Book – The First Mosquito

The First Mosquito by author and illustrator Caroll Simpson.

Yax is too young to accompany his father on a trading expedition and must stay at home with his mother and his younger sister. Disappointed, he goes off to practice his spear-throwing. When he loses his spear, he thinks he is old enough to go into the forest to look for it, even though he has been warned about the dangers that await children who wander into the woods alone.

In this, her second book inspired by First Nations’ stories, author and illustrator Caroll Simpson tells how the first mosquito came to be. Her dramatic tale of a young boy’s narrow escape from the dangers of the forest illustrates a mother’s wisdom in her response to her son’s accidental bid for independence. Caroll introduces readers to a world of Lightning Snakes, Woodworm, Creek Woman, Mouse Woman, Two-Headed Serpents, the Wild Man of the Forest and a Bloodsucking Monster.

Written for children aged 6 to 11, Caroll’s charming story is illustrated with her distinctive colour paintings, intended to celebrate the culture of the First Nations. A glossary of legendary mythical creatures, describing their traits and identifying physical details, provides an informative backdrop for Caroll’s tale.

Caroll Simpson taught Native art and drama to elementary schoolchildren for many years before buying a remote fishing lodge, Ookpik Wilderness Lodge, in the northern interior of British Columbia. Located on Babine Lake, it is accessible only by boat in the summer months and by snowshoes during the winter. She spends the off-season writing and painting. Caroll’s work is a celebration of the legends and art of the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest.