A Blanket of Butterflies
CBC Books | | Posted: August 23, 2022 7:40 PM | Last Updated: September 14, 2022
Richard Van Camp & Scott B. Henderson
No one knows how a suit of samurai armour ended up in the Fort Smith museum. When a mysterious stranger turns up to claim it, Sonny, a young Tłı̨chǫ Dene boy, is eager to help.
Shinobu has travelled to Fort Smith, NWT, to reclaim his grandfather's samurai sword and armour. But when he discovers that the sword was lost in a poker game, he must confront the man known as Benny the Bank. Along the way, Shinobu must rely on unlikely heroes—Sonny, his grandmother, and a visitor from the spirit world. Together, they face Benny and his men, including the giant they call Flinch.
Will Shinobu be able to regain the lost sword and, with it, his family's honour? Can Sonny and his grandmother help Shinobu while keeping the peace in their community?
Now in full colour, this new edition includes additional background information and cultural context. Learn about the real-life inspiration behind the story and the intersections between Indigenous and Japanese Canadian experiences during the Second World War. (From HighWater Press)
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Richard Van Camp is a Tlicho Dene writer from Fort Smith, N.W.T. who has written over 20 books across multiple genres. His graphic novel A Blanket of Butterflies was nominated for an Eisner Award and his children's book Little You, illustrated by Julie Flett, was translated into Bush Cree, Plains Cree, South Slavey and Chipewyan. His other books include Angel Wing Splash Pattern, Night Moves and We Sang You Home.
Scott B. Henderson is an author and illustrator based in Winnipeg. His other books include Breakdown and Pemmican Wars. He was also a contributor to the graphic anthology This Place: 150 Years Retold, which is now a CBC Books podcast.
Donovan Yaniuck is a comic book colourist from Winnipeg. He has worked for Marvel, Dark Horse Comics and on several graphic novels.