I Lost My Talk (PB)

Synopsis:

I lost my talk
The talk you took away
When I was a little girl
At Shubenacadie school.

One of Rita Joe's most influential poems, "I Lost My Talk" tells the revered Mi'kmaw Elder's childhood story of losing her language while a resident of the residential school in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia. An often quoted piece in this era of truth and reconciliation, Joe's powerful words explore and celebrate the survival of Mi'kmaw culture and language despite its attempted eradication.

A companion book to the simultaneously published I'm Finding My Talk by Rebecca Thomas, I Lost My Talk is a necessary reminder of a dark chapter in Canada's history, a powerful reading experience, and an effective teaching tool for young readers of all cultures and backgrounds. Includes a biography of Rita Joe and striking colour illustrations by Mi'kmaw artist Pauline Young.

Reviews
"This picture book version of I Lost My Talk is best read with Rebecca Thomas’s I’m Finding My Talk. These haunting, evocative books bring an original approach to the exploration of Canadian residential schools in picture books. For readers and teachers who appreciate fact-based information, there is also “A Short History of Residential Schools” at the end of I Lost My Talk. Educators, librarians, and families will find their classrooms and book collections invaluably enriched by these books. They are real tools of truth and reconciliation; as such, they belong on every bookshelf in Canada and beyond." - CM Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 9.

This work features a short history of residential schools and information about the author.

Recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2020/2021 resource list for grades 1-7 for English Language Arts.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 10.00"