Welcome to Litsy!

A little girl promises herself: “I will remember everything” as she counts down the last four days before she must leave her home in order to attend an Indian Residential School far away. This beautiful & subtle picture book, with soft illustrations by Kim LaFave, is a gentle introduction for children to the topic of Residential Schools & their lasting impact on #Indigenous people. Author Nicola Campbell is Interior Salish & Métis. #kidlit

At home the cattle truck that gathered the children waited.

Shi-shi-etko‘s name means “she loves to play in the water.” Illustrations in this picture book are by Kim LaFave.

Subtle and sad, this one broke my little guy‘s heart. He kept asking questions. Why does she have to go? What if she gets sick at school? But she‘s so little, won‘t she be scared? Why can‘t she use her language? And finally, as only a 6-year old can put it, “Well, that whole thing was just messed up! Why did people think that was okay?!” Continued in comments

I just finished both Shi-shi-etko and Shin-chi's Canoe with my niece. Both are incredibly beautiful stories with breathtaking illustrations. It is a beautiful introduction to the horrific residential school system, with a focus on staying true to yourself, your community, and your culture. I highly recommend both.

In celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day:
In "Shi-shi-etko" the story follows a young American Indian girl before her forced removal from her home to attend the white boarding school. The second story follows her brother at the white school. Both stories start with an author's note for context.

This is an important read for grade schoolers for building understanding and empathy.

#notawhiteprotagonist
#InteriorSalish