Kids’ Books for Reconciliation

Updated September 19, 2022

Orange Shirt Day is coming up soon, a day to reflect on the history and legacy of residential schools. The name of the day comes from the story of Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor, who had her new orange shirt taken from her on her first day at St. Joseph Mission. You may hear the phrase “Every Child Matters” on this day, a powerful reminder that all children are important: the ones left behind, the ones who survived, and the countless others today who are still impacted and healing from the lasting legacy.

Because this is a topic many people ask me about, I’ve put together a list of recommended resources to talk about residential schools and truth and reconciliation. I caveat first and foremost that I am a non-Indigenous woman. But these are my go-to resources as a teacher and a librarian, viewed through a lens of anti-oppression and anti-colonialism. Collecting and sharing these resources is one way that I put in the labour that was asked of me in the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action #62 and #63.

I also want to share two book lists I like, written by Indigenous people: this CBC list by Selena Mills and this Twitter thread by author David A. Robertson that later became a separate article.

I have separated my list below into several sections to focus in on slightly different topics. Unless marked specirically, all books were written and/or illustrated by Indigenous creators. Most of these books come with big time content warnings: residential schools, colonial violence, child abuse, grief and loss, intergenerational trauma.

One thing that I always try to remember around Orange Shirt Day is that these days and weeks, whilst vitally important, can also be really difficult for students whose own lives and families have been touched by this history. I try to make sure that all the stories of trauma are balanced with stories of resistence, strength, joy, healing. Colonial violence has irrepably harmed Indigenous communities on this land, but Indigenous people have worked so hard to make sure that they are not defined by this harm. It is the least I can do to honour this labour, this healing, this resilience, to make sure that Indigenous representation in my classroom or library does not end with stories of residential schools.

If buy any of these books, please consider supporting Indigenous-owned booksellers like Massy Books, Iron Dog Books, and Strong Nations.

Scroll through my detailed descriptions below or use the full book list here.

Books about residential schools

These books are both fiction and non-fiction, but cover the topic of residential schools specifically. I consider these powerful resources that bring this very large topic into age-appropriate language and storytelling that young readers can understand. I have used the primary resources with my Kindergarten students successfully. I strongly recommend reading these resources before sharing them with children, as some of them may need thoughtful support to ensure that the topic is handled with care and a trauma-informed lens.

(My notes are not visible on mobile. Best viewed on desktop.)

Primary

When We Were Alone

K-3: My favourite resource for primary grades. Strikes the perfect balance between telling the important, hard stories, and being such a celebration of resilience, resistance, and joy.

Amik Loves School

K-3: Really gentle grandparent story that serves as a good intro but also has a real focus on healing and strength.

Shi-shi-etko

K-3: Such a tremendously beautiful and heartbreaking text. This one I have used in K but it is emotional and needs a lot of support and care.

Shin-chi's Canoe

1-3: I like this one better than Shi-shi-etko for learning about residential schools, but it’s a bit heavier because of it so I don’t often use this one with K.

When I Was Eight

1-3: This is a picture book version of the longer middle grade novel, Fatty Legs. The interesting perspective of this book is that the protag actually begged her parents to let her go to residential school because she didn’t know what it was.

Not My Girl

2-3: Sequel to When I Was Eight. A really powerful and simply told story about healing and rediscovering identity and the lasting legacy of residential schools.

Phyllis's Orange Shirt

K-3: Much more accessible version of Phyllis Webstad’s story for younger readers.

With Our Orange Hearts

K-1: This is a 2022 book that would be a great entry point for K and young learners. Focus on strength and healing and resilience, not so much the residential schools story.

We Feel Good Out Here

K-2: Gentle and simple text, really highlights and focuses on Indigenous knowledge and worldview. Poetic, lyrical writing.

Intermediate

I Lost My Talk

3-7: Powerful poem, simply written but lots to talk about and unpack. Goes along with I’m Finding My Talk, an excellent partner to talk about healing, strength, resilience.

Speaking Our Truth

4-7: Excellent non-fiction resource. It’s a big book, great opportunity to use bits and pieces over the course of an entire year to talk about things in depth.

As Long as the Rivers Flow

3-7: This one is a great, more gentle story that has a focus on the author’s last summer before residential schools. A good one for intermediate that has less content about the actual days at residential school.

Muinji'j Asks Why

4-7: I find this one a detailed, informative, and poignant story from the perspective of a descendant of residential school survivors.

Fatty Legs

4-7: First-person account of going to residential school. In this case, the young girl begs to go to residential school because she thinks it’ll be a place to learn to read. A lot of trauma and disappointment to unpack but also strength and resilience.

