Wanda John-Kehewin Explained

Wanda John-Kehewin is a Cree-Métis (Kehewin Cree Nation) author and poet.

Early life and education

John-Kehewin grew up on the Kehewin reserve in Alberta, but did not grow up speaking the Cree language.^[1] She lived with her mother, a Métis woman who struggled with alcoholism, for parts of her childhood.^{[2] [3]} John-Kehewin began writing poetry at age six, as a way to express he feelings.^[4] She became aware of the lack of literature centering First Nations voices at a young age, after seeing the lack of representation in the books in her reserve's library. At age 19, John-Kehewin became pregnant. She left her reserve and traveled to Vancouver.

She attended Douglas College, where she studied criminology, and she also studied Sociology and Aboriginal Studies at Langara College.^[5] She earned her Master of Fine Arts at University of British Columbia. In 2011 she completed The Writer's Studio, a creative writing program at Simon Fraser University.^[6]

Career

John-Kehewin has worked for the Canadian Ministry of Children and Families.

John-Kehewin released her first graphic novel, Visions of the Crow, in 2023, with illustrations by Nicole Marie Burton. The story features a Cree-Métis teenager who tries to figure out his relationship to a crow and a new girl at his school, while also dealing with his mother's alcoholism and life away from his Alberta reserve. It is the first in a planned trilogy.

Her first young adult novel, Hopeless in Hope, was published by Highwater Press in September 2023^[7] and was included among the 41 titles selected for the 2024 USBBY Outstanding International Books List.^[8]

Personal life

John-Kehewin currently lives in Vancouver. She has five children.^[9]

Books

Poetry

• In the Dog House (2013), Talonbooks^{[10] [11]}
• Seven Sacred Truths (2018), Talonbooks^[12]
• Spells, Wishes, and the Talking Dead ᒪᒪᐦᑖᐃᐧᓯᐃᐧᐣ ᐸᑯᓭᔨᒧᐤ ᓂᑭᐦᒋ ᐋᓂᐢᑯᑖᐹᐣ mamahtâwisiwin, pakosêyimow, nikihci-âniskotâpân (2023)^[13]
  • Nominated: League of Canadian Poets 2023 Raymond Souster Award^[14]

Graphic novels

• Visions of the Crow: Volume 1 Dreams (2023)^{[15] [16]}

Novels

• Hopeless in Hope (2023)
  • Shortlist: 2023 B.C. and Yukon Book Prizes Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize for the best non-illustrated book written for children, awarded by the West Coast Book Society^{[17] [18]}
  • Shortlist: 2024 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards; Middle Reader category^[19]
    • • 2024 USBBY Outstanding International Books List Nominated: 2025 Northern Lights Award, Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Awards^[20]

Awards

• World Poetry Empowered Poet Award 2018, for In the Dog House
• Finalist for the Indigenous Voices Awards 2019, Published Poetry in English, for Seven Sacred Truths^[21]

Notes

1. Web site: Taylor . Rob . 2023-04-26 . Learning a Second Language When It Should Be My First: An Interview with Wanda John-Kehewin . 2023-06-05 . Read Local BC . en-CA.
2. Web site: Narine . Shari . March 22, 2023 . Graphic novel tells story of the spiritual journey of Cree-Métis teen . 2023-06-05 . Windspeaker.com . en.
3. Web site: Derdeyn . Stuart . March 23, 2023 . Visions of the Crow is Coquitlam author's graphic novel aimed at Indigenous teens connecting with cultural roots . 2023-06-05 . Vancouver Sun . en-CA.
4. Web site: 2023-09-18 . Q&A with Wanda John-Kehewin . 2024-09-12 . Victoria Festival of Authors . en-US.
5. Web site: February 2019 - Onjana Yawnghwe and Wanda John-Kehewin . 2023-06-05 . www.sfu.ca.
6. Web site: Townsend . Natasha . Wanda John-Kehewin - Continuing Studies . 2023-06-05 . www.sfu.ca . en.
7. Book: Hopeless in Hope.
8. Web site: 2024 . 2024 USBBY Outstanding International Books . www.usbby.org.
9. Web site: Harowitz . Sara . 2023-11-08 . Well Read: Wanda John-Kehewin, author of “Hopeless in Hope” . 2024-09-12 . The Georgia Straight . en.
10. Web site: 2019-07-30 . Seeking Peace: An Omnibus Review of Poetry by Wanda John-Kehewin, Arielle Twist and Kim Trainor . 2023-06-05 . PRISM international . en-US.
11. Wayman . Tom . Gingell . Susan . Realism & Conceptualism . Science & Canadian Literature. 221. 2014. 162-63. 2024-09-12 . canlit.ca.
12. Web site: August 1, 2018 . Seven Sacred Truths . 4 June 2023 . CBC.
13. Web site: February 27, 2023 . Spells, Wishes and the Talking Dead by Wanda John-Kehewin . 4 June 2023 . CBC.
14. News: 2024-04-17 . Britta Badour, Brandi Bird, Laila Malik each shortlisted twice for League of Canadian Poets prizes . 2024-09-11 . CBC.
15. Book: VISIONS OF THE CROW Kirkus Reviews . en.
16. Web site: 2023-10-27 . 25 Picture Books, Graphic Novels, and More with Indigenous Protagonists for Young Readers Of All Ages . 2024-09-12 . School Library Journal.
17. News: Gee . Dana . 2024-04-11 . B.C. and Yukon Book Prize finalists list include Naomi Klein and John Vaillant . Vancouver Sun.
18. News: 2024-04-11 . Darrel J. McLeod, Naomi Klein and David A. Robertson among 2024 BC and Yukon Book Prizes finalists . CBC.
19. Web site: 2024-05-16 . Shortlists for the 2024 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards announced . Ontario Arts Council.
20. Web site: 2025 Northern Lights Nominees . 2024-09-12 . MYRCA . en-US.
21. Web site: 2019 IVAs . 2023-06-05 . Indigenous Voices Awards . en-US.

