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Heart Berry Bling is a soulful children’s story that reminds readers of not only the importance of family and culture, but also the generational harm caused by laws against Indigenous Peoples. In this tale of a young Anishinaabe girl who finds out how her own family was negatively impacted by the Indian Act, Jenny Kay Dupuis has created an important text for anyone learning of the erased ancestral stories from and about Indigenous Peoples.

—John P. Broome, Purdue University

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A touching story about perseverance, family, and the tradition of beading from the bestselling co-author of I Am Not a Number.

Heart Berry Bling
by: Jenny Kay Dupuis
illustrated by: Eva Campbell

On a visit to her granny, Maggie is excited to begin her first-ever beading project: a pair of strawberry earrings. However, beading is much harder than she expected! As they work side by side, Granny shares how beading helped her persevere and stay connected to her Anishinaabe culture when she lost her Indian status, forcing her out of her home community—all because she married someone without status, something the men of her community could do freely.

As she learns about patience and perseverance from her granny’s teachings, Maggie discovers that beading is a journey, and like every journey, it’s easier with a loved one at her side.

In this beautifully illustrated book, children learn about the tradition of Anishinaabe beadwork, strawberry teachings, and gender discrimination in the Indian Act.

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Also available
Teacher Guide for Heart Berry Bling
by Jerica Fraser

Use this guide alongside Heart Berry Bling to explore themes of social justice, cultural continuity, and resilience through art.

Download it for FREE »

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Watch and enjoy the book trailer here »

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Heart Berry Bling in the news

Jenny Kay Dupuis speaks to Anishinabek News

CM: Canadian Review of Materials calls Heart Berry Bling “a great addition to all collections.”

Explore themes and subjects that make Indigenous children’s literature so unique and important with Jenny Kay Dupuis with the Nerdy Book Club.

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Reading Heart Berry Bling?
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