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As Long as the Rivers Flow
Winner of the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction
In the 1800s, the education of First Nations children was taken on by various churches, in government-sponsored residential schools. Children were forcibly taken from their families in order to erase their traditional languages and cultures.
As Long as the Rivers Flow is the story of Larry Loyie's last summer before entering residential school. It is a time of learning and adventure. He cares for an abandoned baby owl and watches his grandmother make winter moccasins. He helps the family prepare for a hunting and gathering trip.
In the 1800s, the education of First Nations children was taken on by various churches, in government-sponsored residential schools. Children were forcibly taken from their families in order to erase their traditional languages and cultures.
As Long as the Rivers Flow is the story of Larry Loyie's last summer before entering residential school. It is a time of learning and adventure. He cares for an abandoned baby owl and watches his grandmother make winter moccasins. He helps the family prepare for a hunting and gathering trip.
40 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2003
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March 22, 2024
Canadian Cree author Larry Loyie's 2002 picture book memoir As Long as the Rivers Flow (which he penned together with his partner Constance Brissenden and with accompanying artwork by Heather D. Holmlund) is set in 1944 when Larry (who was at that time know as Lawrence) is ten years old. Affectionately and with a sweet sense of textual nostalgia, of strongly loving family ties, of summer fun (but also at the same time hovering in the background impending loss and future pain), As Long as the Rivers Flow recreates and describes simply but powerfully, emotionally the last glorious and carefree summer Larry/Lawrence is allowed to spend with his Cree family before a Canadian government program forces him and his siblings to attend residential school, with the end of As Long as the Rivers Flow showing how the children are being sent off to boarding school packed into the back of a truck like cattle (and also pointing out within the text proper of As Long as the Rivers Flow that Larry Loyie's parents have absolutely no choice in the matter either, that if First Nations parents do not agree to send their children away to government and/or church run schools they will be sent to prison). And while As Long as the Rivers Flow does not actually textually feature Larry Loyie's residential school experiences, the epilogue briefly outlines (and with archival photographs) both Larry's experiences at boarding school and how these schools were generally and nastily conceptualised to forcibly assimilate students, to make them no longer First Nations and that the students, that the attending children were often very severely punished and abused by their teachers etc. for simply speaking their mother tongues.
An engaging, readable and true story about traditional Cree summer life and also of course specifically about Lawrence, about Larry Loyie and his family, As Long as the Rivers Flow is not as hard hitting and as brutally uncomfortable as some residential school accounts tend to be (since Loyie and Brissenden's presented narrative actually stops before the children arrive at their designated boarding school). However, the end of As Long as the Rivers Flow, with the crying children being wrenched from their families to be sent away and with the parents having no choice, no legal way of resisting the Canadian government taking away their children, it does hit home with a wrenching sense of loss and injustice being experienced, and with As Long as the Rivers Flow definitely being a very good and not too horrifying starting point for introducing the topic of residential schools to young readers/listeners (and the epilogue providing extra information if more details are desired, but indeed, that my one and only complaint regarding As Long as the Rivers Flow is that after the epilogue, Larry Loyie and Constance Brissenen should be definitely, should really be providing a list of thematic books for further study and reading).
And finally, regarding Heather D. Holmlund's vibrant watercolour illustrations for As Long as the Rivers Flow, Holmlund's pictures provide a really nice visual mirror to and for what Loyie and Brissenden are textually penning and with much realism and glowingly colourful authenticity, her featured artwork also delightfully and beautifully shows and describes mid 20th century Cree farming and family life (and also that the Cree, that Canada's First Nations are not and never have been some exotic and strange entities to be feared, to be forcibly assimilated and the like, but simply people, simply families with children, farming, fishing, hunting etc.).
An engaging, readable and true story about traditional Cree summer life and also of course specifically about Lawrence, about Larry Loyie and his family, As Long as the Rivers Flow is not as hard hitting and as brutally uncomfortable as some residential school accounts tend to be (since Loyie and Brissenden's presented narrative actually stops before the children arrive at their designated boarding school). However, the end of As Long as the Rivers Flow, with the crying children being wrenched from their families to be sent away and with the parents having no choice, no legal way of resisting the Canadian government taking away their children, it does hit home with a wrenching sense of loss and injustice being experienced, and with As Long as the Rivers Flow definitely being a very good and not too horrifying starting point for introducing the topic of residential schools to young readers/listeners (and the epilogue providing extra information if more details are desired, but indeed, that my one and only complaint regarding As Long as the Rivers Flow is that after the epilogue, Larry Loyie and Constance Brissenen should be definitely, should really be providing a list of thematic books for further study and reading).
And finally, regarding Heather D. Holmlund's vibrant watercolour illustrations for As Long as the Rivers Flow, Holmlund's pictures provide a really nice visual mirror to and for what Loyie and Brissenden are textually penning and with much realism and glowingly colourful authenticity, her featured artwork also delightfully and beautifully shows and describes mid 20th century Cree farming and family life (and also that the Cree, that Canada's First Nations are not and never have been some exotic and strange entities to be feared, to be forcibly assimilated and the like, but simply people, simply families with children, farming, fishing, hunting etc.).
January 24, 2015
This is just a stunning picture book both in terms of the story and illustrations as Larry Loyie documents the last summer he and his family spent at their summer camp before Larry and his siblings were taken to residential school
Jan/14 Each time I read this, I find new wonders in it - Loyie is such a nuanced and gentle chronicler of his childhood - and as always, when the soft green and brown watercolours are suddenly replaced by the stark black and white photos of Larry and his siblings at the Residential School they were forced to attend, a chill comes over me - while Larry survived, how many weren't so lucky!
Jan/15 - I find this such a powerful book as I have noted above - this year I paired it with Margaret Pokiak-Fenton and Christy Fenton-Jordan's picture book, When I Was Eight - there are such depths here in terms of how beautifully Loyie creates a portrait of his family and the way that Cree children learned the world - if one of the reasons children go to school is to learn the ways to negotiate the adult world, Larry Loyie received a far better education than most children in schools! Stunning as always
Jan/14 Each time I read this, I find new wonders in it - Loyie is such a nuanced and gentle chronicler of his childhood - and as always, when the soft green and brown watercolours are suddenly replaced by the stark black and white photos of Larry and his siblings at the Residential School they were forced to attend, a chill comes over me - while Larry survived, how many weren't so lucky!
Jan/15 - I find this such a powerful book as I have noted above - this year I paired it with Margaret Pokiak-Fenton and Christy Fenton-Jordan's picture book, When I Was Eight - there are such depths here in terms of how beautifully Loyie creates a portrait of his family and the way that Cree children learned the world - if one of the reasons children go to school is to learn the ways to negotiate the adult world, Larry Loyie received a far better education than most children in schools! Stunning as always
November 14, 2018
Short chapter book dealing with an indigenous boy's life leading up to the time he is taken away to residential school.
As the book ends with him being loaded into the truck and his family's helplessness to keep him, it is a harsh ending, though foreshadowing shouldn't make it feel too out of place. Photos and an epilogue tell a little bit more about author Larry Loyie and his life.
The book works primarily to create the sense of loss over what young Larry was losing. While he did make it back to his family in time, some things were never the same, a common legacy of the residential schools.
As the book ends with him being loaded into the truck and his family's helplessness to keep him, it is a harsh ending, though foreshadowing shouldn't make it feel too out of place. Photos and an epilogue tell a little bit more about author Larry Loyie and his life.
The book works primarily to create the sense of loss over what young Larry was losing. While he did make it back to his family in time, some things were never the same, a common legacy of the residential schools.
October 17, 2016
Worldview: Universally Acceptable
Age
Read Aloud - 8 yrs +
Independent Reader - 10 yrs +
Setting:
Location - Slave Lake, Alberta
Time Period - 1940s
Review:
This is a very simple, bittersweet picture book. The lovely nostalgic artwork brings to life the story of the author’s last summer before he and his siblings were taken to a residential school. He has done a wonderful job of conveying the aboriginal culture, while giving a strong feeling of long summer days full of adventure that any child can relate to.
The story ends with the heart breaking scene of the children being loaded into the back of a truck by strangers, who forcefully take them away from their home.
Rather than focusing on the experiences of the residential school itself, this book focuses on what was lost. The cultural genocide of the First Nations people is a great tragedy of this dark part of Canadian history. This is a beautiful and accessible way to introduce children to a shameful period in our past. It is also a wonderful way to begin discussions on the importance of culture and how cultural diversity is valued and needs to be protected in our country. We need to read books like this with our children to ensure these kinds of acts are never repeated.
