Some new books for the new year!
Hello, amazing readers! Welcome to the first Integra Youth blog post and the first book recommendation post of 2022! I hope you’re enjoying this series so far. This article is a little late, but don’t worry, it’s still in time for the new year!
With the new year coming up, it’s important to look forward to all the good things that are coming our way! However, it’s also important to not forget about the past. The Indigenous population in Canada suffered for many years in the past and we shouldn't forget about their troubles and sacrifices. The book recommendations for this month are all books focusing on Indigenous culture and history, with at least one book per age group focusing on residential schools.
Elementary - Fiction
When We Were Alone by David Alexander Robertson and illustrated by Julie Flett
Here is a summary of this book from Goodreads…
“When a young girl helps tend to her grandmother's garden, she begins to notice things that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long braided hair and beautifully colored clothing? Why does she speak another language and spend so much time with her family? As she asks her grandmother about these things, she is told about life in a residential school a long time ago, where all of these things were taken away. When We Were Alone is a story about a difficult time in history and, ultimately, one of empowerment and strength.”
This book is a great introduction for children who are just starting to learn about Canada’s past with Indigenous people and have lots of questions. The illustrations will captivate young readers as they read or listen to this story of a grandmother teaching her granddaughter about why and how she celebrates her culture. This book will bring about empathy in young readers, along with curiosity about the life that Indigenous people live. This book will teach kids to be more open-minded about the lives of people who are different from them, all while enjoying a good book.
Elementary - Nonfiction
I Am Not A Number by Jenny Kay Depuis and Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Gillian Newland
Here is a summary of this book from Goodreads…
“When eight-year-old Irene is removed from her First Nations family to live in a residential school she is confused, frightened, and terribly homesick. She tries to remember who she is and where she came from, despite the efforts of the nuns who are in charge at the school and who tell her that she is not to use her own name but instead use the number they have assigned to her. When she goes home for summer holidays, Irene's parents decide never to send her and her brothers away again. But where will they hide? And what will happen when her parents disobey the law? Based on the life of co-author Jenny Kay Dupuis’ grandmother, I Am Not a Number is a hugely necessary book that brings a terrible part of Canada’s history to light in a way that children can learn from and relate to.”
This children’s book is an excellent introduction to life at residential schools. While not strictly non-fiction, this book is based on the life of the author’s grandmother, who was sent to a residential school when she was only eight. Readers are introduced to the trauma and abuse suffered in residential schools, with Irene having her hair cut and her hands burned with hot coals. However, this story, as well as the life of Depuis’s grandmother, ends on a much better note than most residential school students, with Irene only suffering one year at the school. The illustrations and Irene’s thoughts will help young readers begin to understand what happened during Canada’s past, and how we can all move towards peace and reconciliation.
Middle School - Fiction
Two Roads by Joseph Bruchac
Here is a summary of this book from Goodreads…
“It's 1932, and twelve-year-old Cal Black and his Pop have been riding the rails for years after losing their farm in the Great Depression. Cal likes being a knight of the road with Pop, even if they're broke. But then Pop has to go to Washington, DC--some of his fellow veterans are marching for their government checks, and Pop wants to make sure he gets his due--and Cal can't go with him. So Pop tells Cal something he never knew before: Pop is actually a Creek Indian, which means Cal is too. And Pop has decided to send Cal to a government boarding school for Native Americans in Oklahoma called the Challagi School.
At school, the other Creek boys quickly take Cal under their wings. Even in the harsh, miserable conditions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school, he begins to learn about his people's history and heritage. He learns their language and customs. And most of all, he learns how to find strength in a group of friends who have nothing beyond each other.”
This middle-grade novel is an excellent pick for kids interested in historical fiction, US history, and Indigenous stories. Bruchac, who is a Native American himself, did lots of research to ensure that his book was as historically accurate as possible. With an engaging storyline and memorable characters, this book is sure to captivate and interest. Readers from all backgrounds will enjoy this novel and reflect upon the life lessons taught. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting and authentic read about Indigenous language and heritage.
Middle School - Nonfiction
Speaking Our Truth: A Journey Of Reconciliation by Monique Gray Smith
Here is a summary of this book from Goodreads…
“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.”
At an age where kids are learning more about Canada’s history, especially with residential schools, this book will help to clear up any doubts they may have. This book will allow readers to actively explore Canada’s past, and learn more about our country’s present and future. While learning about Indigenous past, children and preteens can expect to learn more about the path to reconciliation as well. With stories from residential school survivors and Indigenous allies, this book will inspire readers to help make a difference.
Secondary School - Fiction
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
Here is a summary of this book from Goodreads…
“Saul Indian Horse has hit bottom. His last binge almost killed him, and now he’s a reluctant resident in a treatment centre for alcoholics, surrounded by people he’s sure will never understand him. But Saul wants peace, and he grudgingly comes to see that he’ll find it only through telling his story. With him, readers embark on a journey back through the life he’s led as a northern Ojibway, with all its joys and sorrows.
With compassion and insight, author Richard Wagamese traces through his fictional characters the decline of a culture and a cultural way. For Saul, taken forcibly from the land and his family when he’s sent to residential school, salvation comes for a while through his incredible gifts as a hockey player. But in the harsh realities of 1960s Canada, he battles obdurate racism and the spirit-destroying effects of cultural alienation and displacement. Indian Horse unfolds against the bleak loveliness of northern Ontario, all rock, marsh, bog, and cedar. Wagamese writes with a spare beauty, penetrating the heart of a remarkable Ojibway man.”
Indian Horse is a raw, pure, and emotional story about a boy named Saul Indian Horse, his experience at a residential school, and how it impacts his life. The story is told through a series of flashbacks, allowing readers to experience Saul's pain and suffering alongside him. Reading about this side of Canada’s history is shocking, and readers will learn about some common residential school experiences that do not get talked about enough. What I found most impactful about this novel when I first read it was not just the terrible abuse suffered by children at residential schools but also how this trauma affects them for the rest of their lives. The book was very detailed and descriptive, which may not be suitable for younger readers, but is an important read nonetheless. On a lighter note, however, readers will read about Saul’s triumphs, and the people who help him get back on his feet, showing us all that recovery is possible even when one is in the darkest of places.
Warnings: alcoholism, sexual abuse, addiction, racism, emotional abuse, physical abuse, residential schools
Secondary School - Nonfiction
Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask: Young Readers Edition by Anton Treuer
Here is a summary of this book from Goodreads…
“I had a profoundly well-educated Princetonian ask me, ‘Where is your tomahawk?’ I had a beautiful woman approach me in the college gymnasium and exclaim, ‘You have the most beautiful red skin.’ I took a friend to see Dances with Wolves and was told, ‘Your people have a beautiful culture.’ . . . I made many lifelong friends at college, and they supported but also challenged me with questions like, ‘Why should Indians have reservations?’ ”
What have you always wanted to know about Indians? Do you think you should already know the answers—or suspect that your questions may be offensive? In matter-of-fact responses to over 120 questions, both thoughtful and outrageous, modern and historical, Ojibwe scholar and cultural preservationist Anton Treuer gives a frank, funny, and sometimes personal tour of what’s up with Indians, anyway.
This book is perfect for any teen with burning questions about Indigenous life. Anton Treuer uses his book to humorously answer the most commonly asked questions about Indians. With over 120 questions answered, readers can expect to walk away from this book satisfied with new knowledge.
Written by: Nevadha. M
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