Lerner Publishing Group and the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network—a nonprofit organization headquartered in central Minnesota dedicated to preserving and promoting Ojibwe and other Indigenous languages through education, advocacy, and community engagement—have announced that the two organizations are collaborating on a line of Ojibwe-language books for young readers targeting the school and library market. The books, which are to be released under the Lerner Publications imprint, will, according to a release, “amplify Indigenous voices and promote cultural awareness and language living through literature.”
The initiative will debut with the release in August of a total of 16 paperback books for ages four to eight, originally released by Lerner in English, that were then translated by native Ojibwe speakers. The Ojibwe editions of books in the Let’s Look at Fall series feature both fiction and nonfiction titles exploring how autumn changes the animals, the plants, the people, and the world around us. The Ojibwe editions of books in the Read About Community Helpers series spotlight common professions—such as teachers, firefighters, and doctors—and delve into how these professionals contribute to their communities. Lerner may release titles simultaneously in English and Ojibwe “down the line,” according to publicity director Lindsay Matvick.
“There is a great need for books that support Ojibwe language revitalization, and Lerner Publishing Group has been a wonderful partner for this project,” said Gimiwan Dustin Burnette, MIIN’s executive director, who is overseeing the initiative along with Lerner executive v-p and editor-in-chief Andy Cummings. “We hope our students are instilled with a sense of pride in these new classroom materials because of the quality of books that Lerner publishes. These books will populate both homes and classrooms and will be an incredible boon for the language learning community.”
“We are honored to partner with the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network to bring these books to Ojibwe language learners,” said Adam Lerner, publisher and CEO of Lerner. “These books will be used in classrooms and libraries, and we hope they can also be used as a tool in homes to reinforce language learning for kids, adults, and the entire family.”
