Liz Amini-Holmes – illustratör

Traveling to be reunited with her family in the arctic, 10-year-old Margaret Pokiak can hardly contain her excitement. It's been two years since her parents delivered her to the school run by the dark-cloaked nuns and brothers. Coming ashore, Margaret spots her family, but her mother barely recognizes her, screaming, "Not my girl." Margaret realizes she is now marked as an outsider. And Margaret is an outsider: she has forgotten the language and stories of her people, and she can't even stomach the food her mother prepares. However, Margaret gradually relearns her language and her family's way of living. Along the way, she discovers how important it is to remain true to the ways of her people--and to herself. Highlighted by archival photos and striking artwork, this first-person account of a young girl's struggle to find her place will inspire young readers to ask what it means to belong.

The beloved story of an Inuvialuit girl standing up to the bullies of residential school, now available as an audiobook for a new generation of readers. Margaret Olemaun Pokiak-Fenton's powerful story of residential school in the far North has been reissued to commemorate the memoir's 10th anniversary with updates to the text, reflections on the book's impact, and a bonus chapter from the acclaimed follow-up, A Stranger at Home. New content includes a foreword from Dr. Debbie Reese, noted Indigenous scholar and founder of American Indians in Children's Literature, while Christy Jordan-Fenton, mother of Margaret's grandchildren and a key player in helping Margaret share her stories, discusses the impact of the book in a new preface. With important updates since it first hit the shelves a decade ago, this audiobook edition of Fatty Legs will continue to resonate with readers young and old. New and updated content includes a note on the right to silence. This piece asks readers to be mindful that not all survivors of residential school will wish to talk about their experiences, and that their silence should be respected. Audiobook features original song 'Say Your Name' by acclaimed artist Keith Secola, a song inspired by Olemaun's story. See the video at https://youtu.be/eReBSbN-4lE, a table of contents to ensure all the added materials are easy to find. A foreword by noted Indigenous scholar Debbie Reese (Nambe Pueblo), founder of American Indians in Children's Literature. The foreword discusses the biased portrayal of Indigenous people in children's literature throughout history and the exclusion of Indigenous people from the ability to tell their own stories. A preface by Christy Jordan-Fenton sharing the way she first heard Margaret-Olemaun's story of going away to residential school. It also covers the impact of the book and how much has changed in the past ten years. A note on language. This piece reviews the universal changes in language that have been made to the book since the original edition and also establishes the language choices made in the new material. A note on the writing process. This piece by Christy explores how she works with Margaret-Olemaun to get Olemaun's stories down on paper. A revised and updated afterword by Christy Jordan-Fenton.