Phoenix Gets Greater
Follow Phoenix as he learns about Two Spirit/Niizh Manigoowag people, and finds out how special he truly is.
Themes: Gender affirming, culture affirming, family, acceptance
Photo Source: Second Story Press
About the Author and Honored Guest
Marty Wilson-Trudeau is an Anishinaabe Kwe writer originally from M’Chigeeng, Ontario, and a drama teacher at St. Charles College in Sudbury, Ontario. She is a mother to two wonderful sons, Brandan and Phoenix Wilson.
-Bio from Second Story Press
About the Author(s)
Phoenix Wilson is an Canadian Indigenous/ Anishaabe actor. He was born in Sudbury, Ontario but his home community is M'Chigeeng First Nation, located on Manitoulin Island, home to the Anishinabek of the Three Fires Confederacy: Odawa, Ojibway and the Pottawattomi Nations. Phoenix has done movies, television shows and also voice over for a CBC Kids cartoon series "Song and Jax Maple Mysteries". Phoenix was also a recent host for TVO series "My Home My Life". Phoenix has also starred in a music video for the song "Suplex" by the Canadian group "A Tribe Called Red" .
-Bio from IMDb
Photo Source: BayToday
Source: Artist, via InuitArt Quarterly
About the Illustrator
Megan Kyak-Monteith is an Inuk illustrator and painter born in Pond Inlet, Nunavut in 1997. She currently is living in Halifax, Nova Scotia and studying interdisciplinary arts at NSCAD University with a focus on painting. When she is not illustrating, she can be found watching movies or working in her studio on large scale oil paintings.
-Bio from Strong Nations
Discussion Questions
After being bullied by his classmates, Phoenix stops doing the things he loved. Have you ever stopped doing something you loved because of how other people treated you? What was something, or someone, that encouraged you to start again?
The familial support that Phoenix receives is incredibly important, as was learning about his culture and the history of people who are Two Spirit/Niizh Manidoowag. Why do you think that it was so important?
Even though Phoenix received support from his family, the bullying of his classmates was incredibly impactful. What are ways that you can provide support for those who are being bullied and stand up for them?
Image from Phoenix Gets Greater
Learning Activities
Image from Phoenix Gets Greater
Looking through the book, how are Phoenix's interests shown in the illustrations over time?
The love Phoenix receives from his mother and brother are evident throughout the book. Can you think of ways you are shown love, and how you can show love to those around you?
Explore More
Read these two articles that interview the authors Marty Wilson- Trudeau as well as Phoenix Wilson: CTV article, BayToday.
Explore the Indian Health Services information on Two Spirit/Niizh Manidoowag peoples, as well as this article from Native People's Magazine from 2014.
Watch the video on the left, of Ma-Nee Chacaby, an Indigenous elder and author, as they discuss Two spirit identities.
Do you want to learn even more words in Ojibwe? Visit the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary online!
