Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation

Speaking Our Truth explores Canada's history with Indigenous peoples and residential schools through stories, interviews, and historical accounts. The book walks through the painful legacy of colonialism while highlighting paths toward reconciliation. Author Monique Gray Smith presents information about Indigenous cultures, treaties, and the residential school system in clear language for young readers. She includes first-person accounts from residential school survivors and their families across multiple generations. The narrative incorporates photographs, sidebars, terminology guides, and discussion questions to support understanding of complex topics. Indigenous youth perspectives feature prominently throughout the text. This work serves as both an educational resource and a call to action, emphasizing how reconciliation requires awareness, acknowledgment, and meaningful steps forward from all Canadians. The book's message centers on truth-telling as essential groundwork for healing and positive change.

Readers describe this book as accessible and age-appropriate for teaching children about residential schools and reconciliation in Canada. Teachers and librarians recommend it for grades 4-8. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of complex topics - Inclusion of Indigenous youth voices and perspectives - Photos and visual elements that engage young readers - Discussion questions and activities for classroom use Common criticisms: - Some found the tone oversimplified for older readers - A few noted it could include more historical detail - Cost is high for a paperback ($24.95 CAD) Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (276 ratings) Amazon.ca: 4.7/5 (79 ratings) Amazon.com: 4.8/5 (31 ratings) One teacher reviewer noted: "My students connected with the youth voices and personal stories more than any other resource we've used." A parent wrote: "Helped me have difficult but necessary conversations with my children about reconciliation."

I Am Not a Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis, Kathy Kacer A residential school survivor shares her firsthand account of being taken from her family and her fight to maintain her identity.

We Were Children by ::David Alexander Robertson::: Two Indigenous children's experiences in residential schools unfold through illustrations and narrative based on survivor testimonies.

Fatty Legs by Christy Jordan-Fenton The true story chronicles an Inuit girl's determination to learn to read despite mistreatment at a residential school in the Arctic.

Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese Through the lens of hockey, a residential school survivor's journey reveals the impact of cultural persecution and the path to healing.

They Called Me Number One by Bev Sellars Three generations of women from one family share their experiences at St. Joseph's Mission residential school in British Columbia.

🔸 Author Monique Gray Smith is of Cree, Lakota, and Scottish ancestry and wrote this book to help young readers understand the history and ongoing impact of residential schools in Canada. 🔸 The book features personal stories from residential school Survivors, including the author's own family members, bringing history to life through firsthand accounts. 🔸 "Speaking Our Truth" won the 2018 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award and has been incorporated into school curricula across Canada. 🔸 The term "reconciliation" in the title reflects Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission's work (2008-2015), which gathered testimony from over 6,000 residential school Survivors. 🔸 The book includes a glossary of Indigenous terms, discussion questions, and suggested activities to help young readers engage with this challenging topic in age-appropriate ways.