Residential School Book Bag (Ages 9-12)

Fatty Legs (A True Story) by Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton - 1 Copy

The moving memoir of an Inuit girl who emerges from a residential school with her spirit intact.

Complemented by archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton's collection and striking artworks from Liz Amini-Holmes, this inspiring first-person account of a plucky girl's determination to confront her tormentor will linger with young readers.

A Stranger at Home (A True Story) by Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton - 1 Copy

This sequel to Fatty Legs is a powerful memoir of an Inuvialuit girl searching for her true self when she returns from residential school. Along the way, she discovers how important it is to remain true to the ways of her people -- and to herself. Highlighted by archival photos and striking artwork, this first-person account of a young girl's struggle to find her place will inspire young readers to ask what it means to belong.

As Long as the River Flows by Larry Loyie – 1 Copy

This is the story of Larry Loyie’s last summer before entering residential school where children were forcibly taken from their families in order to erase their traditional languages and cultures. It is a time of learning and adventure.

No Time to Say Goodbye: Children’s Stories of Kuper Island Residential School by Sylvia Olsen, Rita Morris & Ann Sam – 1 Copy

No Time to Say Goodbye is a fictional account of five children sent to aboriginal boarding school, based on the recollections of a number of Tsartlip First Nations people. In spite of the harsh realities of the residential school, the children find adventure in escape, challenge in competition, and camaraderie with their fellow students.

My Name is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling – 1 Copy

Told in diary form, this autobiographical novel about a sixth-grade Indigenous girl tells of her heartbreak at the terrible conditions at her school where she is persecuted because of her race.

We Feel Good Out Here = Zhik gwaa'an, nakhwatthaiitat qwiinzii (The Land is Our Storybook) by Julie-Ann Andre – 1 Copy

Julie-Ann Andre is a Gwichya Gwich'in from Tsiigehtchic in the Northwest Territories. She is a Canadian Ranger, a mother of twin daughters, a hunter, a trapper, and a student.

In We Feel Good Out Here, Julie-Ann shares her family's story and the story of her land-Khaii luk, the place of winter fish. As Julie-Ann says, "The land has a story to tell, if you know how to listen. When I travel, the land tells me where my ancestors have been. It tells me where the animals have come and gone, and it tells me what the weather may be like tomorrow."

Speaking Our Truth by Monique Gray Smith – 1 Copy

Canada's relationship with its Indigenous people has suffered as a result of both the Residential School system and the lack of understanding of the historical and current impact of those schools. Healing and repairing that relationship requires education, awareness and increased understanding of the legacy and the impacts still being felt by Survivors and their families. Guided by acclaimed Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith, readers will learn about the lives of Survivors and listen to allies who are putting the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into action.[Text Wrapping Break]