Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story by Shirley Horn
Thank you, Second Story press, for the egalley
Shirley is only five years old when she is taken from her family to live at a residential school. This school is called an Indian Residential School. It was a Canadian school where kids were sent to be assimilated into Canadian culture. I have read and seen a few books about this exact topic. The first time I learned about these schools, I was amazed that they existed, but also amazed that they could force people to go. It sounds awful.
Shirley is a very spunky little girl. She is, of course, sad and lonely being away from her family, but she holds her own. She doesn’t let anyone push her around; she definitely sticks up for herself. She and her schoolmates make the best of a horrible situation. They seem to find joy in many of the things they do. I’m not sure whether it is just their strong personalities or their youth that helps them get through this.
The book also uses real photographs with illustrations layered on top. I thought this was a unique and creative idea. The photos were really interesting to look at.
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