Book Launch and New Partnership Announcement!

On February 8th, Monster House celebrated the launch of the wonderful book, “Mitzy's First Time Picking Sweetgrass”, with author Emily Johnson and the Wabanaki Visual Arts Program. This is our first book released through our partnership with the program, with many more to come! Johnson herself plans to make sure of that, with sequels planned already!

The Wabanaki Visual Arts Program at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design is a two-year Diploma program, unique within Canadian higher education institutions.  Learning outcomes within the program focus on practices and techniques that are based in Wabanaki traditions of the Atlantic Region. Part of the students’ final project includes writing and illustrating a children’s book based on oral tradition and knowledge from their Indigenous way of life. 

Through our partnership with this program, our goal is to aim the spotlight at Indigenous stories and traditions long passed down through the generations orally. The new partnership between Wabanaki Visual Arts Program and Monster House will mean that each graduate will have their final project published as a Monster House title. With “Mitzy's First Time Picking Sweetgrass”, readers all over the country can have the opportunity to learn and understand Canadian cultures. 

This book in particular explains the proper way to pick sweetgrass through beautiful watercolours. Mitzy the cat is invited by her mom to take part in this important Indigenous teaching for the very first time! As her mom passes her knowledge down to the next generation, Mitzy learns that this beautiful plant is a traditional medicine that is used for ceremonies, healing, and art. 

Wabanaki Visual Arts Program studio coordinator, Judie Acquin, contacted Paul in the fall of 2022 and asked him to come in and speak about the publishing process. 

“Partnering with Monster House Publishing is a pleasant surprise!  I invited Paul to be a guest speaker with our Wabanaki Oral Tradition and Art course to provide information about publishing books with our learners.  Quickly, I realized that Paul was invested with the success of our learners as authors and illustrators and was keen to give space to culturally appropriate content.  With the support and encouragement from Paul and his team I know that books that are thoughtfully written and beautifully illustrated by Indigenous artists will make their way into the hands of children and our communities.”  

Learn more at https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/childrens-book-mitzy-sweetgrass-1.7113824