Stolen Words

Publisher's description (Second Story Press, 2017): 
The story of the beautiful relationship between a little girl and her grandfather. When she asks her grandfather how to say something in his language - Cree - he admits that his language was stolen from him when he was a boy. The little girl then sets out to help her grandfather find his language again. This sensitive and warmly illustrated Picturebook explores the intergenerational impact of the residential school system that separated young 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 how healing can also be shared.

Author biography (https://www.melanieflorence.com/my-story): 
Melanie Florence is an award-winning writer of Cree and Scottish heritage based in Toronto. She was close to her grandfather as a child, a relationship that sparked her interest in writing about Indigenous themes and characters. She is the author of Missing Nimama, which won the 2016 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, the 2017 Forest of Reading Golden Oak Award and was a finalist for the 2017 First Nation Communities READ award. Her most recent picture book, Stolen Words, won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award, is shortlisted for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, and was given a starred review by Kirkus, who listed it as one of the best picture books of 2017 to give readers strength. Her other books include Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Residential Schools and the teen novels He Who Dreams, The Missing, Dreaming in Color. (From Illustrator's Website) Since 1987, Francois Thisdale has been working as a freelance illustrator for North American, Asian and European clients.His work blends traditional drawing and painting with digital imagery, using collage, acrylic, watercolor and computer.

Resource format: Picturebook

Age recommendation: Kindergarten to grade 6

Keywords: family, language, residential school, Plains Cree, Plains Cree Language, assimilation policy, language revitalization, Cree, granddaughter, grandfather, library, teacher, school, elementary school, dream catcher, braids, intergenerational trauma, punishment, emotions, tears, empathy, innocence, nimosom, Cree, nosisim, hope, pronunciation guide, Swampy Cree, Woodlands Cree

Year of publication: 2017

Publisher information: Second Story Press