An afterward shows photos of the author and his family at home and in the school system.
Teacher Application:
This book is a wonderful choice to open up discussions of the residential schools in Canada. It doesn’t get into the abuses some children suffered, but does introduce the wrongness of the situation. The author doesn’t need to “tell” how wrong this situation was as it is easy for a student to recognize this through Lawrence’s experiences.
Parental Warning:
This book is about the residential school system. It is not in any way inappropriate, but adult input and discussion will be needed to help children understand the implications of the story.
Age
Read Aloud - 8 yrs +
Independent Reader - 10 yrs +
Setting:
Location - Slave Lake, Alberta
Time Period - 1940s
Review:
This is a very simple, bittersweet picture book. The lovely nostalgic artwork brings to life the story of the author’s last summer before he and his siblings were taken to a residential school. He has done a wonderful job of conveying the aboriginal culture, while giving a strong feeling of long summer days full of adventure that any child can relate to.
The story ends with the heart breaking scene of the children being loaded into the back of a truck by strangers, who forcefully take them away from their home.
Rather than focusing on the experiences of the residential school itself, this book focuses on what was lost. The cultural genocide of the First Nations people is a great tragedy of this dark part of Canadian history. This is a beautiful and accessible way to introduce children to a shameful period in our past. It is also a wonderful way to begin discussions on the importance of culture and how cultural diversity is valued and needs to be protected in our country. We need to read books like this with our children to ensure these kinds of acts are never repeated.
An afterward shows photos of the author and his family at home and in the school system.
Teacher Application:
This book is a wonderful choice to open up discussions of the residential schools in Canada. It doesn’t get into the abuses some children suffered, but does introduce the wrongness of the situation. The author doesn’t need to “tell” how wrong this situation was as it is easy for a student to recognize this through Lawrence’s experiences.
Parental Warning:
This book is about the residential school system. It is not in any way inappropriate, but adult input and discussion will be needed to help children understand the implications of the story.
October 7, 2011
Debbie Reese’s Blog Recommended for Middle School
This book is about the last summer of a family before they had to give up their children to send them to a residential school. The parents had no choice and could be jailed for failing to send their children. This practice happened in both Canada and the US from around the 1880’s for about one hundred years.
Lawrence, his sister, and brother spend a great summer with his family. First, they rescue an abandoned owl and learn to take care of it. He watches family members sew moccasins and smoke hides for clothing. He goes with the adults in his family to the bush where they hunt and gather berries and plants. He even is there when his grandmother kills a grizzly bear with one shot.
This is a good book for showing the importance of family to Native American families. The story is based on the life of the author, who was 10 years old when taken to the school.
The illustrations are very expressive and help to tell the story. They are beautiful watercolors.
This book is recommended for middle school students, or grades 5-8 to understand the customs and feel empathy for Lawrence and his siblings who are all younger.
This book is about the last summer of a family before they had to give up their children to send them to a residential school. The parents had no choice and could be jailed for failing to send their children. This practice happened in both Canada and the US from around the 1880’s for about one hundred years.
Lawrence, his sister, and brother spend a great summer with his family. First, they rescue an abandoned owl and learn to take care of it. He watches family members sew moccasins and smoke hides for clothing. He goes with the adults in his family to the bush where they hunt and gather berries and plants. He even is there when his grandmother kills a grizzly bear with one shot.
This is a good book for showing the importance of family to Native American families. The story is based on the life of the author, who was 10 years old when taken to the school.
The illustrations are very expressive and help to tell the story. They are beautiful watercolors.
This book is recommended for middle school students, or grades 5-8 to understand the customs and feel empathy for Lawrence and his siblings who are all younger.
November 15, 2023
Beautiful, interesting, and then devastating. As Long As The Rivers Flow is a short children’s chapter book in which the author describes the last traditional summer of his life before being forced to attend residential school for First Nations children in Alberta, CA. During that summer, Larry cares for an orphaned baby owl, helps his grandparents and parents, travels to their summer foraging camp, encounters wildlife, swims with his cousins, and picks berries. He speaks his Native language and fully engages in all their cultural practices, and then abruptly, he and his siblings are snatched away. It’s bewildering to the children and devastating to their parents.
