Books
By Monique Gray Smith
Monique is an award-winning author, whose books resonate with readers of all generations and backgrounds. In each of her books, Monique weaves in the teaching that Love is Medicine.
Sharing the Light: Stories and Reflections
Instant National Bestseller: Uplifting stories, vignettes, and reflections to inspire gratitude, love, joy, and hope in navigating life in a changing, challenging world.
Through the lens of five transformative practices—gratitude, love, joy, happiness, and hope—bestselling author Monique Gray Smith weaves together short stories, poignant reflections, and thoughtful questions that invite readers to pause and reconnect with their inner light. As an Indigenous author, Monique brings her cultural wisdom and unique perspective to each reflection. This beautiful and welcoming book can be read cover to cover or used as a daily source of guidance, offering gentle wisdom that inspires and empowers.
Sharing the Light is a powerful reminder that when we embrace our light and share it with the world, that energy not only transforms us but ripples out to uplift everyone around us.
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The Booksellers’ List (CIBA) | Winter 2026 | Selection
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"What a luminous and generous book! In these pages, Monique Gray Smith shares five timeless ways of being-gratitude, love, joy, happiness, and hope. With her signature warmth and wisdom, she guides us in discovering how to nurture these qualities and 'bring light' into every circumstance of our lives, illuminating paths toward resilience, creativity, and increased human connection."
— Elizabeth Gilbert
"Sharing the Light by Monique Gray Smith feels like an invitation to the kitchen table to share a pot of tea with a beloved auntie. Her tender words and heartfelt stories provide gentle guidance to remind us how we can care for each other and ourselves, with attention to the profound power of small acts. Monique's reflections celebrate the gift economy of kindness, which softens the sharp edges of our lives and nourishes the bonds among us."
— Robin Wall Kimmerer
"The first word in Sharing the Light is tawâw, Cree for welcome, but more deeply understood to mean there is always room in our hearts. This small book is big on tawâw. It's roomy and full of windows to let in the light we carry. It is generative, engaging, and illuminating. Monique tells us Love is Medicine. For the love and medicine that is this book, I will keep Sharing the Light close by as a guide to a good life."— Shelagh Rogers
“Sharing the Light is a book I will return to again and again for the golden wisdom woven through every page. It is a book about truth, love, courage, generosity of spirit and JOY. Monique Gray Smith has a rare gift for delivering profound truth with gentleness and grace. She offers what I can only describe as gentle truth bombs - teachings that land softly yet transform deeply, because she herself is both strong and tender, a true sage.”— Robin Ducharme
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"Emotionally intimate and enduringly hopeful ... Monique Gray Smith equips her readers with the tools to radiate in a world that often seems to work at tamping out the light."
—The British Columbia Review
"The kind of read that makes you want to run and give the author a hug and tell her all the things you've been going through and how much clarity she's given you."
— Zoomer Magazine
"Quietly profound, and brave, and not without its twists."
— Pickle Me This Blog
"A comforting voice in times of uncertainty and darkness."
— Booklist
Kohkom’s First Drum
When Charlie’s Kohkom asks him what the best part of his school day was, he knows right away: Indigenous drum circle!
Kohkom tells him that not very long ago she was gifted her very first drum at a ceremony for children who never returned home from residential schools. But Charlie doesn’t understand. How could she only have gotten her first drum so recently?
Kohkom explains that she was taken from her family when she was very little because of something called the Sixties Scoop. She was raised by an adoptive white family and only later learned what being Cree meant. It’s taken her a long time to feel like she belongs. Kohkom's story gives Charlie the idea to teach her a song so they can play their drums together.
Dreaming Alongside
Let Dragonfly lead you on a journey of inspiration!
Following your winged guide, visit the places and things that can help you find strength in the present and imagine your amazing future. Dream alongside everything from a construction site and a sewing machine to the river and a blanket of moss. After your travels, Dragonfly asks: What do you like to dream about? With its mixed setting in rural and urban environments and exploration of both the natural and modern world, Dreaming Alongside gives readers permission to daydream and think of what magic their lives have the potential to hold.
