Wenjack

This small but powerful novella tells the story of one of the most important, yet heartbreaking, periods in Canadian history. The residential school system is a stain in our Canadian past that we can only make right by educating.

Wenjack is a beautiful retelling of the tragic story of Chanie Wenjack, a twelve year old Ojibwe boy who was torn from his family and forced to attend a residential school. I loved the switches in perspective between Chanie and the forest spirits. The illustrations at the beginning of every chapter were also wonderful. These aspects in the novella added to the spiritual realism of the story as well.

As a country, we pride ourselves on our inclusivity, but this book reminds us of our dark past. A must read for all Canadians.

I raised my eyebrows at the size and length, but the size and length were part of what made it perfect.