A picture book adaptation of the memoir Fatty Legs - the true story of an Inuit girl's experiences at one of the infamous Indian residential schools. I am not one who thinks all children's books need to be sweetness and light and I particularly want to expose my daughters to the realities of history in an age appropriate way. This book is a good way to start because it is very 'young reader' friendly.
It is interesting because Margaret, unlike many of the other students, *wants* to go to school. She desperately wants to learn how to read and this desire helps her get through any number of abuses and indignities as she works to achieve her goal.
The one thing I can't help but wonder about is how the nuns are portrayed as truly unrelenting in their cruelty towards the children. It really beggars belief that no single adult at this school had any kindness in their hearts for the young children under their care. But perhaps it really was so or maybe it was simplified for the sake of story telling.
All in all, still a really good book for its portrayal of this specific historical topic. And, in fact, my daughter was really enthralled by this book and requested it read aloud multiple times. She was completely aghast when I told her it was a true story.
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