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The Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society (SCWES) Book Awards for BC Authors | 2025 | Winner
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection | 2025 | Commended
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“A sumptuous picture book…Nicole Neidhardt’s colourful illustrations are a visual delight and sure to engage children. Touches on the sacred nature of some dreams and also the idea of dreams as medicine…Many adults who find themselves reading this book aloud will also take some inspiration from the idea of slowing down and paying attention to their surroundings and to their dreams.”
– Quill & Quire
Circle of Love
Everyone is welcome in the circle.
In this warmhearted book, we join Molly at the Intertribal Community Center, where she introduces us to people she knows and loves: her grandmother and her grandmother’s wife, her uncles and their baby, her cousins, and her treasured friends.
They dance, sing, garden, learn, pray, and eat together. And tonight, they come together for a feast! Molly shares with the reader how each person makes her feel—and reminds us that love is love.
Through tender prose and radiant artwork, author Monique Gray Smith (Cree/Lakota) and illustrator Nicole Neidhardt (Diné) show how there is always room for others in our lives. Circle of Love is a story celebrating family, friends, community, and, most of all, love.
I Hope
Poignant words from award-winning Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith about all the hopes adults have for the young people in their lives.
The hopes we have for the children in our lives are endless. We want our young people to thrive and experience all that life has to offer, but we also feel protective of them. Using simple but powerful statements, Monique Gray Smith delivers a touching message about loving, nurturing and wishing the best for our children. Paired with Gabrielle Grimard's warm and enchanting illustrations, the message in I Hope will resonate with all parents, grandparents and caregivers.
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Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards - Shining Willow | 2023 | Nominated
Children's Book Council Teacher Favorites Award Kindergarten - 2nd Grade | 2023 | Commended
Top Grade: CanLit for the Classroom | 2022 | Commended
BC Books for Schools | 2022 | Commended
Indigenous Books for Schools | 2022 | Commended
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“The ingredients for happiness…A good platform to discuss children’s hopes, which is useful in both group and one-on-one settings.”
– Booklist
“Walks the line of cultural specificity and broad relatability, offering readers multiple ways to connect to the narrative…[An] excellent option for parents looking for something to read with their young children.”
– Quill & Quire
“Simple but compelling...The poignant message in I Hope will resonate with parents, grandparents and caregivers as they seek all good things for the children within their realm.”
– Canadian Children's Book News
“A hopeful read for audiences young and old finding themselves and their place in the world and leaving a positive impact while living whole-heartedly and joyfully.”
– Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)
When We Are Kind
When We Are Kind celebrates simple acts of everyday kindness and encourages children to explore how they feel when they initiate and receive acts of kindness in their lives. Celebrated author Monique Gray Smith has written many books on the topics of resilience and reconciliation, and she communicates an important message here for readers of all ages through her carefully chosen words. Beautifully illustrated by artist Nicole Neidhardt, this book encourages children to be kind to others and to themselves.
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Quill & Quire Best Books of the Year | 2020 | Commended
Children’s Book Council & National Council for Social Studies Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People | 2021 | Commended
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens | 2021 | Commended
Chocolate Lily Book Awards - Picture Books | 2022 | Short-listed
Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards - Shining Willow | 2021 | Nominated
First Nation Communities Read Awards (FNCR) - Children’s | 2021 | Short-listed
Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award | 2022 | Nominated
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“An accessible picture book that will work well as a read-aloud in a group or for quiet reading alone. Whether at home or in the classroom, its pleasing repetition of phrases. such as 'I am kind when' and 'I feel', will appeal to young readers and invite re-reading. Highly Recommended.”
– CM: Canadian Review of Materials
“Gentle…Notably centering Indigenous families and characters of color in personal and communal activities—and encouraging readers to evaluate their actions toward others.”
– Publishers Weekly
“Simple, yet powerful...This gentle book is inspiring for children and adults and is highly recommended to have at home and in public and school libraries.”
– Canadian Children's Book News, Red Leaf Literature selection
“Using minimal text, the message of kindness is delivered in illustrations that are beautiful, colorful and detailed. This title is highly recommended for use in preschool and primary or elementary classrooms and libraries.”
– Must Read Literature
“Lovely…A gentle message that shows how kindness connects us and reinforces our deep relations.”
– Toronto Star
You Hold Me Up
Encourage children to show love and support for each other and to consider each other’s well-being in their everyday actions.
