Circle of Love

Two-spirit author Monique Gray Smith (Cree/Lakota) writes about young Molly and her day spent at the intertribal community center, a place where all are welcome and “love is love.” She is surrounded by her family and her diverse and loving community in this heartwarming picture book brought to life in vibrant illustrations by two-spirit artist Nicole Neidhardt (Diné). Includes an author’s note, contextual notes, and glossary. 

In this warmhearted book, we join Molly at the intertribal community center, where she introduces us to people she knows and loves: her grandmother and her grandmother’s wife, her uncles and their baby, her cousins, and her treasured friends.

They dance, sing, garden, learn, pray, and eat together. And tonight, they come together for a feast! Molly shares with the reader how each person makes her feel—and reminds us that love is love.

Through tender prose and radiant artwork, author Monique Gray Smith and illustrator Nicole Neidhardt show how there is always room for others in our lives. Circle of Love is a story celebrating family, friends, community, and, most of all, love. Everyone is welcome in the circle.

Monique Gray Smith is the award-winning and bestselling author of nine books for readers of all ages. She is Cree, Lakota, and Scottish and the mother of teenage twins. An inspirational, sought-after speaker and consultant, she lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Nicole Neidhardt is Diné (Navajo) of Kiiyaa'áanii clan. She grew up and now lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Tewa territory. She has a Master of Fine Arts and works in a variety of media, including book illustration, mylar stenciling, installation, and mural painting and design.