David Alexander Robertson

Even when I was a kid I was never into fantasy stories with anthropomorphized animals (magical creatures like dragons, etc don’t count, obv), so I definitely wouldn’t have been overly interested in picking this mid-grade book up, but somehow it was still a pretty compelling read! The story follows Indigenous foster kids Morgan and Eli as Morgan struggles to find her place in their new home and Eli tries to find an escape through his artwork. Eli’s drawings prove to be more than just a show more coping mechanism and way to connect with his heritage (he draws scenes reminiscent of where he grew up and which draw on traditional Cree teachings), when the pair staple one of his oversize drawings to the wall and it becomes a gateway to another land – the titular Barren Grounds that have taken over the alternate world of Askí. Morgan and Eli must help the animals who populate the land rescue the magical birds that keep the seasons turning and bring the land back to life, drawing on themes of environmentalism, greed, and community that are central to many Indigenous ways of life and storytelling. While the series doesn’t quite do it for me (sorry, talking animals), the characters are vibrant, the adventure is well narrated, and Robertson’s Indigneous grounding is just as well mythologized as any Euro-centric story in the same vein. show less

Nósisim loves to spend time with her kókom. Kókom wears bright colors, has long hair, and often speaks in Cree. One day, Nósisim asks why she does these things. Kókom explains how she was taken away to school and all these things were taken from her. Now she lives this way because she can. Her troubled past makes her cling tighter to these things now.

First, Nósisim asks Kókom why she wears so many colors. Kókom answers that when they were in school, their beautiful clothes were taken show more and they were forced to wear uniforms like everyone else. But the children secretly rebelled by rolling and covering themselves in colorful fall leaves. Kókom says, “And this made us happy.“

Second, Nósisim ask Kókom why she wears her hair so long. Kókom explains to her that the people at the school didn’t like how proud the Cree children were and so cut off their long hair to make them like everybody else. But against this too the children rebelled, for when they were alone in the field they would pick long blades of grass and weave them into each other’s hair, making it long. “And this made us happy.“

Next, Nósisim asks Kókom why she speaks in Cree. Kókom tells her how at school they wouldn’t let the children speak their own language but forced them all to use “their strange words“. The children refused to forget their language, however, and when they were alone in the fields they would speak it to each other so that they could remember. “And this made us happy.“

Finally, Nósisim asks Kókom why she and her brother always spend so much time together. Kókom tells her that when they were at the school they were separated, never allowed to be with each other. But sometimes, when they were alone, they would find each other and hold hands. “And this made us happy. ‘Now,’ Nókom said as she reached over and held my uncle’s hand, and mine, ‘I am always with my family.’“

[Content Warning: This book handles the subject of residential schools very gently, but it is still a hard subject. “When We Were Alone” is aimed at elementary school aged children, and, as such, will require some careful explanation of mature themes like the forced taking of family relationships, hair, and culture.]

David A. Robertson is the author of “When We Were Alone”, and he tenderly tells the tale of his people’s (the Swampy Cree) experience with residential schools. Being Cree himself, he speaks from a position of authority, and he tells the story with honesty and care for both the truth and for the age of his readers. Combined with Julie Flett’s (Métis-Cree) colorful and gentle illustrations, “When We Were Alone” is an excellent, dependable book on the residential school system for younger readers. Because of its accuracy and reliability and authorship by Native peoples, it is available for sale on Birchbark Books, a bookshop owned by acclaimed Ojibway authoress Louise Erdrich.

“When We Were Alone” is the perfect way to introduce your young child to the horrors of history slowly and gently. Our children need to know the truth about our histories, but their minds are impressionable and vulnerable and need to be treated with care. If I ever have children, I will want to use this book with its colorful pages and careful references to trauma as a first training ground for their young minds. The first book I want them to read is the Bible, and after that, it’s books like this that tell the truth of history while shaping their minds to fight for something better.

I really like this book. I love Julie Flett’s illustrations, especially the cover one where the children lay in a pile of many-hued fall leaves. I also love the illustration of the children braiding grass into each other’s hair to make it longer. I love that I can read about the truth without feeling myself overwhelmed by the trauma. I love the family relations and the determination to be strong and to be Cree and to love. Ultimately, that’s what this book is about. Finding the strength to fight to be human in the midst of inhumane treatment. And, ultimately, that’s what I love – the hope. This book is grounded on and immersed in hope. And it’s the hope that brings comfort and meaning. It’s the hope I need. And that’s why I love this book.

This book is good. This book is important. I highly recommend this book. show less

Strangers by David A. Robertson published by Highwater Press is an incredible tale and the first in The Reckoner series.

I could not put this book down. It haunted me when I was not reading. I had to know the story of Wounded Sky First Nation and Cole Harper. Cole left Wounded Sky after a grave accident. After losing both his father and mother, his Grandmother and his aunt moved him to Winnipeg to get away and keep him safe. When Cole receives urgent and somewhat mysterious text messages from show more an old friend back in Wounded Sky, he is compelled to go back home, against his aunt’s wishes. When he arrives, he doesn’t exactly get a warm and fuzzy welcome. While some believe Cole is a hero, many are resentful and hurt by Cole’s actions 10 years ago. When people begin to fall gravely ill upon Cole’s arrival back in Wounded Sky and others end up dead after their interactions with him, Cole sets out on a mission to figure out what is happening and help his people once again.

