Stolen Words

by Melanie Florence

Hardcover, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Collections

Children's Books, Flint/ Genesee, Diversity & Inclusion

Publication

Second Story Press (2017), 24 pages

Description

"This picture book explores the intergenerational impact of Canada's residential school system that separated Indigenous children from their families. The story recognizes the pain of those whose culture and language were taken from them, how that pain is passed down and shared through generations, and how healing can also be shared. Stolen Words captures the beautiful, healing relationship between a little girl and her grandfather. When she asks him how to say something in his language - Cree - her grandpa admits that his words were stolen from him when he was a boy. The little girl then sets out to help her grandfather regain his language."--Publisher's description.

User reviews

LibraryThing member jwyss

A powerful yet child friendly book that explains the devastating affects of the Canadian residential school system on indigenous/First Nations peoples. However, the ending is hopeful.

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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian

A short but extremely powerful book about the impact on the residential schools not only on the children that lived in them, but on the future generations. A young girl asks her grandfather how to say Grandfather in Cree, his native language. Unfortunately, he does not know. When he was forced to

live and attend the residential schools, his language was taken from him. He very simply states how this happened and you can not help but feel his pain, both physical and emotional. His granddaughter wants to help him regain the Cree language and finds him an old Cree dictionary and they learn together. This is a very moving story. It is simple, yet powerful. This is a dark spot on Canadian History which is just beginning to be recognized and spoken about openly. An excellent book to be in every school library to share this experience and learn from it. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

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LibraryThing member StephLamb

This book was my most anticipated book from last weekend's Word on the Street Toronto event. I had the pleasure to meet Melanie Florence, although briefly and picked up a copy of her beautiful book for our shelves.
Stolen Words is the story of a Grandfather and his Nôsisim. She wants him to teach

her his language, Cree. The problem is Grandpa's words were stolen a long time ago when he was sent away to a school where he was punished for using his words. The next day the little girl comes home with a worn paperback called Introduction to Cree to share with her Nimosôm. Now he can teach her his words.
Word of warning, you will probably want to give this one a good read through a few times before sharing it as it is a highly emotional story, but so perfect for our youngest learners. I would share it with children in Pre-K and up. Gabrielle Grimard's illustrations are haunting and beautiful and convey the darkness and light of the story. It's the perfect story to share today and every day to let our children know, at their comprehension level, about Canada's past so that we can move towards a better future for every child.

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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26

A young girl asks her grandfather what the word for grandfather is in Cree in this poignant picture-book examination of the cross-generational legacy of Canada's residential schools for First Nations people. He is forced to explain that he doesn't know - his words were stolen from him when he was

still a young boy, sent off to an abusive institution where he was punished for speaking his own language. Sad and concerned, the little girl takes steps to help him regain what was taken from him...

Winner of the Second Story Press Aboriginal Writing Contest, Stolen Words was inspired by author Melanie Florence's relationship with her own grandfather, who was Cree. Like Nicola Campbell's picture-books about the residential school experience, Shi-shi-Etko and Shin-chi's Canoe, it addresses some very un-gentle realities in a gentle way, making it a good introduction to this troubling aspect of Canadian (and American) history. The hopeful ending, in which the granddaughter helps her grandfather to begin to regain what he has lost, hints at the idea that the younger generation might be able to undo some of the cultural damage done by the residential schools. The artwork by Gabrielle Grimard is absolutely lovely, with a subtle and very appealing color palette, and expressive faces on both nôsisim (granddaughter) and nimosôm (grandfather). Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about the indigenous experience in Canada, and the residential school experience specifically.

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LibraryThing member vnfc

#1 This is a beautiful book. The topic is a sad one - loss of language and family - bit it's handled so well in the way that the story is told and explained. The children were moved by this story. It's also beautifully illustrated. A 4-5 year old can 'enjoy' and learn from this book - and learn

some Cree words.

#2 Grade 2-4 due to amount of words and spooky pictures and content. Beautiful book I'd highly recommend. KL

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LibraryThing member sloth852

I love the art in this one, and the way it talks about residential school programs that forbade indigenous people from speaking their native languages in an age-appropriate way.

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