Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing: Sharing Indigenous Narratives

Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing successfully applied for the Book Publishing Production Grant (Author-Funded Stream) for the publication and reprint of several titles.

Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing (YNWP) prioritizes books written by prairie people, or that deal with prairie subject matter. They are deeply committed to providing a publishing resource for those niche writers and illustrators whose stories might not otherwise be publicly told.

The funds from Creative Saskatchewan supported YNWP in the publication of Tanning Moose Hides the Northern Saskatchewan Trapline Way: An Easy Step-by Step Guide by Denesųłiné Elders Lawrence and Lena Adam, Woodland Cree knowledge carrier Tommy Bird and author Miriam Körner.

With over four decades of experience, the Elders and Bird share their lifetime of experience to guide a new generation of hide tanners. Combining traditional knowledge with easy-to-follow instructions and detailed colour photos, this practical guide was made to keep the tradition alive.

The publication of Tanning Moosehides the Northern Saskatchewan Trapline Way was a huge hit from the start. Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing sold 65 copies within the first two weeks of publication, while the authors sold more than 200 copies themselves. Over 1,300 copies have been sold to date. YNWP has submitted this title for consideration for inclusion in Indigenous Books for Schools.

Additionally, YNWP made successful reprints of two of their past publications.

When the Trees Crackle with Cold: A Cree Calendar/pīsimwasinahikan by Bernice Johnson-Laxdal and Miriam Körner

This timeless picture book about the moon calendar of the northern Cree shares our connection to the seasons and cycle of nature, and its warmly rendered watercolour illustrations bring Saskatchewan’s north to life. Written in English and the northern Plains Cree y-dialect, inviting Cree and non-Cree speakers alike to explore the traditional moon calendar.

Since the arrival of the reprint in January 2024, Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing has sold over 10,000 copies of this award-winning, in-demand title. Based on its great appeal and bestselling status, YNWP is currently in negotiations to sell the foreign publishing rights to this book to a US publisher.

When We Had Sled Dogs: A Story from the Trapline/ācimowin ohci wanihikīskanāhk by Ida Tremblay and Miriam Körner

A Story from the Trapline, ācimowin ohci wanihikīskanāhk takes readers young and old on a journey into the past when dog teams were part of the traditional way of life in Northern Saskatchewan. Inspired by Elder Ida Tremblay’s childhood memories, and told in English with Woodland Cree words and phrases, the story follows the seasonal cycle of trapline life.

The reprint of When We Had Sled Dogs was out of stock nearly the moment it arrived in March, 2024. Just under 1,300 copies were purchased for Literacy Week by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, sending this title immediately back to press, with a total of 4,500 copies sold to date.

The success of these titles has been undeniable. Heather Nickel, founder of Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, shared her appreciation, “YNWP is very grateful to Creative Saskatchewan for their support with projects like these, particularly since the purpose of the books in this project is to share and retain traditional Indigenous knowledge. Thank you.”

The above books and more can be purchased on YNWP’s website: https://www.ynwp.ca/

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