When I Was Eight is the story of a little Inuit girl named Olemaun who wants to learn to read English so badly that her father relunctantly enrolls her into an Indian Residential School, where they change her name to Margaret. She is treated horribly by the nun and the other girls because she cannot read. She is stuck in a corner facing the wall, she is forced to scrub floors and pray for her soul and to wash laundry in scalding water. She is forced to wear red stockings, meant to provoke the other students to make fun of her, which they do. She is even locked in a cellar.
However nothing will deter Olemaun from her goal. She uses every opportunity to learn the English alphabet and to sound out the words around her. She carries a book she wants to learn how to read, Alice in Wonderland, that her sister used to read her, and determinedly figures out the words. She finds within herself a courage she once lacked and her true Inuit spirit shines through.
Based on the true story of Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, When I Was Eight is an adaptation of the bestselling memoir Fatty Legs. This children's version is a wonderful tale of strength, courage, determination, and perseverance in the face of strong adversity. Recommended for children 6 and up.
RATING:
Vocabulary Building Words: Inuit, hesitation, victorious, slumbering, ulu knife, pinafore, and more.
BOOK BRIEFS:
CD = Cultural Diversity
E/S = Emotional & Social Development
HIS = Historical/History
I = Insightful
INFO= Informative
T = Travel & Geography
V = Vocabulary Enhancement
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