Canadian illustrator Julie Flett's books reveal the truth about modern Indigenous life
Greystone Kids
When Julie Flett illustrated her first children's book, "The Moccasins," she thought that it would stay within the bounds of her Indigenous community. The book, written by Earl Einarson and published in 2004, told the story of an Indigenous foster child who received a pair of moccasins from his foster mother.
"I thought that we were going to be sharing the book with our community members, and that was great. That was everything," Flett said.
She hadn't counted on the librarians who introduced the book to non-Indigenous readers and gave it a life far beyond its expected audience, she said. That wider audience ultimately changed Flett's career trajectory, as well.