References

1. Web site: Taylor . Rob . 2023-04-26 . Learning a Second Language When It Should Be My First: An Interview with Wanda John-Kehewin . 2023-06-05 . Read Local BC . en-CA.
2. Web site: Narine . Shari . March 22, 2023 . Graphic novel tells story of the spiritual journey of Cree-Métis teen . 2023-06-05 . Windspeaker.com . en.
3. Web site: Derdeyn . Stuart . March 23, 2023 . Visions of the Crow is Coquitlam author's graphic novel aimed at Indigenous teens connecting with cultural roots . 2023-06-05 . Vancouver Sun . en-CA.
4. Web site: 2023-09-18 . Q&A with Wanda John-Kehewin . 2024-09-12 . Victoria Festival of Authors . en-US.
5. Web site: February 2019 - Onjana Yawnghwe and Wanda John-Kehewin . 2023-06-05 . www.sfu.ca.
6. Web site: Townsend . Natasha . Wanda John-Kehewin - Continuing Studies . 2023-06-05 . www.sfu.ca . en.
7. Book: Hopeless in Hope.
8. Web site: 2024 . 2024 USBBY Outstanding International Books . www.usbby.org.
9. Web site: Harowitz . Sara . 2023-11-08 . Well Read: Wanda John-Kehewin, author of “Hopeless in Hope” . 2024-09-12 . The Georgia Straight . en.
10. Web site: 2019-07-30 . Seeking Peace: An Omnibus Review of Poetry by Wanda John-Kehewin, Arielle Twist and Kim Trainor . 2023-06-05 . PRISM international . en-US.
11. Wayman . Tom . Gingell . Susan . Realism & Conceptualism . Science & Canadian Literature. 221. 2014. 162-63. 2024-09-12 . canlit.ca.
12. Web site: August 1, 2018 . Seven Sacred Truths . 4 June 2023 . CBC.
13. Web site: February 27, 2023 . Spells, Wishes and the Talking Dead by Wanda John-Kehewin . 4 June 2023 . CBC.
14. News: 2024-04-17 . Britta Badour, Brandi Bird, Laila Malik each shortlisted twice for League of Canadian Poets prizes . 2024-09-11 . CBC.
15. Book: VISIONS OF THE CROW Kirkus Reviews . en.
16. Web site: 2023-10-27 . 25 Picture Books, Graphic Novels, and More with Indigenous Protagonists for Young Readers Of All Ages . 2024-09-12 . School Library Journal.
17. News: Gee . Dana . 2024-04-11 . B.C. and Yukon Book Prize finalists list include Naomi Klein and John Vaillant . Vancouver Sun.
18. News: 2024-04-11 . Darrel J. McLeod, Naomi Klein and David A. Robertson among 2024 BC and Yukon Book Prizes finalists . CBC.
19. Web site: 2024-05-16 . Shortlists for the 2024 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards announced . Ontario Arts Council.
20. Web site: 2025 Northern Lights Nominees . 2024-09-12 . MYRCA . en-US.
21. Web site: 2019 IVAs . 2023-06-05 . Indigenous Voices Awards . en-US.