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Winter's Gifts

Part of An Indigenous Celebration of Nature

Author Kaitlin B. Curtice
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On sale Mar 04, 2025 | 10 Minutes | 9798217080489
Age 3-7 years | Preschool - 2
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A vibrantly illustrated children’s book about an Indigenous girl who finds awe in the resting and waiting that winter teaches us and shares with her friends how Creator’s gift of gratitude can transform the way we see the world.

Your thankfulness is your gift to Earth.

Winter’s Gifts is the tale of a young Potawatomi girl named Dani whose family celebrates the darkest season of the year by treasuring the slowness that winter brings. Dani’s schoolmates think it’s silly to think that Earth gives us presents, but on a magical snowy day, her family and Creator give Dani the courage to teach her friends about the gifts of winter—resting, remembrance, and gratitude. Can Dani help them receive winter’s gifts?

Winter’s Gifts is a joyful and tender family story of honoring creation, the power of storytelling, and how a new perspective can transform us.
This story is about a girl named Dani (Dah-nee). Dani is the Potawatomi word used to describe affection toward a beloved or special daughter. So, Dani represents not just the special love we share with our human families but also our special status as the beloved children of Creator and of Earth, who was made by Creator to be our mother. I hope you enjoy getting to know Dani in these pages. —Kaitlin



Dani touches a frost-
covered branch on the
oak tree in her yard.

She shivers.

Winter, or bbon, is coming in a few days.

Her family will light a fire, or shkodé, and
think about the darkest night of the year.

Many of her friends are afraid of the dark, but not Dani.
The dark feels like a hug, and winter is a time for cozy hugs.

The dark of winter reminds us to rest—even the bears rest in winter.
Copyright © 2023 by Kaitlin B. Curtice; Illustrated by Gloria Félix. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
© Amy Paulson
Kaitlin B. Curtice is an award-winning author, poet-storyteller, and public speaker. As an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin writes on the intersections of spirituality and identity. She also speaks on these topics to diverse audiences who are interested in truth-telling and healing. Besides her books, Kaitlin has written online for Sojourners, Religion News Service, On Being, SELF Magazine, Oprah Daily, and more. Her work has been featured on CBS and in USA Today. She currently lives in Philadelphia with her family.

Gloria Félix is a professional artist from Mexico. She holds a BFA in 3D animation from Tecnológico de Monterrey and a MFA in visual development from Academy of Art in San Francisco. Her clients include Pixar, Capstone, Valve, HBS Games, DeviantArt, Google Hola, and more. View titles by Kaitlin B. Curtice

Classroom Activities for Winter's Gifts

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Read More

About

A vibrantly illustrated children’s book about an Indigenous girl who finds awe in the resting and waiting that winter teaches us and shares with her friends how Creator’s gift of gratitude can transform the way we see the world.

Your thankfulness is your gift to Earth.

Winter’s Gifts is the tale of a young Potawatomi girl named Dani whose family celebrates the darkest season of the year by treasuring the slowness that winter brings. Dani’s schoolmates think it’s silly to think that Earth gives us presents, but on a magical snowy day, her family and Creator give Dani the courage to teach her friends about the gifts of winter—resting, remembrance, and gratitude. Can Dani help them receive winter’s gifts?

Winter’s Gifts is a joyful and tender family story of honoring creation, the power of storytelling, and how a new perspective can transform us.

Excerpt

This story is about a girl named Dani (Dah-nee). Dani is the Potawatomi word used to describe affection toward a beloved or special daughter. So, Dani represents not just the special love we share with our human families but also our special status as the beloved children of Creator and of Earth, who was made by Creator to be our mother. I hope you enjoy getting to know Dani in these pages. —Kaitlin



Dani touches a frost-
covered branch on the
oak tree in her yard.

She shivers.

Winter, or bbon, is coming in a few days.

Her family will light a fire, or shkodé, and
think about the darkest night of the year.

Many of her friends are afraid of the dark, but not Dani.
The dark feels like a hug, and winter is a time for cozy hugs.

The dark of winter reminds us to rest—even the bears rest in winter.
Copyright © 2023 by Kaitlin B. Curtice; Illustrated by Gloria Félix. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Author

© Amy Paulson
Kaitlin B. Curtice is an award-winning author, poet-storyteller, and public speaker. As an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin writes on the intersections of spirituality and identity. She also speaks on these topics to diverse audiences who are interested in truth-telling and healing. Besides her books, Kaitlin has written online for Sojourners, Religion News Service, On Being, SELF Magazine, Oprah Daily, and more. Her work has been featured on CBS and in USA Today. She currently lives in Philadelphia with her family.

Gloria Félix is a professional artist from Mexico. She holds a BFA in 3D animation from Tecnológico de Monterrey and a MFA in visual development from Academy of Art in San Francisco. Her clients include Pixar, Capstone, Valve, HBS Games, DeviantArt, Google Hola, and more. View titles by Kaitlin B. Curtice

Guides

Classroom Activities for Winter's Gifts

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Read More

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