Books published by publisher Theytus Books

When a young boy is assigned a project about the fur trade by his teacher, he doesn’t know who to turn to because his mom works all day. With help from his grandfather and the internet, they travel back in time and discover how the fur trade began, a new people emerged, the Métis’ role in the fur trade, Louis Riel and the Red River Resistance, and the reason behind a holiday named Louis Riel Day.

A powerful medicine man, Yamozha is prominent in many Dene stories. In this vividly illustrated legend, Yamozha forgets a promise to his wife and she transforms into a giant beaver. Determined to turn her back into a woman, he sets off in search of her, but his efforts are in vain because she does not wish to be caught. According to the legend, Yamozha's passionate pursuit forever changed the landscape and created many of the striking natural features of the Tli cho region. Written in English and Dogrib.

The Gathering Tree is a beautifully illustrated children's book about HIV/AIDS. Written by award-winning First Nations author Larry Loyie and co-author Constance Brissenden, it is a gentle, positive story of a First Nations family facing HIV. After eleven-year-old Tyler and his younger sister Shay-Lyn learn their favorite cousin Robert has HIV, they discover that knowledge brings understanding and self-awareness. Aspects of physical, spiritual, mental and emotional health are addressed.

When nightmares start troubling her, young Marin goes to her grandmother's home to see an Elder. After visiting with the Elder Maskwa, Marin better understands her dreams and the importance of ritual, respect and connection to the Great Spirit, Kici Manitow. With the help of her family, Marin makes a dream catcher. It helps her appreciate herself and her connection to the land and the creatures around her.

Celina is a young Mohawk girl who moves to her mother's home reserve. She is teased by her classmates who tell her that she is not Mohawk and does not belong because she has blond hair and blue eyes. Celina starts to believe her classmates and decides not to dance at an upcoming Pow Wow. But her great-grandmother helps Celina understand that being Mohawk is not about how she looks but about what she feels in her heart. When the drumming starts at the Pow Wow, Celina decides to dance after all. A beautifully illustrated story, I Like Who I Am explores issues of bullying and belonging as Celina looks for acceptance in her new community.

Dancing with the Cranes gives an understanding of birth, life and death. Chi's momma is soon to have a baby, but Chi is having a hard time being happy about it. Chi misses Temma (her grandma), who has passed away. Chi's momma and daddy help ease the pain of losing Temma and help Chi to understand life and death as a part of nature. Chi soon finds herself feeling comforted, knowing Temma will always be a part of her and looking forward to the new baby who will be a part of their lives.

This story of an unusual friendship between a black cat and a white rat is full of colourful Métis affectations. With subtle references to the life of a Métis, the black cat is not accepted at the cat show as he is not considered a purebred. The white rat fiddles a tune, encouraging all the cats to learn to jig. They join together and achieve status and respect for who they are. In the end, they create a new jig called the Red River Cat Dance. This story is written in a complete rhyming pattern, enjoyable for children of all ages.

Red Rooms is a unique journey articulating the lives of the Native patrons of an urban hotel as seen through the eyes of the hotels cleaning lady. The characters face the crises in their lives in ways that are easily identifiable and not uncommon to Native people. What is unique about this collection of stories is Dimaline's sometimes cryptic, sometimes comedic, always compassionate and visionary housekeeper who offers hindsight, insight and foresight to the reader in the representation of their lives."Haunting and complex". is the Native Rosetta Stone. A lovely tour de force from an up-and-coming writer to watch."-Eden Robinson