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Mar 30, 2012Ubalstecha rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Margaret Pokiak-Fenton wanted to go to school, she wanted to learn to read. Her family is against it, warning her that the school will cut her hair, give her lots of heavy chores to do and not let her speak her language. Margaret doesn't care, focusing instead on her goal of reading. Once at school, Margaret discovers that the reality is far worse than she imagined. She doesn't even get to start lessons until months after her arrival, instead she is forced to do lots of disgusting, heavy chores. When lessons finally start, her teacher singles Margaret out for cruel treatment, mocking her and encouraging the other students to do the same. Margaret must learn to stand up for herself, learn to read and even survive as winter and sickness hit the school. Illustrated with a combination of Liz Amini-Holmes's drawings and Margaret's pictures, this is a fascinating, real life tale of a young girl's time in a residential school. This should be mandatory reading for everyone.