Dragonfly Kites/Pimithaagansa

Written in English and Cree, this second book in Highway’s Magical Songs of the North trilogy, first published in Canada in 2002, gains new artwork from Flett (Wild Berries). The story follows brothers Joe and Cody as they play games along a Manitoba lakeshore, where they spend summers in a tent with their mother, father, and dog, Ootsie, “who was almost a person.” Much of the boys’ activity revolves around creating names and stories for various objects and animals they discover, but their favorite game involves gently tying strings around dragonflies, turning them into living kites. Although that particular “game” may give some children and adults pause, Highway’s matter-of-fact text and Flett’s crisp, gently textured forms create a loving portrait of a family in communion with their environment. Ages 6–up. (Apr.)