A Stranger At Home

December 1, 2011

Gr 3-6-In this sequel to Fatty Legs (Annick, 2010), in which Margaret Pokiak described her first time away at a residential school, the girl now describes her assimilation back into her Native world. At 10 years old, she returned home to her remote Arctic village after being away for two years to be educated by priests and nuns. The thrill of reuniting with her beloved family was quickly muted by the realization that she had lost most of her native language and her taste for traditional food. She felt very much a stranger to those she loved most and was generally considered an outsider by everyone now because of her different clothes and her inability to speak Inuvialuktun. Barely recognizable to her siblings, unable to effectively communicate with her mother, her only bridge to this now unfamiliar world was her father, who also attended the residential schools and spoke English. While it may not have the same drama and tension of the first memoir, this tale provides a compelling and moving story of a girl searching for the strength to find her place in the world. The writing is unpretentious and accessible, and readers who enjoyed the first book will find this an interesting follow-up. Vivid paintings are a beautiful accompaniment to the storytelling. Photographs from Pokiak-Fenton's own collection add important points of reference for readers looking to visualize the characters and the unique setting of the Arctic Circle. A welcome addition to biography collections.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

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