Portage & Main Press
When exploring Brandon Mitchell’s Adventures of the Pugulatmu’j graphic novel series for young readers, it’s best to begin with the first volume. I had to find a copy to understand how it all started before diving into volume two, The Search for Gluscap, which came out last month (May 5). In particular, I wanted to learn how Mali first met Puug, a guardian of the woods. Without that context, jumping in with a later volume is not quite the same as watching a film series, where important events are often recounted early in the narrative.
What makes this series appealing is how naturally it presents Mi’gmaw culture and daily life in New Brunswick, where the tale takes place. Rather than treating tradition as something distant or historical, Mitchell shows a living world where ancient beliefs remain intertwined with the present. The series also trusts that readers have been following the story since book one rather than pausing to repeat key details. Once I realized that within the first few pages, I knew I had to stop, find the first volume at a local library, or simply buy it.
When humanity exists alongside spirit-driven forces and powerful beings from folklore, every action carries weight. For Mali, her friendship with one of the Pugulatmu’j, the Little People of Mi’gmaw tradition, becomes a lesson in respect, responsibility, and living in harmony with nature.
Part of my fascination with Indigenous cultures comes from their cosmologies. These stories are every bit as rich and imaginative as those found elsewhere in the world, including Australia’s Aboriginal traditions. For readers who enjoy folklore and mythology, this series offers tales that deserve wider recognition. Regional creation myths do not have to be forgotten.
In the first book, Giju’s Gift (2022), introduces Mali. After she loses a treasured hair clip, a gift from her mother, she’s rather stressed. While her elder accepts the loss and takes it in stride, Mali discovers that Puug has taken it. Puug promises to return the item if Mali helps complete a series of tasks. Through their experiences, readers discover why maintaining a connection with nature matters.
And in the second release, The Search for Gluscap (2026), Mali and Puug investigate why the salmon are no longer migrating. Their search leads them to a giant serpent poisoned and blinded by industrial pollution. Contaminated by waste from riverside mills, the creature can no longer distinguish friend from foe and lashes out at anything that approaches. The only being capable of healing the serpent is Gluscap, the legendary Creator figure and guardian of the land. He has been absent for some time, and the search for him drives the plot.
As the pair travel deeper into the wilderness, meeting beavers and other wildlife, they uncover clues through stories passed down by previous generations of local lore. These flashback sequences were among my favourite parts because they present traditional Mi’gmaw tales that establish the relationship between humanity, animals, and the environment. Veeronika Barinova’s artwork shifts to a more simplified style, making them easy to distinguish from the present-day narrative. The visual approach brought to mind the stylized look from Cartoon Saloon’s early work, particularly The Secret of Kells. The layouts remain clean and accessible, allowing younger readers to follow the story with ease.
Overall, The Search for Gluscap highlights how many myths share universal themes. Joseph Campbell was not entirely wrong when examining stories from around the world. With the two worldviews I mentioned here that fascinate me, the land is shaped not by abstract spirits but by giants. When larger-than-life beavers build dams, they create smaller ecosystems where local wildlife can thrive.
Much like the animated film Princess Mononoke, the story suggests that poison can corrupt both the land and the soul. The water is halted, nothing can thrive downstream, and the serpent suffers most of all. Once this reptile is freed from contamination caused by human industry, balance can return. Rivers can flow again. In other legends, serpents are more than capable to carve new channels for water to follow; While I half expected events to unfold based on what I know elsewhere, the reveals made here can’t deviate. It has to be faithful to the lore that inspired it.
And what emerges reinforces the series’ central message: the world remains interconnected, and caring for it is everyone’s responsibility.
4 Stars out of 5
The Search for Gluscap
includes other tales too, like:
