A Heartbreaking Novel About the Impacts of Residential Schools on Five Indigenous Children

If you are participating in Nanowrimo or think you might like to one day, take a look at my blog post on My Top Ten Tips for Writing a Novel in a Month.

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Five Little Indians is a heart-breaking novel by Cree writer Michelle Good, which explores how residential schools have affected lives in Canada. The book follows the lives of five indigenous children taken from their families and the physical and emotional impact of their experiences. It’s horrible to imagine that this could happen in Canada, but of course, it did, to hundreds of children. This book brought me to tears more than once. I recommend it to anyone interested in understanding how residential schools affected Canadian and Indigenous culture and society.

“It should have been me.” Kenny choked out the words, struggling not to cry.

Wilfred moved closer to his friend. “It should have been no one.”

— Michelle Good, Five Little Indians

Taken from their families when they are very small and sent to a remote, church-run residential school, Kenny, Lucy, Clara, Howie and Maisie are barely out of…