Inspired by an Ojibwe story, Black Stone is an English/Anishinaabemowin picture book that encourages young readers to find their own inner strength.
After waking from a nightmare, a boy asks his grandfather for help, who tells him that in order to face his fears he must find the black stone.
With his Mishoomis’s voice to guide him, the boy embarks on a vision quest to search for the black stone among the tall trees of the jungle, in the depths of the ocean and through the barren desert. He encounters many dangers including a sudden storm and menacing animals. Through it all, the boy finds himself guided by the very creatures he’d once feared. Will he be able to find the black stone? Will he be able to find himself?
Black Stone is brought to life by Maya McKibbin’s comics-inspired illustrations and accompanied by an author’s note explaining Darcy’s connection to the story and to Ojibwe vision quests.
Key Text Features
writing inspiration
author’s note
illustrations
comics
panels
Correlates to the Common Core States Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.2
With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3
With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7
With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.6
Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
Inspired by an Ojibwe story, Black Stone is an English/Anishinaabemowin picture book that encourages young readers to find their own inner strength.
After waking from a nightmare, a boy asks his grandfather for help, who tells him that in order to face his fears he must find the black stone.
With his Mishoomis’s voice to guide him, the boy embarks on a vision quest to search for the black stone among the tall trees of the jungle, in the depths of the ocean and through the barren desert. He encounters many dangers including a sudden storm and menacing animals. Through it all, the boy finds himself guided by the very creatures he’d once feared. Will he be able to find the black stone? Will he be able to find himself?
Black Stone is brought to life by Maya McKibbin’s comics-inspired illustrations and accompanied by an author’s note explaining Darcy’s connection to the story and to Ojibwe vision quests.
Key Text Features
writing inspiration
author’s note
illustrations
comics
panels
Correlates to the Common Core States Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.2
With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3
With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7
With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.6
Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Aug 4, 2026 |
| Specifications | 32 pages | 8.5 in x 11 in |
| Keywords | indigenous author; First Nations; language learning; Indigenous storytelling; TRC calls to action; indigenous books for kids; anishinabek; anishinaabeg; ojibwe; anishinaabe; language revitalization; Indigenous education; truth and reconciliation; David a. robertson; TCAF; AILA; |
| Written By |
DARCY WHITECROW is Ojibwe and Dakota; he is a member of the Seine River First Nation band in Northwestern Ontario, where he lives. Darcy practices traditional lifestyles like trapping, fishing and ricing, as well as traditional spirituality in both the Midewiwin and Sundance traditions. He has started a non-profit with his partner Kim called Grey Raven Ranch, where they have been raising and caring for the Ojibwe Horses. |
| Written By |
CAIL JUDY is a writer who lives and works on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations with his wife and son. Recent publications include fiction in Grain and non-fiction in Bubbles. He is currently at work on a middle-grade fantasy novel. |
| Illustrated by |
MAYA McKIBBIN is a 2S multidisciplinary visual artist living on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and səlilwətaɬ Nations. They are Irish-settler and Ojibwe with roots in White Earth Nation and have family diaspora from Zacatecas in Mexico. Maya has illustrated Swift Fox All Along by Rebecca Thomas, nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award; The Song That Called Them Home and Little Shoes, by David A. Robertson; and If You Were Here by Kathy Stinson. |
| Written By |
|
DARCY WHITECROW is Ojibwe and Dakota; he is a member of the Seine River First Nation band in Northwestern Ontario, where he lives. Darcy practices traditional lifestyles like trapping, fishing and ricing, as well as traditional spirituality in both the Midewiwin and Sundance traditions. He has started a non-profit with his partner Kim called Grey Raven Ranch, where they have been raising and caring for the Ojibwe Horses. |
| Written By |
|
CAIL JUDY is a writer who lives and works on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations with his wife and son. Recent publications include fiction in Grain and non-fiction in Bubbles. He is currently at work on a middle-grade fantasy novel. |
| Illustrated by |
|
MAYA McKIBBIN is a 2S multidisciplinary visual artist living on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and səlilwətaɬ Nations. They are Irish-settler and Ojibwe with roots in White Earth Nation and have family diaspora from Zacatecas in Mexico. Maya has illustrated Swift Fox All Along by Rebecca Thomas, nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award; The Song That Called Them Home and Little Shoes, by David A. Robertson; and If You Were Here by Kathy Stinson. |
| Audience | ages 3 to 8 / grades P to 3 |
| Key Text Features | writing inspiration; author’s note; illustrations; comics; panels |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.6 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 |