Written by Lisa Browning
“Every child deserves to be seen, valued, and celebrated for who they are.”
~ Lindsay Brant
Several months ago, I received an email from Lindsay Brant, an educational leader and researcher in both college and university settings. I have published several of Lindsay’s books, and was excited to hear that her 12-year-old son Hudson had written a story that she wanted to publish in book form. It was a fantasy story, with lots of different angles … but what stuck out for me most was the mention of a dog.
As we worked back and forth, an idea emerged … and the creation of Ye’shatste began. Ye’shatste is a Mohawk word, the literal translation of which is “She is strong/courageous.” It is also the title of the collaborative children’s book that resulted from that initial email.
Ye’shatste is a story about Luke, a boy who got his bravery from the orange shirt day movement and stood up for his people, and his belief that all people should be respected and accepted regardless of differences. Luke’s companion Ye’shatste, who is his newly adopted dog, helps him with his bravery by showing Luke that he always has a buddy by his side.
Both Lindsay and Hudson love storytelling and sharing about their Mohawk culture and worldview. Both are committed to inspiring and empowering Indigenous youth in their own community of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and beyond, reminding them that Indigenous peoples are strong, resilient, and thriving.
The experience of working on this book with them was inspiring to me as well, as was working with a high school senior named Adol Ajuong, who illustrated the book through my Aspiring Illustrators program. After she graduates, Adol plans to go to college to train for a career in graphic design.
As Nelson Mandela said, “The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.”
I asked Lindsay and Hudson a few questions about their first collaborative writing experience. Following are those questions, and their responses.
- Where did the idea for this book first come from?
Hudson was inspired by other stories about dogs that he had read, and he really wanted to write a book with a dog character. - Why did you want to write about this particular topic?
We wanted to write an anti-bullying book and we were also inspired by the Orange Shirt Day movement. - How did you find it working together as a collaborative mother-and-son team?
We had a lot of fun writing together and talking through the story ideas. - What was it like working virtually with an illustrator?
We loved seeing our book come to life through the illustrations. She was very good at taking suggestions and ideas from us as well. - What was the hardest part about writing the story?
The hardest part was just finding a way to make the story flow smoothly through the storyline. - What did you find the most rewarding?
Seeing the final book printed was so amazing! - What do you hope the impact of your book will be?
That lots of kids will learn about bravery, courage and the Orange Shirt Day movement. - What advice would you give to others who’ve thought about writing a book, but don’t think they can do it?
The hardest part is to start so just start writing and go from there.
I also asked Hudson specifically how it feels to be a published author at such a young age. “It is exciting and I feel proud of myself,” he said. Adol had a similar response when I asked her about the experience of illustrating her first book: “It was an amazing experience, and I’ll always be happy to do more stuff like this. Even though it’s challenging, it’s always worth seeing the final result.”
I firmly believe that when we inspire our youth to make a difference, and empower them with the tools to do so, the results can be life-changing. The experience of working on Ye’shatste was, for me, definite proof of that.