Consultant, international speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote You Hold Me Up to prompt a dialogue among young people, their care providers and educators about reconciliation and the importance of the connections children make with others. With vibrant illustrations from celebrated artist Danielle Daniel, this is a foundational book about building relationships, fostering empathy and encouraging respect between peers, starting with our littlest citizens.
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CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens | 2018 | Commended
Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award | 2018 | Short-listed
Quill & Quire's Best Books of the Year | 2017 | Commended
American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) Best Books | 2017 | Commended
Resource Links, The Year's Best Books | 2017 | Commended
Bank Street College of Education Children's Book Committee Best Children's Books of the Year | 2018 | Commended
TD Summer Reading Club Recommended Reads | 2020 | Commended
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"You Hold Me Up is a gentle but effective way to introduce the topic of Reconciliation to students of all ages."
– ETFO Voice: Magazine of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
"You Hold Me Up is a welcome addition to the ongoing conversations around healing and rebuilding relationships…Gentle, relevant and never heavy-handed, this book serves both as a quiet lullaby and a starting point for discussions on empathy, community and wellness."
– Canadian Children's Book News
"A seemingly simple picture book that conveys a valuable message for all ages…The distinctive and soft illustrations by Daniel enhance the positive message by Smith about the power of companionship, compassion, respect and togetherness…This quiet book has a deep beauty and a universal message. "
– Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award Jury
"A strong and powerful message that even the youngest reader can understand...Very timely message indeed."
– Youth Services Book Reviews
“This colourful picture book highlights the important connections that young children make with their friends and family members.”
– Canadian Teacher Magazine
My Heart Fills With Happiness
The sun on your face. The smell of warm bannock baking in the oven. Holding the hand of someone you love. What fills your heart with happiness? This beautiful board book, with illustrations from celebrated artist Julie Flett, serves as a reminder for little ones and adults alike to reflect on and cherish the moments in life that bring us joy.
“This small yellow book celebrates the little joys of being alive. The simple text and color-blocked illustrations depicting Native children and their grown-ups singing, dancing and drumming will leave the youngest readers gladly imagining what fills their own hearts with joy.”
– The New York Times
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BC and Yukon Book Prizes - Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize | 2017 | Winner
Bank Street College of Education Children's Book Committee Best Children's Books of the Year | 2017 | Commended
Girls of Summer Reading List - Picture Books | 2017 | Commended
Periodical Marketers of Canada (PMC) Indigenous Literature Award - Children's Category | 2018 | Short-listed
State Library of Kansas - Kansas Reads to Preschoolers | 2023 | Commended
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★ "A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and—yes—happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures, which features a cast of First Nations children and adults...Short, first-person phrases...revel in both solitary and familial activities...Flett’s (Little You) crisp-edged paintings blend universal and culturally specific experiences."
– Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A board book that leaves you feeling cheerful and appreciative of those small moments in life that bring one joy. Recommended."
– CM: Canadian Review of Materials
★ "Joyful and tender, this board book celebrates the activities that bring gladness through family and cultural connections...Flett’s quietly powerful gouache and digital collage illustrations emphasize the relationships between people...The sweet family story has universal appeal. A first purchase for all libraries."
– School Library Journal, starred review
"A celebration of aboriginal culture...but also universal in its message: sometimes it's the simplest things that lift our spirits highest...[The book] is beautiful in both its appearance and its intention."
– Quill & Quire
“A comforting board book offers young children the opportunity for reflection, and for affirmation, too. Moments of happiness tucked into each and every day celebrated here include time with family, self-expression, and the natural world."
– Cooperative Children’s Book Center
"[A] light, warm and utterly charming book...Highly recommended for families, parents of young children to share with them and to begin conversation and sharing about emotions."
– Resource Links
"An excellent board book for every baby Canadian."
– The Toronto Star
"Specific visuals ground this sweet celebration of simple pleasures."
– Kirkus Reviews
"It is a fantastic toddler book that celebrates family and heritage and would be valuable in any collection, especially those of First Nations heritage."
