The Cedar Mother
by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson)
illustrated by Natasha Donovan
Highwater Press, 2026
ISBN 9781774921586
$24.95 (hc), 26 pp, ages 9 – 12
highwaterpress.com
The Cedar Mother is the latest title in the Mothers of Xsan series from Highwater Press. Each non-fiction title explores a variety of science concepts, as well as traditional ecological knowledge from the Gitxsan people living in the Northwest Interior of British Columbia. The story of the Cedar Mother describes her life cycle (spanning centuries) as well as the important role she plays in the surrounding ecosystem. Rich in colour and detail, the full page illustrations match and enhance the meaning of the text. Word boxes, a chart, and a map also help young readers to learn about the Western Red Cedar.
Classroom Connections: The central theme of the book (the multiple connections that exist between the Western Red Cedar tree and all of the living and non-living things in its ecosystem) is well defined and connects to many of the Science and Social Studies learning outcomes in the elementary grades. The Cedar Mother would make a great read-aloud and could be used as the starting point for many classroom activities (field trips, research projects, timelines, life cycle charts, crafts, etc.).
Review by Brenda Boreham.
This review is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Fall 2026 issue.
