Shin-chi's Canoe

Campbell, N. (2012). Shin-chi's Canoe. N.p.: GroundWood Books.

Shin-chi's canoe is a story about a Native American family whose children are forced to be sent to residential school's. The European's there treat the Native American children as uncivil and cut their braids and put kerosene in their hair for punishment [fire danger anyone?]. The children are forced to sit apart by gender from each other are forced to go to mass and pray. In the end, the children get to go back home via cattle truck.

This story is a very sad reality of the beginning's of the European's settlement here in North America. The story portrays the character's very realistically. The story is pretty void of stereotypes as the character's are represented for what they are. The overall story is high quality literature. There are many educational topics you can discuss regarding the situations in this book, such as Native American home lives, beginning's of America, different character points of view (Europeans/Native American's).

I would be careful when recommending this book, to small children it may be hard for them to grapple with why the children were treated so poorly. The actually reading lexile is most likely lower, however I think this book definitely needs to be appropriately discussed with an adult guide.
The story definitely helps student's have empathy for one another.

lexile: AD810L

Literary Elements:

Tone: Sad, Hopeful
Character: Weak, Susceptible to others, Letting out Frustration in positive manners, sad
Setting: America, when European's first came and tried to "humanize" Native American's.