From the heartbreaking Mi’kmaq story of Minnow, a mermaid in the Atlantic who must choose between two worlds to that of Water Lily and her five brothers, told by the Coos in British Columbia, creatures that inhabit fantastic realms appear in many First Nation stories. C. J. Taylor draws from those stories and from her own Mohawk heritage in this collection of haunting tales about some of the powerful spirits who touch the lives of human folk. The spirits of heaven and earth from the Ute help bring an understanding of the stars in the sky. The Cree story, “Souls in the Fog,” presents the battle between the good and the evil-minded. The Ojibwa “Fairy Village” is a unique and touching love story. Illustrated with her own powerful oil paintings, this is a collection to read and an excellent story-teller’s resource.
