Review of "Our Song, Our Voice" by Tuula Pere, PhD

Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)

First and foremost, Our Song, Our Voice by Tuula Pere is one of the best-illustrated children's books of the year! The illustrations by Muntasir Dipto are breathtaking!

You can see the strokes of the brush and the fabric of the canvas. Some of these illustrations could be hung on your wall at home or in a restaurant. They could be hung in the Louvre and we wouldn't complain!

Secondly, the story and its characters—like so many of Pere's books—are cute, lovable, endearing, and compelling. This book explores so many big, great, and beautiful themes like immigration, estrangement from one's language, culture, and homeland; generational trauma, legacies, connecting with one's roots, and so much more. Most of all, we believe that this is a book about hope—a hope not only for the health and well-being of individuals like Grandma Una, but the hope of survival for a whole people, a whole culture, a whole language, a whole set of beliefs and traditions kept alive from generation to generation.

Think about how much the world has changed.
And the world is always changing.

Sometimes, it's for the better, such as when bigoted or prejudiced beliefs are abandoned or become less common.

Sometimes, it's for the worse, such as when languages die and fall out of use.
The languages of Native Americans are examples of things which select groups are constantly fighting to preserve.

History is another thing that we're constantly struggling to preserve. As cliche as it sounds, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

All of these topics and themes are wrapped and bundled into this elegant, brilliant 21-page children's book!

This book follows Little Sisu, a golden crow who is advised by his parents and grandma (Grandma Una) to value, be proud, and be grateful of his heritage because there aren't many golden crows left in the land.

It should be noted that the name "Sisu" is a very important concept and word in Finnish culture. Sisu embodies grit, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity.

Other cultures have similar concepts. The Japanese, for example, have the concept of "Ganbaru"--the spirit to persevere when things are challenging and difficult.

In any case, the name Little Sisu is deliberately chosen by the author. Little Sisu carries on the legacy, language, and culture of his people—the golden crows. While fighting to preserve these things to save Grandma Una, he inadvertently learns to appreciate and preserve centuries of tradition, culture, and history.

How can you not cheer for cute, lovable Little Sisu?
How can you not root for Grandma Una to live on and find good health again?

Speaking of Grandma Una, she undergoes quite a journey in this book along with Little Sisu.
See, Grandma Una is elderly and in the twilight of her life. In other words, she feels like she's near death. Her body and mind don't quite work like they used to, and it seems that she has fallen quite ill. An old cure/medication called "resin" exists in a land far away in the Blue Mountains—presumably the ancestral land of the golden crows.

Grandma Una is hesitant to tell Little Sisu about all of this (the Blue Mountains and the resin) because she feels that the journey will be too arduous and dangerous for Little Sisu. Grandma Una loves and cares for Little Sisu to the point of self-sacrifice. She would rather be sick and die than put her beloved grandson at risk.

However, Little Sisu's determination and never-say-die attitude are infectious. He is relentless, and Grandma Una finally tells him what she knows.

But before Little Sisu heads off to the Blue Mountains, Grandma Una insists that Little Sisu learn the special language ("traditional song") that is used there.

This spoke to us because one of the largest barriers and anxieties about traveling to another country is not knowing or having a limited grasp of the language used there.

Anyone who has traveled overseas probably knows the feeling. Well, multiply that by ten as Little Sisu is faced with either learning the language or risk his grandmother's health deteriorating.

Thankfully, through time and effort, Little Sisu learn the special song used by the golden crows in the Blue Mountains.

It's this song that allows Little Sisu to communicate with the rest of her kind, not just allowing him to learn how to find and unlock the curative powers of the resin, but also awakening the golden crows themselves.

Its a renaissance—a reawakening—in a sense. The golden crows realize that there are others out there like them—a whole new generation surviving them.

Check it out on Amazon!