"This beautiful book is about two Cree brothers who attract thousands of caribou with their song and dance. Readers are drawn to the unique illustrations and appreciate the opportunity to learn more about First Nations Peoples. Text is presented in both English and Cree, which adds an element of authenticity and sophistication that families appreciates."
— The Toy Testing Council
"Tomson Highway's mastery creates an exciting, action-packed plot. Elements of suspense simultaneously entertain beauty, magic, and whimsy. Highway artfully crafts his scenes with the vivid river imagery capturing the full drama of the caribou's presence - the sound of their hooves beating on the earth like the pounding of drums. Caribou Song is an experience for the senses.
"John Rombough's illustrations complement Highway's text. A textured brush strokes vibrant colors across the sky, breathing life into the vast expanse of the wilderness. Intricate acrylic silhouettes frame the page and juxtapose the jewel-toned images that create the landscape and characters. The pages mirror the vibrant youthful energy and excitement of the characters and story.
"Caribou Song is a beautiful marriage of story and illustration."
Highly Recommended.
— CM Magazine
"Caribou Song is a story of family, tradition, spirit, and livelihood. Music weaves the elements together, making them soar just as Highway's words and Rombough's art beautifully and evocatively express a way of life that has slipped (or is slipping) away. Rombough's illustrations in Caribou Song are strongly influenced by the Woodland (or Anishinaabe) School, with its emphasis on dark outlines, vivid colours, and visionary imagery. Founding member Norval Morrisseau's iconic style lives on in Rombough's work, but where they diverge is in the almost effervescent quality of Rombough's paintings. Bubbling with circular imagery and spots of amethyst, sapphire and topaz, framed in black and laid over flat washes of colour, each scene is like a pane of stained glass; a mix of storytelling and spirituality that is simply magnificent."
— 32pages.ca
"Rombough's illustrations are infused with great energy, which is especially intriguing since the broad black lines contain only static shapes of colour layered on the variously tinted pages. There is magic here that is highly reminiscent of stain glass artistry and, like the stained glass pieces, engage the viewer into active participation in the storytelling experience. The story, too, contains magic.
Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars"
— The Deakin Review of Children's Literature
12/01/2013
Gr 1–3—Bilingual in English and Cree, this story of the far north follows a family of four that has a spiritual connection to the caribou of the land. One brother, Joe, plays the accordion (a kitoochigan) and sings while the other, Cody, dances. On a magical day, all of nature aligns and ten thousand caribou come when the boys call. Though the stampede is ocean-storm strong, Cody and Joe emerge from the experience unharmed. Despite the Arctic setting, the illustrations forgo snowy whites for deep shades of purple, blue, and orange with shapes delineated by thick black lines; the effect is not unlike a stained-glass window. Altogether, the combined elements give this mystical occurrence and communion with nature the cadence and tenor of a traditional folktale.—Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library
