In my TrueStory Bookshop, I curate lists of picturebook biographies by kids' interests (sports, art, animals, etc.) and topics (women's history, LGBTQ+ stories, immigrants' contributions, etc.). It is surprising how few Indigenous stories there are for kids. So I was thrilled to find the lovely Freddie the Flyer—the true story of Freddie Carmichael, the first Indigenous commercial pilot in the Artic. While the book highlights some Inuvialuit language and culture, at its core, the story is about how a child's love of flying grows into a career as well as a way to serve a community. Perfect for airplane-obsessed kids or anyone looking to read more Indigenous stories.
Today coauthor Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail talks about her experience in writing Freddie the Flyer.
How did you and Freddie Carmichael come together to write this book?
When I first met Fred Carmichael in November 2010, he was seated at a small table in a restaurant in his hometown of Inuvik, Northwest Territories. I shuffled up to him in my bright blue parka, egged on by a new pilot acquaintance who happened to be related to Fred. "You have to meet him," my friend said. "He's a legend." I can't remember what I mumbled at Fred in my shyness. I was writer-in-residence at Berton House in Dawson City, Yukon, but I was 28 years old and my imposter syndrome was raging. I know I gently placed a copy of my first book on the table as an offering and then probably turned and fled. I don't even know if I saw the characteristic twinkle in Fred's eyes that first time, I looked at the floor so much. Luckily that book—For the Love of Flying —made a better first impression, and Fred agreed to talk with me for my research on northern aviation. I don't think either of us imagined we'd keep in touch so much over the years, and that by 2019 he would let me and his wife Miki talk him into creating a picture book about his inspiring life.
Was there one aspect of Freddie's life—a specific scene, quote, or image—that guided you throughout the writing process?
There were a few things that jumped out at me from the beginning of my work with Fred, and really helped guide our writing process. Fred's humility was one of them, as was his admiration and appreciation for the people who mentored him. That old Mr. Roger's quote of 'find the helpers' kept reverberating as he listed the people who encouraged him: the flying missionary who took him up for his first flight and got him to help with repairs, and then helped guide him in the process of saving up for flying school and getting his licenses. There were the teachers at the flying school who gave him extra tutoring. And his smart, outgoing wife Miki who was instrumental in helping him with his later flying businesses. The other sentiment that came up again and again was service to his community. Fred found a way to use his gifts and passion for aviation to help the people of the Western Arctic that he knew and loved: the reindeer herders, the trappers—people of all backgrounds who needed supplies or medevacs (or even just a birthday treat). I found that incredibly inspiring. And that has been a good reminder for why this book exists: Fred wanted to inspire young kids, especially Indigenous ones or marginalized ones, to pursue their dreams, look for the helpers, and give back in some way.
While researching this book, which fact surprised you the most?
I knew this in theory, but I was surprised at how complex and nuanced the Indigenous languages—Inuvialuktun and Gwich'in—of the Beaufort-Mackenzie Delta are to translate. And how they are so intricately tied to land and place. I also experienced how specific dialects are to different towns and areas, and how critical it is to work with the right knowledge and language keepers. It was wonderful to meet those language keepers in person in Aklavik and Inuvik when we launched the book, and to thank them in person for all their hard work. They did it because of their love for Fred and their determination to have these languages live on for new generations. Seeing them all together with young kids who are able to learn and speak their languages after it was discouraged or outright punished in the Indian Residential School system, day schools, and mainstream society generally, was humbling.
Why do you think kids can relate to Freddie the Flyer?
When I do school visits, I often ask the kids what their dream is or what they want to be when they grow up, and I love hearing what they say. Those sparks start early, like when Fred was a little boy watching WW2 aviation movies, playing with toy planes, and then getting to see one up close when a pilot let him climb into the plane at his parents' camp. Kids recognize themselves in those moments when a grownup validates their dream and helps them get closer to it in some way. And like in the book, it's good for them to know that it might not be their parent or family member who can really understand their dream or help them achieve it. Fred was the odd one out and wasn't good at the family business of trapping, and that was a bit tough on him. Also, Fred's parents didn't have the knowledge or connections help him; it was a community member, teachers, and other folks who helped him along the way. So kids see that they might be different from their family members, and that's okay.
What was the most challenging task in creating this biography?
The most challenging part was definitely bridging the geographical distance between Fred and Miki in Inuvik up in the Northwest Territories, and me living thousands of kilometers south in Edmonton, Alberta and then even farther away in Houston, Texas (and now Halifax, Nova Scotia). But through phone, email, Google docs, and one very special trip up there in April 2019, we were able to dig into Fred's photos, memories, and work through multiple drafts.
Why did you structure the story in a monthly format?
That was actually our editor's idea at Tundra. Sam Swenson suggested it early on as an organizing structure and that really appealed to Fred, Miki and I. Sam was my editor on Alis the Aviator: An ABC Aviation Adventure, and she had made some great suggestions around the illustrator pairing (Kalpna Patel), and other things. So I trusted her intuition on that. I'd seen season books, counting books, and other 'concept' titles, but organizing a life around the twelve months of the year was such a great way to condense 80-plus years into a picture book. And it felt quite organic the way the vignettes jumped out at us and slotted in. Then Fred and Miki suggested bringing in the translations and meanings of the months in Inuvialuktun and Gwich'in, and that attached so much cultural and local knowledge to each month.
What's your #1 tip for writing true stories?
If you can, live the story in as many ways as possible. For me, this meant spending lots of time in the Western Arctic, visiting with Fred and Miki and local people, and getting to know the climate, weather, animals, and light. It meant going up in Fred's private plane to explore the delta from the air and see his family's camps in the bush. It meant taking the controls in his airplane for a bit even though my hands were sweating with nerves, and going dogsledding with him, and trying new foods and drinks. All the while listening to Fred's stories and just his voice, his way of expressing himself.
If you could pick the ideal place for a Freddie the Flyer storywalk, where would it be?
If I have to pick just one, I'd say the Fred Carmichael Airport in Aklavik, NWT - his hometown! But in general, how neat would it be to have storywalks by local airports and aviation museums all over, where kids could read the book while airplanes soared above them. And then they could clamber into a display model or a real-live airplane for a discovery flight!
What other books would you recommend to readers who love Freddie the Flyer?
First off, a shameless plug for my first book, Alis the Aviator, which also features an Indigenous aviation pioneer, Dr. Alis B. Kennedy. I also love Indigenous creative and politician Wab Kinew's picture book Go Show the World. Other nonfiction books about ground-breaking aviators I enjoy include Love is in the Air by Dee Romito and Eleanor and Amelia Go For a Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan.
TRUE STORY TIDBITS
I recommend this insightful and inspiring biography on two shelves in my TrueStory Bookshop:
- True Stories~Aviation
- True Stories~Indigenous Stories
To take a peek inside the book, checkout my Booktok.
Every day is a good day for a true story but here are some special tie-in dates for Freddie the Flyer:
- February 23: National Aviation Day in Canada
- May 6: Fred Carmichael's birthday
- June: Indigenous History Month in Canada
- August 19: National Aviation Day in the U.S.
- November: In the U.S., Native American History Month and National Aviation History Month
Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail is the author of several books about aviation, including the picture books Alis the Aviator: An ABC Aviation Adventure and Freddie the Flyer. She has cherished her visits to the Western Arctic and was Writer in Residence at Berton House in Dawson City, Yukon. Danielle lives by the sea in Nova Scotia/Mi'kma'ki with her young family.