This was one of those books I could not put down. You know those books where you completely lose yourself in the story, ignoring the world around you. Fortunately, The Bear and The Bee were able to entertain themselves for just about an entire day while I strode off to Wounded Sky and fully immersed myself in Cole’s story. I am just itching for the next installment. I can only think of a handful of times where I have had to wait for the next installments in a series and cannot stop dreaming about what is to come. I need to know what happens to Cole and Wounded Sky First Nation, how all the different mysteries that arose during Strangers conclude. What was happening at the research facility? Who started the school fire? How did Cole’s father die and why? There are so many questions David A. Roberston leaves open. We can certainly make inferences and predictions but I have a feeling this story could go just about anywhere. With the story being quite intense, I loved the character of Choch. He adds much appreciated humour and asides. He also provides a vehicle in the story to learn more about the importance of oral culture and the stories of Cree and other First Nations mythology. Strangers is an incredibly important Own Voices story to add to the growing list of stories written by First Nations people. These stories reflect their experiences and their truths and provide a richness to the children’s literature landscape that was not available only a few short years ago. Own Voices stories lead to more learning. While reading I found myself wanting to know more about the story of Coyote or Wisakedjak to the Cree people. I wanted first to make sure that anything I wrote here was accurate but I was also curious about the stories. I love folktales and oral storytelling and know after reading Strangers and what will be the two follow up books in the series, I will seek out opportunities to hear Cree, Anishnabee, Métis, and other First Nation storytellers. show less

"Little Shoes" is the story of a little boy named James learning to navigate the history of his ancestors, particularly the tragedy of residential schools. The first half of the book is rather cheerful, with the boy waking up his mother every night with an innocuous question about gravity or the stars before cuddling up with her in bed and falling asleep. But one day he and his kōkom go for a walk, which turns out to be what Kōkom calls a march. Their journey ends at a pile of stuffed show more animals, flowers, tobacco ties, and little shoes. Kōkom explains that the shoes are there in memory of all the children who had gone to residential school but had not come home. James is frightened, and Kōkom has to reassure him that he will not be sent to residential school.

That night, when James is trying to sleep, he is troubled by dark thoughts of how his kōkom's sister did not come home from residential school. He once again walks to his mother's bedroom, this time tears running down his face, to ask another question - "Mom,...who cuddled Kōkom and her sister at residential school when they woke up in the night?" James's mother explains that though the two girls felt lonely for their parents, they had each other, and, when they couldn't sleep, they cuddled each other, and it made them feel less alone. James finds comfort in this, and, crawling into his mother's bed, he goes to sleep in her arms.

The illustrations in this book really bring the story to life. Whenever James opens his curtains, to follow the moonlit path to his mother's bedroom, the pages are filled with sparkling stars like the ones on his mother's traditional quilt. There are starry people and constellations swirling all around them too, adding emotion and meaning to the scene.

[Content Warning: There is one brief mention of tobacco ties being at the memorial, which is a spiritual thing, though this is not explained. / The only thing that could be slightly problematic about this book is its use of dark figures all around when the character's thoughts are troubled. The first time they show up, James is trying to sleep, and there is one pouring a dark stream from its mouth into his ear. The other places they show up are when the generational trauma of residential school is being experienced by James. They're just dark and foreboding and swirl all around him. To be honest, while this part was scary, I felt it was accurate. The forces of darkness are all around us, and I know I'm not the only one who has struggled to sleep while the Devil was pouring his lies in my ear. The residential school system was a very dark thing, and I think it's very accurate that a small boy would experience dark, even oppressed thoughts after meditating on it. Still, this would make the book a little heavy for toddlers, and so I have tagged the book for elementary age children, which is the age bracket I would feel more comfortable introducing the book to.]

This book was written by Norway House Cree Nation member, David A. Robertson. Robertson is perhaps best known for his cooperations with illustrator Julie Flett on other picture books or for his recently award-winning "Misewa Saga". The illustrator of "Little Shoes" also has Indigenous roots. Together, these crafters have created an accurate work that beautifully honors Native people of yesterday and today and presented a history that cannot be forgotten.

My favorite part about this book was the cuddling and the people dancing in the stars. I appreciated the way it weaved in Native culture and showed that Native people are "still here" in the present, dealing with their histories and forming an important part of our country. It was a bit sad and scary at points, both from the dark, swirling creatures and from the fact that I know the truth behind the small encounters with the residential school past.

But, I do think this book is beautiful in its familial affection and valuable in its sensitive introduction to the hard topic of residential schools. It is not one of my favorite Indigenous picture books or even my favorite treatment on the residential school tragedy, but it is a good book, a lovely book, and a gentle way of introducing a frightening history. I recommend this book.

"Little Shoes" can be purchased new on Amazon for $19 or new on Thriftbooks for a little over $16.

I received my copy of "Little Shoes" for free on LibraryThing in exchange for my honest review. show less