Review of book series "As-tu vu?"

The book series  As-tu vu, by  Éditions les Malins came to my attention when the Aboriginal Educator in my school reviewed the book titled Autochtones.  I wrote this post since the publisher did not reply to my concerns about content.   I immediately discarded this book due to it's multiple errors.  Including:

• 'Les Abenakis (de l'est)  .... ils sculptaient des totems" (images de totems de Haidi de la cote ouest)  
• "les cowboys du far west on appris des Mohawks le lancer du lasso..."  Les Mohawks vivent dans les forets d'est,  C'est des autres (comme les Blackfoot) qui vivent aux prairies avec les chevals.
• the costume is not regalia!!! on the page that is talking about traditions (regalia is traditional) "Les algonquins ont comme tradition...
• "Dans certaines tribus indigenes, les chasseurs gardent la tete de leur victime en signe de victiore..."  this fact is taken out of context and perpetuates negative stereotypes!  This content is also is inappropriate for elementary schools.  The images on this page are of African aborignals, they are definately not "les Cris".
• "La gomme a macher est une invention des innus"  Mais les Innus vivent au tondre ... sans Arbres!

It has made me look at the other titles in this series.  Most are good!  I have noticed a few errors in the following titles:
Les grands explorateurs- (une erreur) Christophe Colomb a decouvert l'Amerique... but there is no mention of the Vikings!

Espions et leurs Gadgets (une erreur)- the book explains that "d'amerindiens sont des "chasseurs d tetes".  Now inappropriate fact out of context, that perpeturates negative stereotypes.  We are working on rebuilding connections with First peoples, not damaging them.

Les chiens de traineau (deux erreurs) - the book says Inuit children do not need warm blankets when taking rides on the dogsled as their dogs are so warm.  When it would be after dogsledding.   The book makes a connection to the "1929 Krach boursier" .  This in not a French word for the 1929 Stock market crash, which a child would definitely not know about.

Buy Martine Latulippe for your French immersion students...

Martine Latulippe has written 2 great series for grade 3-4 beginning French readers.  Marie-P, and Julie.  Marie-P is about a girl who inherits her grandfather's detective hat, coat and magnifying class and solves mysteries!  Julie is a girl who has a great imagination and an Uncle who collects myths and legends from around Québec.  Julie’s imagination helps her find character’s that are similar to those in her Uncle’s stories.  You have to read this series to find out how Julie figures out if the legend has become alive. 

The second set of books that my grade 7 teacher promotes is “Un lourd silence” and “Un fleur de peau”.  These books are not overly long and the vocabulary is good for immersion students, though the content should be taught. These stories deal with what could happen if you were out babysitting and something strange is happening on the computer of the house you are babysitting at.  Find out how the main character and her friends become a team to find a solution.  In my School District the next 2 books “La grande vertige” and “Le cri” which deal with bullying are used in highschool, due to their content.

There are 2 newer series by Martine Latulippe, that I would also consider: Mouk le monstre that I am just starting to read and get student feedback.  So far, I see it as a strong grade 3/grade 4 french immersion series.  Her other new series, Emily Rose is a series for grade 6/7 immersion students.  In this series, Emily Rose learns about famous people including Terri Fox and Rosa Park in relation to her day-to-day life as a teenager.  The series “L'alphabet sure mille pattes” intended for younger students I think has too much vocabulary for French immersion students.