Mnoomin maan’gowing / The Gift of Mnoomin

This bilingual picture book, written in Anishinaabemowin and English, follows an Anishinaabe child as they explore the story of a single mnoomin seed and the circle of life it sustains. The narrative opens at harvest time, with the child holding a seed and imagining all the beings—Mayfly, Pike, Muskrat, Eagle, and Moose—that contributed to its existence. If the seed sprouts, it will shelter young fish, protect ducklings, feed larvae, and provide food for bats, until the next harvest season comes again.

The story then follows the child and family through a harvest day: they offer tobacco, gently knock ripe seeds into their canoe, prepare the seeds on shore, cook a feast, and plant some seeds they’ve set aside for the next year. The book beautifully illustrates the cultural and ecological importance of mnoomin. As the author’s note explains, many Anishinaabeg consider “wild rice” an inaccurate term, since part of the harvest is intentionally sown each year to sustain both human and non-human beings. The book also includes a translator’s note.