– Raising Mom blog
“This small yellow book celebrates the little joys of being alive. The simple text and color-blocked illustrations depicting Native children and their grown-ups singing, dancing and drumming will leave the youngest readers gladly imagining what fills their own hearts with joy.”
– The New York Times
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults
Drawing from her experiences as an Indigenous scientist, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer demonstrated how all living things—from strawberries and witch hazel to water lilies and lichen—provide us with gifts and lessons every day in her best-selling book Braiding Sweetgrass. Adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith, this new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth’s oldest teachers: the plants around us. With informative sidebars, reflection questions, and art from illustrator Nicole Neidhardt, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults brings Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the lessons of plant life to a new generation.
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Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the 21st Century, Winner, 2025
Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List, Winner, 2024
Nautilus Book Award Winner, Winner, 2023
Notable Award Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year, Winner, 2023
Notable Award NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, Winner, 2023
The Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens, Winner, 2023
Green Earth Book Award Recommended Reading, Commended, 2023
Riverby Award, Winner, 2023
CYBILS Award Finalist, Short-listed, 2023
Notable Award Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year for Young Adults, Winner, 2022
Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award Winner, Winner, 2022
Notable Award Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year, Winner, 2022
Parents Magazine Best Children's Book Awards, Short-listed, 2022
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Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation
Guided by acclaimed Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith, readers will learn about the lives of Survivors and listen to allies who are putting the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into action.
This accessible, heartfelt book is essential reading for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of reconciliation and what it looks like in practice.
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Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation: 1 of 5 finalist for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. Winner announced Oct 29 at Gala in Toronto, ON with Shelagh Rogers as the hostess.
Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation a finalist for the Victoria Book Prizes Bolen Books Children’s Book Award.
Winner announced October 17, 2018.
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Tilly and the Crazy Eights
This heartwarming novel follows novel follows a woman named Tilly, who agrees to drive eight Elders on an "ultimate bucket list road trip" to the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in New Mexico. The trip proves life-changing for Tilly and her passengers.
This novel won the PMC Indigenous Literature Award and is available as an audiobook, in paperback or on Kindle.
Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience
Explore history and resilience through story with this revealing work of creative non-fiction that tells the story of a young Indigenous woman coming of age in Canada in the 1980s. Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience illuminates the 20th century history of the First Peoples of Canada—forced displacement, residential schools, tuberculosis hospitals, the Sixties Scoop, and more.
In a spirit of hope, this unique, award-winning story captures the irrepressible resilience of Tilly, and of Indigenous peoples everywhere.
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2014 Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature
Monique Gray Smith Wins 2014 Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature First Prize. Shelagh Rogers and Wab Kinew co-hosted the Winnipeg 2014 gala for CODE’s Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature, recognizing outstanding literary works for young adults written by First Nations, Métis and Inuit authors. Monique Gray Smith is awarded first prize Tilly, a Story of Hope and Resilience (published by Sono Nis Press).
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Lucy & Lola
The Journey Forward, A Novella On Reconciliation.
Lucy and Lola are 11-year-old twins who are heading to Gabriola Island, BC, to spend the summer with their Kookum (grandmother) while their mother studies for the bar exam. During their time with Kookum, the girls begin to learn about her experiences in being sent — and having to send their mother — to Residential school. Ultimately, they discover what it means to be intergenerational survivors.
The Ripple Effect of Resiliency: Strategies for Fostering Resiliency with Indigenous Children
A resource and workbook for those working with Indigenous children and families.
t includes chapters on: Resiliency - Trauma - Indigenous history - Personal and workplace wellness. The next four chapters include information, stories and examples for fostering resiliency. They have been developed as four blankets and include: Sense of self - Sense of family - Sense of community - Sense of culture, language and land. Also included is an extensive resource chapter.
Every Child Matters Magazine
Written for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Written by award-winning Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith, this magazine, which is based on the Seven Sacred Teachings, is aimed for students in grades 5–12 and is available in both English and French.
Each chapter teaches children about residential schools, Treaties, and the historic and current relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Accompanied by supplementary educational resources, the magazine is both a guide and a journal for young people as they explore their feelings, build confidence, and foster greater respect and empathy throughout their reconciliation journeys.
“A story of triumph and generosity of spirit in every way. As I read, Tilly became my friend.
I would follow her anywhere.”
