Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network Collaborates with Lerner Publishing Group to Bring Ojibwe Books to Young Readers
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Lerner Publishing Group is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network (MIIN) to create new books in Ojibwe for young readers. The collaboration was introduced at the Minnesota Indian Educators Association conference which was held over the weekend in Hinckley, Minnesota. The new books will be available in Fall 2024 and will amplify Indigenous voices and promote cultural awareness and language learning through literature.
Three new paperback series translated by native Ojibwe speakers will be available for young readers on August 1, 2024. The Let’s Look at Fall series from Pull Ahead Readers features both fiction and nonfiction titles that explore how the season of fall changes the animals, the plants, the people, and the world around us. The Read about Community Helpers series from Read for a Better World™ covers common professions like teachers, firefighters, and doctors, and focuses on how these important people contribute to the community they live in.
“There is a great need for books that support Ojibwe language revitalization and Lerner Publishing Group has been a wonderful partner for this project,” said Gimiwan Dustin Burnette, Executive Director of the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network. “We hope our students are instilled with a sense of pride in these new classroom materials because of the quality of books that Lerner publishes. These books will populate both homes and classrooms and will be an incredible boon for the language learning community.”
“We are honored to partner with the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network to bring these books to Ojibwe language learners,” said Adam Lerner, Publisher and CEO of Lerner Publishing Group. “These books will be used in classrooms and libraries, and we hope they can also be used as a tool in homes to reinforce language learning for kids, adults, and the entire family.”
The launch in Fall 2024 will feature 16 books across both series, with plans for more books in the future. Each book is translated with care and features compelling storytelling that will foster a deeper appreciation for the Ojibwe language. With less than 60 first language speakers of Ojibwe left in the United States, these books will serve as valuable tools for language revitalization.
About Lerner Publishing Group™
Lerner Publishing Group creates high-quality fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. Founded in 1959, Lerner Publishing Group is one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers with fifteen imprints and divisions: Carolrhoda Books®, Carolrhoda Lab®, Darby Creek™, ediciones Lerner, First Avenue Editions™, Gecko Press™, Graphic Universe™, Kar-Ben Publishing®, Lerner Publications, LernerClassroom™, Lerner Digital™, Millbrook Press™, Twenty-First Century Books™, Zest Books™, and Lerner Publisher Services™.
About Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network
The Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network is a Native led Minnesota based 501c3 dedicated to preserving and promoting Ojibwe language revitalization through education, advocacy, and community engagement. For more information, visit www.miinojibwe.org.
CONTACT: Lindsay Matvick
1-800-328-4929, ext. 385
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com