Top critical review
2.0 out of 5 starsAs long as the rivers flow
Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2013
The book is about a young aboriginal boy named Lawrence who lives with his parents and his siblings. Lawrence is a boy who likes to dream and finds great pleasure in his daily activities. Lawrence has a pet owl named Ooh-Hoo who he loves very much since he took care of it since it was an infant. Lawrence has to practice skills that will help him in the future such as berry picking, and patience for hunting. Lawrence goes on a camping trip with his family and grandparents but while he and his grandmother are walking in the woods they encounter the largest grizzly bear they have ever seen! Lawrence's grandmother kills the bear and him and his family celebrate. The next day Lawrence finds out that he is going to be taken to a residential school, away from his home and family. Lawrence and his sibling cry bitter tears and are later loaded onto a truck and taken to a school which is where the story ends.
I personally think that this book was a bit boring, the life of Lawrence is not a exciting one and I honestly found myself dissatisfied at certain points. The book focuses more on Lawrences daily routines in the wilderness and less of actual experiences of children in residential schools.The book does howeaver take a surprising sad turn when Lawrence has to go to the school, he is taken from his happy life and loving family and forced to go to this horrible school.
If you are looking for a book to read to children to teach them about the aboriginal children living in the bush as well as the process of children being taken to residential schools then I would recomend this howeaver that is all I can recomend it for, aside from those main points this book is lacking in self interest.
