A Parksville author has turned her short story, a finalist for the CBC Canada Council for the Arts short fiction prize, into an illustrated children's book.
Julia Jenkins, pen name Julia Vandyke, will launch her book I Am Aani Littlecrab at the McMillan Arts Centre on May 10.
The story takes place in pre-contact times in a Tlingit village on the northwest coast, and follows a young girl who is seriously injured after falling into a fire pit. She uses sticks fitted with deerskin gloves to move around after her injury, hence her nickname "LittleCrab".
“Her name is Aani, and ‘Aani’ is Tlingit for ‘the land’, and it’s still used today,” said Jenkins.
The characters in the book include Tahltan bear dogs, crows, eagles, dolphins, river otter and even fish.
Jenkins says she put a lot of research into this book and even consulted with the University of Alaska for her history sources.
The book was illustrated by Parksville artist Twana MacArthur, and the book was written, illustrated, designed, printed entirely on Vancouver Island, according to Jenkins.
The book is available for purchase at Mulberry Bush Bookstore in Qualicum Beach, the MAC in Parksville and at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
The book launch at the MAC will go from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
