A young girl struggles to survive residential school in this timeless graphic novel from the bestselling author of The Barren Grounds.
Description
Inspired by true events, this story of strength, family, and culture shares the awe-inspiring resilience of Elder Betty Ross.
Abandoned as a young child, Betsy is adopted into a loving family. A few short years later, at the age of 8, everything changes. Betsy is taken away to a residential school. There she is forced to endure abuse and indignity, but Betsy recalls the words her father spoke to her at Sugar Falls—words that give her the resilience, strength, and determination to survive.
Sugar Falls is based on the true story of Betty Ross, Elder from Cross Lake First Nation. We wish to acknowledge, with the utmost gratitude, Betty’s generosity in sharing her story. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Sugar Falls goes to support the bursary program for The Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation.
This 10th-anniversary edition brings David A. Robertson’s national bestseller to life in full colour, with a foreword by The Hon. Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and a touching afterword from Elder Betty Ross herself.
Reviews
Shortlisted for the SOLS First Nation Communities READ Award
Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS)
Among CBC Books' 21 Canadian comics to watch for in spring 2021
CBC Books
For those Canadians who know little about the residential school system, Sugar Falls is a crucial text in their education about a truly shameful episode in the history of Canada. Highly Recommended.
CM Association
A powerful graphic novel.
CBC
[Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story] was still able to shock me. The truths this novel is able to portray so clearly through the use of illustrations is amazing, and I would encourage anyone and everyone to read it.
Bella Crysler, Ottawa Public Library
Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story is a wonderfully illustrated. ..graphic novel that through images and words, portrays the emotions and experiences of Betty. Its impact on young readers, including university students, provides grounds for discussion and a visual connection to a human experience. It is a definite must-read that is both accessible and engaging, while offering a lesson about the past and engaging with the present.
Karl Hele, Anishinabek News