Description
Shin-chi's Canoe is Nicola Campbell's sequel to Shi-shi-etko, the story about a young girl's first year at residential school. In this second picture book, Shi-shi-etko returns for another school year and brings along her six-year-old brother. Shin-chi loves to fish and accompany his father in the canoe. But a new experience awaits and his sister helps him prepare for what will happen at school. Their mother explains to the children that she does not want to send them but there are laws compelling parents to send their children to boarding schools. A tearful good-bye is followed by a ride in the back of the cattle truck with other community children heading to school. The young boy takes in his environment and commits the land and all its gifts to his memory. School is harsh and all children must remember to use their English names. Food is meager and many times the children find carrots and apples to appease their hunger. Shin-chi (known as David) survives this lonely and hungry time by drawing comfort from a small carved canoe given to him by his father. It keeps the memory of the boy's simple request to his father for a canoe of his own that he and his older sister can paddle. The arrival of the salmon marks the time for happiness as the residential school children are returned to their loving families. When the cattle truck arrives in the community, family are there to welcome the children. As grandmother and mother return to their home with their precious children, Shin-chi's promise is fulfilled as he sees his father carving the children's first dugout canoe. The illustrator for this sequel is Kim LaFave and her artwork follows the style she established in Shi-shi-etko. The author has added an author's note at the book's beginning providing a brief history of residential and boarding schools in North America. Shin-chi's Canoe was a finalist for the 2008 Governor-General's Literary Award for children's book illustration. This book is selected as a recommended title in the 2009 First Nations Libraries Community Reads program. 2009 Winner of English language children's book in TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. Junior Spring 2012