Azby Whitecalf – illustratör

Young Ryan Fox gets good grades, but he’s not sure what he wants to be when he grows up. It isn’t until he meets a Blackfoot doctor during a school assembly that he starts to dream big.However, becoming a doctor isn’t easy. University takes Ryan away from his family and the Siksikaitsitapi community, and without their support, he begins to struggle. Faced with more stress than he’s ever experienced, he turns to partying. Distracted from his responsibilities, his grades start to slip. His bills pile up. Getting into med school feels impossible. And now his beloved uncle is in jail. Can Ryan regain his footing to walk the path he saw so clearly as a boy?This inspiring graphic novel for young adults is based on a true story.

An exuberant celebration of the Buffalo’s return to the wild.Since Declan was born, his kokum has shared her love of Buffalo through stories and art. But Declan longs to see real Buffalo. Then one magical night, herds of the majestic creatures stampede down from the sky. That’s when things really get wild!Azby Whitecalf’s playful illustrations add to the joy and reverence in Deidre Havrelock’s picture book debut. A reprinting of the Buffalo Treaty and an author’s note describe the importance of Buffalo to Indigenous Peoples and efforts to revitalize the species.

A vibrant debut early chapter book series celebrating Cree culture and being true to yourself.Look for Book 2, Muskwa’s Tipi Talks, coming in Winter 2025!Sarah Ponakey has moved to the city from her home community with her mom and it’s the pits! She misses her Kôhkom, her best friend Eden, and the forests around her community. She’s had a hard time making new friends at school but at least she keeps in touch with Eden through meticulously written letters with very big words. After a particularly tough day where she nearly loses her favorite stuffed animal, Âhâsiw, and is brushed off by her mom, Sarah finds herself transported to a magical forest powwow . . .Accompanied by a life-sized Âhâsiw in his beautiful regalia, Sarah watches in excitement as a chipmunk emcees, and bears play the host drum at her first ever powwow. The more she sees, the more her confidence grows. As she joins in the celebration, Sarah discovers that she can connect to her Cree culture no matter where she is. Her Kôhkom’s going to love this story! Âhâsiw’s Forest Powwow, the first book from debut children’s author Sita MacMillan, features Cree words throughout the story and a note to the reader. Azby Whitecalf’s dynamic illustrations bring life to this warm, charming, and funny introduction to Sarah Ponakey, the storycatcher.

Continue to celebrate Cree culture and being true to yourself in the second book in this vibrant new early chapter book series!Sarah has spent the best summer visiting Kohkom and her best friend Eden in her home community, but it's almost time to return to the city and back to school. Eden has been acting odd and distant the past few days, and Sarah can't quite figure out why: when she finds a tipi surprise in Kohkom's backyard that Eden has been keeping a secret, Sarah figures that must be the reason!But as the girls prepare for one last sleepover of the summer, Sarah continues to feel butterflies growing in her tummy when she hears Eden speaking Cree. Eden knows so much more about the language and their culture than Sarah; could that be what's creating distance between them? As the night goes on, a magical visit from Maskwa reminds the girls that their differences and their culture is what makes their friendship so special.Sita MacMillan continues to explore topsy-turvy feelings of growing up as a young Indigenous person living away from their community, with magical illustrations from Azby Whitecalf that transport the reader into the forest once again with Sarah Ponakey.Watch for Book 3, coming in Fall 2025!

Continue to celebrate Cree culture and being true to yourself in the second book in this vibrant new early chapter book series!Sarah has spent the best summer visiting Kohkom and her best friend Eden in her home community, but it's almost time to return to the city and back to school. Eden has been acting odd and distant the past few days, and Sarah can't quite figure out why: when she finds a tipi surprise in Kohkom's backyard that Eden has been keeping a secret, Sarah figures that must be the reason!But as the girls prepare for one last sleepover of the summer, Sarah continues to feel butterflies growing in her tummy when she hears Eden speaking Cree. Eden knows so much more about the language and their culture than Sarah; could that be what's creating distance between them? As the night goes on, a magical visit from Maskwa reminds the girls that their differences and their culture is what makes their friendship so special.Sita MacMillan continues to explore topsy-turvy feelings of growing up as a young Indigenous person living away from their community, with magical illustrations from Azby Whitecalf that transport the reader into the forest once again with Sarah Ponakey.Watch for Book 3, coming in Fall 2025!

Sarah Ponakey continuing to learn more about her Cree culture and language with the help of the people—and magical animals—around her in the third and final book in the series.Spring break has finally arrived, and Sarah Ponakey is so happy that her kôhkom has come to stay with her while her mom is away on a work trip. Sarah will have Kôhkom all to herself! Or will she? Sarah has made a special map to show Kôhkom her favorite places in the city, but her plans keep getting interrupted—by an old friend of Kôhkom’s, an invitation to a language luncheon, and way more time with new people than Sarah was hoping for. Sarah can’t help but be frustrated that nothing is going her way. But when a mysterious little rabbit shows up at the community garden, Sarah starts to realize she has a lot to learn about the importance of patience and how to be a good friend.Featuring Cree words throughout the story, a glossary, and an author’s note, like the first two stories in the Sarah Ponakey, Storycatcher series, Wâposos’s Friendship Garden is a heartfelt celebration of family, friendship, and culture.