Honouring the Buffalo: A Plains Cree Legend Told by Ray Lavallee Written by Judith Silverthorne Illustrated by Mike Keepness Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Michelle Shaw $14.95 ISBN: 978-1-927756-33-1 If you’ve ever wondered why the buffalo plays such a significant role in the culture and ceremonies of the Plains Cree, then this beautifully illustrated children’s book may assist you on your journey of discovery. When I first opened the book, I was struck by the fact that the story is told simultaneously in English and in the Plains Cree language (Y dialect). I don’t speak Cree but as a relative newcomer to Canada and a linguistic nerd, I was intrigued by the opportunity to be introduced to, not only a story so intrinsic to Cree culture, but also to the language. I loved the fact that certain Cree words are given their phonetic pronunciation which I think enables a reader who may not be familiar with Cree to get a linguistic sense of the language and perhaps enables them to enter the story more fully. The book is written by well-known Saskatchewan writer Judith Silverthorne, who wrote it based on an oral story told to her by…