I read this book simultaneously with The Marrow Thieves and Braiding Sweetgrass. Together they all expressed the haunting echo of residential school trauma, and also the healing power of being in relationship with others and the earth. It’s been a very sad, but valuable and illuminating reading experience.
I read this book simultaneously with The Marrow Thieves and Braiding Sweetgrass. Together they all expressed the haunting echo of residential school trauma, and also the healing power of being in relationship with others and the earth. It’s been a very sad, but valuable and illuminating reading experience.
November 8, 2012
Name: East Three 10
Title: My Review
The title offers an important perspective about the situation. I really liked this book because it displays beautiful illustrations, it's also a overwhelming book. I can understand at an emotional view of what it would be like to leave home for Residential school. Larry Loyie shares a personal but great story of his last summer before he and his siblings were taken away from their family. Most of the story focuses on what was otherwise a normal seasonal routine for the Cree people of that era, also with the family moving from their cabin to their summer camp for a few days. Apart from the separation, this spring to summer event was interesting by the opportunity for the children to care for an orphaned baby owl, and come across with one of the biggest grizzly bears ever shot in North America. All of the day-to-day detail, close family bonding, and unexpected adventure draws me as a reader comfortably into the 10-year-old Lawrence’s experience. The final pages are all the more of a sad feeling for me as I picture myself being one of the children. When the children learn that they must go to school or their parents will be put in jail, and they are physically put into the back of a truck by two strange men, my feeling of separation and loss is keenly felt. The age group I'd recommend this book to is all ages because it can easily be understood and read to.
Title: My Review
The title offers an important perspective about the situation. I really liked this book because it displays beautiful illustrations, it's also a overwhelming book. I can understand at an emotional view of what it would be like to leave home for Residential school. Larry Loyie shares a personal but great story of his last summer before he and his siblings were taken away from their family. Most of the story focuses on what was otherwise a normal seasonal routine for the Cree people of that era, also with the family moving from their cabin to their summer camp for a few days. Apart from the separation, this spring to summer event was interesting by the opportunity for the children to care for an orphaned baby owl, and come across with one of the biggest grizzly bears ever shot in North America. All of the day-to-day detail, close family bonding, and unexpected adventure draws me as a reader comfortably into the 10-year-old Lawrence’s experience. The final pages are all the more of a sad feeling for me as I picture myself being one of the children. When the children learn that they must go to school or their parents will be put in jail, and they are physically put into the back of a truck by two strange men, my feeling of separation and loss is keenly felt. The age group I'd recommend this book to is all ages because it can easily be understood and read to.
August 9, 2016
The illustrations and narrative really bring the story to life. It's more than just a story, though, because interwoven are the traditions that Lawrence learned as a boy, such as flipping the berries over so they would dry faster, and thanking the grizzly for giving up its spirit. I think this would be another great addition to a classroom collection. This is Lawrence just appreciating life as it should be. The ending detailing the residential school experience is a fairly generic description, I'm guessing because Loyie didn't want it to overshadow the book's true intention, to show what he lost by being forced to attend school.
As a side note, it also reminded me of Owls in the Family, a story by Farley Mowat where he rescues some baby owls and takes care of them. I feel like Ooh-Hoo would probably have been around the family as long as he lived. I feel kind of silly in wanting to know what happened to Ooh-Hoo!
As a side note, it also reminded me of Owls in the Family, a story by Farley Mowat where he rescues some baby owls and takes care of them. I feel like Ooh-Hoo would probably have been around the family as long as he lived. I feel kind of silly in wanting to know what happened to Ooh-Hoo!
December 6, 2016
This book is in a recommended reading list for Aboriginal Resources for young people. I decided that I would read all the books in the list -- for my own interest and simply to take a look at the reading information available to young readers.
"As Long as the Rivers Flow" is an account of the author's last summer before he and his siblings were taken away to residential school. It was 1944 and Larry Loyie is ten, on the brink of learning from his extended family how to survive and live off the land. Loyie's account of his last summer before residential school is an excellent resource to learn about the life of aboriginal children and their culture.
The book contains an epilogue with an account of Larry Loyie's life and accomplishments, overcoming his feelings of not belonging to become a writer. The epilogue contains pictures that really help the reader see these children as victims of an ill-conceived plan.
