Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox

In this introduction to the Anishinaabe tradition of totem animals, young children explain why they identify with different creatures such as a deer, beaver, or moose. Delightful illustrations show the children wearing masks representing their chosen animal, while the few lines of text on each page work as a series of simple poems throughout the book. In a brief author’s note, Danielle Daniel explains the importance of totem animals in Anishinaabe culture and how they can also act as animal guides for young children seeking to understand themselves and others.

Danielle Daniel is a mixed-media artist and writer. She was inspired to write Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox, which began as a series of paintings, to encourage her young son to connect with his Aboriginal roots. Her art has appeared in many group exhibitions and solo shows in Quebec and Ontario, and her work has been published in international art magazines. A schoolteacher for many years, she now teaches part-time and organizes art retreats in Canada and the US. She lives in Northern Ontario.