Miya loves school, especially story time. Today, Ms. Munro is telling them the story of a little girl who was taken far away from home to a boarding school, where her long hair was cut and her favorite doll was taken away. Indigenous children had to leave their families and were not allowed to go home at the end of the day or for holidays.
Miya, who is the only Indigenous child in her class, panics. Are they going to come and take her far away from home? Even though the teacher talks about wearing an orange sweater to remember, she stops listening and feels a knot in her stomach. Later, her mother reassures her that these residential schools were closed long before she was born. Reassured, she returns to school, proudly wearing her orange sweater. So she won't forget.
Je vais le porter souvent, dit Miya, pas seulement une journée par année. Pour m’aider à me rappeler. Elle remarque alors que, dans son ventre, les vagues se sont calmées.
Cree author Wanda John-Kehewin drew inspiration from her own child's reaction to being sent to boarding school. She has created a powerful and inspiring picture book for children, accompanied by Erika Rodriguez Medina's magnificent illustrations.
From 4 years old
