfathers and fathers.
WINNER OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S AWARD
A boy and Moshom, his grandpa, take a trip together to visit a place of great meaning to Moshom. A trapline is where people hunt and live off the land, and it was where Moshom grew up. As they embark on their northern journey, the child repeatedly asks his grandfather, "Is this your trapline?" Along the way, the boy finds himself imagining what life was like two generations ago -- a life that appears to be both different from and similar to his life now. This is a heartfelt story about memory, imagination and intergenerational connection that perfectly captures the experience of a young child's wonder as he is introduced to places and stories that hold meaning for his family.
WINNER
| 2022 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
SHORTLIST
| 2022 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards
SHORTLIST
| 2022 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
LONGLIST
| 2022 First Nations Communities Read Award
FINALIST
| 2022 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
SELECTION
| 2022 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
NOMINEE
| 2022 Shining Willow Award
SHORTLIST
| 2021 OLA Best Bets for Picture Books
WINNER of the 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award for Young People’s Literature — Illustrated Books! WINNER of the 2022 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award!
Named one of School Library Journal's Caldenott Books (2021) A CCBC Best Book for Kids and Teens, Fall 2021 — Starred Pick A Horn Book 2021 Best Kids Book of the Year A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids (2021) A Canadian Children's Book Centre Favourite Book of the Year (2021) A Quill & Quire Kids' Book of the Year (2021) An American Indians in Children’s Literature Best Book of 2021 An Evanston Public Library Blueberry List pick An Ontario Library Association Top Ten Best Picture Book selection
“An outstanding contribution to the literature about family, intergenerational friendship, remembrance, community, Indigenous experience, and more.” —STARRED REVIEW, The Horn Book
“Robertson’s text is as spare as Flett’s artwork, leaving plenty of space for readers to feel the emotions evoked by both.” —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
“A deeply affecting journey of memory and history.” —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly
“This second collaboration between the Governor-General’s Award-winning writer-illustrator team — who share common Cree ancestry — focuses on the connection between a boy and his moshom (grandpa) as they travel by plane, foot and boat to the northern wilderness, where a young moshom once lived off the land with his family.” —Globe and Mail
"There are many lessons to be learned in this gentle story about intergenerational respect and relationships, both with people and the land." —Canadian Children’s Book Centre
“[A] powerful story well told in an understated manner.” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials “On the Trapline is a stunning picture book that highlights Indigenous values, including the deep connections to family and the land.” —Mutually Inclusive
DAVID A. ROBERTSON is the author of numerous books for young readers including Governor General’s Literary Award winners On the Trapline and When We Were Alone. The Barren Grounds, Book 1 of The Misewa Saga series, was a Kirkus, NPR, and Quill & Quire best middle-grade book of 2020, as well as a USBBY and Texas Lone Star selection. Winner of the Writers’ Union of Canada’s Freedom to Read Award, as well as the 2021 Globe and Mail Children’s Storyteller of the Year recipient, Dave is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and currently lives in Winnipeg, Canada. For more information, visit his website: www.darobertson.ca and follow him on X: @DaveAlexRoberts.
View titles by David A. Robertson
A picture book celebrating Indigenous culture and traditions. The Governor General Award--winning team behind When We Were Alone shares a story that honors our connections to our past and our grandfathers and fathers.
WINNER OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S AWARD
A boy and Moshom, his grandpa, take a trip together to visit a place of great meaning to Moshom. A trapline is where people hunt and live off the land, and it was where Moshom grew up. As they embark on their northern journey, the child repeatedly asks his grandfather, "Is this your trapline?" Along the way, the boy finds himself imagining what life was like two generations ago -- a life that appears to be both different from and similar to his life now. This is a heartfelt story about memory, imagination and intergenerational connection that perfectly captures the experience of a young child's wonder as he is introduced to places and stories that hold meaning for his family.
Awards
WINNER
| 2022 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
SHORTLIST
| 2022 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards
SHORTLIST
| 2022 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
LONGLIST
| 2022 First Nations Communities Read Award
FINALIST
| 2022 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
SELECTION
| 2022 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
NOMINEE
| 2022 Shining Willow Award
SHORTLIST
| 2021 OLA Best Bets for Picture Books
Praise
WINNER of the 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award for Young People’s Literature — Illustrated Books! WINNER of the 2022 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award!
Named one of School Library Journal's Caldenott Books (2021) A CCBC Best Book for Kids and Teens, Fall 2021 — Starred Pick A Horn Book 2021 Best Kids Book of the Year A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids (2021) A Canadian Children's Book Centre Favourite Book of the Year (2021) A Quill & Quire Kids' Book of the Year (2021) An American Indians in Children’s Literature Best Book of 2021 An Evanston Public Library Blueberry List pick An Ontario Library Association Top Ten Best Picture Book selection
“An outstanding contribution to the literature about family, intergenerational friendship, remembrance, community, Indigenous experience, and more.” —STARRED REVIEW, The Horn Book
“Robertson’s text is as spare as Flett’s artwork, leaving plenty of space for readers to feel the emotions evoked by both.” —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
“A deeply affecting journey of memory and history.” —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly
“This second collaboration between the Governor-General’s Award-winning writer-illustrator team — who share common Cree ancestry — focuses on the connection between a boy and his moshom (grandpa) as they travel by plane, foot and boat to the northern wilderness, where a young moshom once lived off the land with his family.” —Globe and Mail
"There are many lessons to be learned in this gentle story about intergenerational respect and relationships, both with people and the land." —Canadian Children’s Book Centre
“[A] powerful story well told in an understated manner.” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials “On the Trapline is a stunning picture book that highlights Indigenous values, including the deep connections to family and the land.” —Mutually Inclusive
DAVID A. ROBERTSON is the author of numerous books for young readers including Governor General’s Literary Award winners On the Trapline and When We Were Alone. The Barren Grounds, Book 1 of The Misewa Saga series, was a Kirkus, NPR, and Quill & Quire best middle-grade book of 2020, as well as a USBBY and Texas Lone Star selection. Winner of the Writers’ Union of Canada’s Freedom to Read Award, as well as the 2021 Globe and Mail Children’s Storyteller of the Year recipient, Dave is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and currently lives in Winnipeg, Canada. For more information, visit his website: www.darobertson.ca and follow him on X: @DaveAlexRoberts.
View titles by David A. Robertson
