REVIEWS
THE TRUTH ABOUT WIND By Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert, illustrated by Dušan Petricˇic´ Annick Press, 2020 32 pages, $21.95 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Reviewed by Katie VanArk
The Truth About Wind is a powerful picture book for launching conversations about hon- esty. When Jesse sees the shiny wooden horse behind his backyard fence, he easily lets the people who accidentally left it flicker from his mind. Jesse pulls the horse through the fence by its string and names it Wind, the fastest horse in the world. Wind inspires fantastic make-believe adventures, but Jesse lies to his mother about Wind being a gift from grand- ma. Grandma calls, and Jesse changes the story to say Wind was from his other grandma. As the truth about Wind presents itself more and more in Jesse’s life, via lost horse posters and sightings of Wind’s actual owner, the illus- trations metaphorically show the emotional tangle Jesse has created for himself. Wind’s pull string grows longer and twists around Jesse. Even after Jesse admits the truth to himself, he faces the tangle of how to explain it. His mother senses something is off, but is quietly supportive while allowing Jesse to solve his di- lemma himself. When Jesse ultimately finds an opportunity to return the horse, he finds relief and shared joy in the owner’s happiness at the horse’s return.
For Kindergarten students, this book is a
valuable resource for learning about belonging and contributing, as well as developing early literacy skills in communicating feelings. Jesse’s thoughts and actions are highly relatable, and children will be bursting to share their own thoughts. Additionally, Jesse’s imaginative ad- ventures with Wind are sure to inspire dramatic play. For grades 1 and 2, this is a strong selec- tion for making inferences due to the depth of details added by the illustrations, which subtly show the cracks in Jesse’s story. For example, when “Jesse coaxed the horse with clover and dandelions to the safety of his backyard,” the horse wears a worried expression. These details also allow for rich point of view considerations. How would the story change if it were told by Wind or by the girl who lost him? This title also connects to Grade 1 social studies lessons about the impact that people can have on one another. Katie VanArk is an associate member of ETFO.
Residential Schools
is a must-have book for
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS, WITH THE WORDS AND IMAGES OF SURVIVORS Larry Loyie with Wayne K. Spear and Con- stance Brissenden Indigenous Education Press, 2016 103 pages, $29.95 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Reviewed by Julie Richer
Ontario schools and libraries. Award-winning author, Larry Loyie, provides an outstanding resource for sharing the truth of the residential school system. Writing from his personal expe- rience attending St. Bernard Mission residential school in Alberta from the age of nine to 14, Loyie provides an important lens for the telling of these stories. The well-sequenced history of residential schools is shared through the lived experiences and stories of more than 70 former students from schools across the country. Loyie includes stories of First Nations, Métis and Inuit survivors and more than 125 images, including rare archival images. Students will appreciate the many photos and short biographical stories. Loyie shares the truth of residential schools
and this does include stories of abuse and death. These are told with a caring approach that is ap- propriate for a middle-school reader. Loyie and his team have written a much needed resource that supports the curriculum and teacher’s re- sponsibilities set out in the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. We have a responsibility to teach the true history. Residential schools were used to
erase culture and languages and assimilate the children who attended. Despite the odds, many survived and now inspire. The resistance and resilience of former students shines through in the stories! Especially those trying to help each other maintain their languages or escape the schools. The strength of Indigenous Peoples to work to bring back ceremonies and cultural practices is also evident in the book. Elder Bill Walkem (Nlaka’pamux) is just one example. Walkem is an 84-year-old residential school sur- vivor who brought back an important tradition to his community after it had been banned. Af- ter 100 years people once again sang and circled together around the Nkw’i7tsu’tn (pronounced kwai-chutin) tree in central British Columbia. This book tells hard truths but it also leaves the reader with hope for the future. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the former students for sharing their stories.
Julie Richer is a member of Upper Grand Teacher Local.
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 45
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