Margaret Manuel

Margaret Manuel is a Salish writer of children's literature.

Manuel, who was born in Kamloops and raised in Merritt, British Columbia, is descended from Syilx and Secwépemc ancestors.{{cite web |url=https://www.strongnations.com/gs/show.php?gs=3&gsd=1149 |title=Authors: Margaret Manuel |website=Strong Nations |access-date=19 February 2022}} She learned the Syilx Okanagan language at home, but is not fluent. Manuel is a graduate of the National Aboriginal Professional Artist Training Program at the En'owkin Centre in Penticton.{{cite news |url=https://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/life/childrens-author-reads-at-enowkin-centre/ |title=Children’s author reads at En'owkin Centre |newspaper=Penticton West |date=8 November 2011 |access-date=19 February 2022}}

Her first book, I See Me, is a board book aimed at children up to age three.{{cite journal |url=https://www.cmreviews.ca/cm/vol18/no1/iseeme.html |title=I See Me |journal=Canadian Review of Materials |volume=XVIII |number=1 |date=2 September 2011 |first=Dave |last=Jenkinson}} The book features photographs of Manuel's son, Qwyula?xw, engaged in different activities, often with traditional indigenous toys or instruments. Each photograph is captioned with an English phrase of the form "I see me ...", followed by a blank line where parents are encouraged to translate the illustrated activity into their own language.{{cite news |url=https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/native-american-heritage-month-childrens-books-for-your-black-friday-shopping-list |title=Native American Heritage Month: Children’s Books for Your Black Friday Shopping List |newspaper=Indian Country Today |date=24 November 2012 |access-date=19 February 2022}} The book was published by Theytus Books in 2010 and was shortlisted for a 2010 New York Book Festival award and a 2012 American Indian Youth Literature Award.{{cite press release |url=http://newyorkbookfest.brinkster.net/portal/content.asp?ContentId=659 |title=2010 New York Book Festival Winners List |publisher=New York Book Festival |date=2 June 2010 |access-date=19 February 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://quillandquire.com/awards/2012/03/19/three-canadian-authors-honoured-by-american-indian-youth-literature-awards/ |title=Three Canadian authors honoured by American Indian Youth Literature Awards |work=Quillblog |publisher=Quill & Quire |first=Shannon |last=Webb-Campbell |authorlink=Shannon Webb-Campbell |date=19 March 2012 |access-date=19 February 2022}} It was a bestseller in Canada.{{cite web |url=https://quillandquire.com/bestsellers/2012/03/12/booknet-bestsellers-canadian-childrens-books/ |title=BookNet bestsellers: Canadian children’s books |work=Quillblog |publisher=Quill & Quire |first=Shannon |last=Webb-Campbell |authorlink=Shannon Webb-Campbell |date=12 March 2012 |access-date=19 February 2022}}

In 2016, she published a sequel, I am Proud of Me, which again features photographs of her son with captions in English and Okanagan.