Review by Booklist Review
Thousands of children were stolen from their Indigenous families and placed with non-Native adoptive parents during the Sixties Scoop. Na'kuset was one, and she shares her experience in this lyrical autobiographical picture book. From missing her sister to feeling as though she doesn't belong, Na'kuset struggles in her new home. But her adoptive grandmother, Bubbie, offers love, warmth, and safety for the young child. Na'kuset finds faith at her synagogue, builds friendships, and ultimately begins growing roots in her new home. Yet Na'kuset still misses her sister. When a neighbor calls her a "little Cree girl," she begins to remember who she is and yearns to search for her biological family. As an adult, she returns to Bubbie's loving arms and finds the reconnection she's been yearning for. The relationship between Na'kuset and her grandmother offers a healing balm, while Onedove's illustrations shine. Vibrant colors contrast with deep hues, suiting the tone of each spread while underscoring the emotional beat. A tender, beautifully told personal account of the Sixties Scoop.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--4--A true story of love and its power to heal. During the Sixties Scoop, the author was forcibly removed from her family by the Canadian government for Indigenous "resettlement." Only three years old, she was adopted by a Jewish family that included a loving grandmother, her bubie. The visuals by Cree illustrator Onedove capture the love between the author and her older Cree sister and the stark contrast to her new home and family. The pain of dislocation from her family and community is juxtaposed with her assimilation into the culture of her adoptive family and her bubie's love. As Na'kuset grew up, she knew she needed to reconnect to her lost Cree family. With her bubie's help, they find her birth family and Na'kuset (which means "the Sun" in Mi'kmaq) is given her spirit name by an elder, which captures her brightness and light. The illustrations imbue the author's journey of self-identification and recovered family with a sense of wisdom and radiance. While the story is firmly rooted in the author's experience of family trauma, the healing power of love and connection to one's true self is evident throughout. Children and families touched by adoption will especially relate to the universal pain and the potential for healing that comes from the loving bonds of found family as well as birth family. VERDICT Emotive illustrations and honest language capture the story of a young girl's journey. Highly recommended for all collections, this tale shines light on the enduring impact of colonization but also the transformative power of love and connection.--John Scott
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Cree child struggles with complex emotions stemming from her adoption in this debut picture book about co-author Na'kuset's life. Na'kuset recounts her forcible removal from her community during a period known as the Sixties Scoop, when the Canadian government enacted policies taking Indigenous children from their families and placing them in non-Native households. The authors rely on elegant figurative language that may require clarification from adults; for instance, when Na'kuset is kidnapped at age 3, "Flashlight people… / "[lift] us. Like feathers." "Plucked like tiny trees / from our roots," she and her sister are separated, and Na'kuset is sent to live with a white Jewish family. Though she grows to love her parents, they shut her down when she asserts her Cree identity. But Bubbie, her loving adoptive grandmother, gives her the strength to survive childhood and eventually reunite with her older sister. Her adoptive parents' erasure of her true name is a source of pain; an Elder later gives her the Spirit name Na'kuset, which meanssun in Mi'kmaq. Realistic artwork by Cree and Métis illustrator Onedove deftly conveys mood--Na'kuset's tranquil suburban home has an unnerving feeling, while natural settings have a healing quality. Though the pacing is choppy, the conclusion is uplifting; this is a gentle introduction to a historical injustice that still reverberates. A poignant and important history told with dignity and fortitude. (creators' notes)(Picture-book biography. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