The Witness Blanket

5-7: A really interesting non-fiction book about an art and commemoration project.

The Orange Shirt Story

4-7: This is the origin story for Orange Shirt Day so serves as a simple, compelling narrative for why we commemorate this day.

My Name is Seepeetza

5-7: Middle-grade novel, told in diary form. Really powerful story. Short read but packs a punch.

Aggie & Mudgy

5-7: This book focuses on the journey towards residential schools.

I Am Not a Number

6-7: This book is such a powerful read. At times breathtakingly heavy with its truth. But with a definite thread of strength and resistance throughout and in the ending. Definitely for the older kids.

The Journey Forward

4-7: This is a flip book with two novellas: “When We Play Our Drums, They Sing!” and “Lucy & Lola”. Both powerful stories about intergenerational trauma, healing, and survival.

Spirit Bear: Fishing for Knowledge, Catching Dreams

3-7: This is one of the Spirit Bear books published by the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada. I love the way these books weave in action and year-round engagement beyond Orange Shirt Day. Available as free e-book.

Books about other colonial trauma

These books are not specifically about residential schools, but cover a range of other topics relating to the legacy of colonialism and oppression against Indigenous people on this land. I am intentional about separating this list from the books about residential schools. This is because I think it’s important to teach that residential schools were and are not the extent of the oppression faced by Indigenous peoples. Residential schools have a lasting, intergenerational, and ongoing impact. Colonialism and colonial violence also took many forms other than residential schools. Reducing this harm to residential schools perpetuates the falsehood that once the doors closed, the harm was over. Reconciliation must involve a deep understanding of the full history and legacy of colonialism, beyond residential schools. These are some of my favourite resources for this teaching.

(My notes are not visible on mobile. Best viewed on desktop.)

Borders

This is a graphic novel version of Thomas King’s celebrated short story. It’s so well written and simple and compelling. It speaks to the conflict between colonial geographic borders and Indigenous traditional land and identity.

We Are Water Protectors

This picture book was written in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protest. Serves as a way in to talk about Indigenous land and water defenders and the leadership of Indigenous people in the fight for climate justice.

Where I Belong

This is actually a young adult novel, so not really suited to elementary. But it is the only resource I have found that speaks to the Oka Crisis.

47,000 Beads

A picture book that is appropriate for even the youngest readers that speaks to the erasure and celebration of two-spirit Indigenous folks. Written by a two-spirit Lakota author.

Indian No More

This is an American book but the topic relates to Indigenous identity and how that conflicts with “official” status, recognition, and colonial bureaucracy.

This Place: 150 Years Retold

A graphic novel, geared towards older readers but maybe upper intermediate could access. Part history, part fantasy, a really powerful story about the legacy of colonialism and whose story gets told.

Surviving the City

This is a graphic novel for young adult, but I would call it appropriate for middle school. It very powerfully and movingly speaks to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Nibi's Water Song

A picture book that talks about the lack of clean drinking water in Indigenous communities. Really powerful story told in a super accessible way, friendly for really young readers.

The Case of the Missing Auntie

I adore this series of early chapter books. Engaging and fun storytelling. This one talks about both the contrast in urban-rural Indigenous experience and how this impacts connection with Indigenous identity, and also the Sixties Scoop. Just really formidable storytelling.

I Am Loved

Picture book about a young Inuk boy in a new foster home, remembering words of strength from his anaanattiaq. An important conversation about the role of the child welfare system in harming Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Books for joy and resilience

These are books that feature Indigenous experience and identity but without trauma and oppression being the main plot. That is not to say that trauma and the legacy of trauma are not present - as we know, the lived reality of Indigenous and other racialized folks is to have many, if not all, aspects of life affected by the legacy of past trauma, and therefore truly meaningful representation in literature doesn’t seek to erase that. However, there is such value in rich literature that features Indigenous joy, resilience, community, and culture. It is a critical component of decolonizing and diversifying the children’s bookshelf - if the only representation kids see of themselves is seen through the lens of pain and trauma, then we have not achieved diversity. I will never get tired of saying it - all kids deserve to see themselves as the hero, and all kids deserve to get a happy ending.

The following books are some of my favourites. These are rich, compelling, powerful stories that are written by Indigenous authors and feature Indigenous joy, identity, and experience at the forefront.

Click through to see synopses and age levels. I haven’t written anything because it would all be versions of “I love this book”. The list goes roughly from youngest picture book to oldest middle-grade novel.