Good resource for children.
"As Long as the Rivers Flow" is an account of the author's last summer before he and his siblings were taken away to residential school. It was 1944 and Larry Loyie is ten, on the brink of learning from his extended family how to survive and live off the land. Loyie's account of his last summer before residential school is an excellent resource to learn about the life of aboriginal children and their culture.
The book contains an epilogue with an account of Larry Loyie's life and accomplishments, overcoming his feelings of not belonging to become a writer. The epilogue contains pictures that really help the reader see these children as victims of an ill-conceived plan.
Good resource for children.
September 26, 2018
A powerful story with wonderful illustrations about a family and their children at their summer camp before going away to Indian Residential School. As an Anishnaabe I would recommend this book to all readers as an act of reconciliation. Hear the stories. Build connection in the poignant retelling of this brutal time in Canada’s history.
November 3, 2011
This was a beautiful story about a First Nations boy before he was sent to a government residential school. He writes about his last summer at home. He had a pet owl and observed his grandmother shoot a grizzly with a twenty-two. A lovely book.
August 4, 2016
A vivid picture book/story of a young man's last summer before being taken to a residential school. An excellent resource for classrooms in teaching Treaty Education and supporting Truth and Reconciliation lessons.
October 2, 2023
An excellent illustration of the closeness and culture that children were torn from when required to attend residential schools.
September 1, 2021
This story is a much different approach to showing us the impact of residential schools. It shares about the simple beauty, the fullness of life, experienced with a sense of family and community just prior to the impact of residential schooling for the children in this retelling.
It is useful in teaching students about indigenous ways of life. They can get a better understanding for the extent of what was lost when the children were taken from their families and what remained lost even after they returned. The illustrations are beautifully drawn, with a lovely sense of nostalgia. They invite discussion and offer students opportunities to increase understanding and empathy. I appreciate the photos and notes provided in the back of the book, bringing real life faces to the events for these people from the Slave Lake, Alberta area.
Chapter 4 mentions how we work together to “care for this land of ours” - a good prompt for further discussion and learning. After some patient and brave actions, the boy in the story is given the name meaning ‘ young man’. This could also lead into discussions around the significance of naming and ceremony. The reference to the elder”s story about learning from traveling in all four directions is another useful prompt to encourage learning from those around us.
It is useful in teaching students about indigenous ways of life. They can get a better understanding for the extent of what was lost when the children were taken from their families and what remained lost even after they returned. The illustrations are beautifully drawn, with a lovely sense of nostalgia. They invite discussion and offer students opportunities to increase understanding and empathy. I appreciate the photos and notes provided in the back of the book, bringing real life faces to the events for these people from the Slave Lake, Alberta area.
Chapter 4 mentions how we work together to “care for this land of ours” - a good prompt for further discussion and learning. After some patient and brave actions, the boy in the story is given the name meaning ‘ young man’. This could also lead into discussions around the significance of naming and ceremony. The reference to the elder”s story about learning from traveling in all four directions is another useful prompt to encourage learning from those around us.
December 9, 2022
This illustrated short story tells of the author's life before he was taken from his home and community to attend residential school. In his last summer of freedom we see a boy learning to become a man within an extended loving family. There is no doubt that he belongs here.
Heather D. Holmlund's artwork is absolutely stunning. https://www.hdholmlund.com/new-page-1
An epilogue in the back matter talks more about Lawrence's and other children's experiences in these so called schools. Many could not read or write when the left. This section also includes photographs of the authors family and his time at the institution.
Heather D. Holmlund's artwork is absolutely stunning. https://www.hdholmlund.com/new-page-1
An epilogue in the back matter talks more about Lawrence's and other children's experiences in these so called schools. Many could not read or write when the left. This section also includes photographs of the authors family and his time at the institution.
December 8, 2024
As Long as the Rivers Flow by Larry Loyie is a moving story about a young Indigenous boy named Albert and his time at a residential school in Canada. The book shows how Albert is taken away from his family and forced into a place that tries to erase his culture. Through his eyes, we see how tough it was for him and others to keep their identity. It’s a simple story, but it helps you understand a part of history that’s often forgotten. The book makes you think about how important it is to respect and remember different cultures.
February 18, 2021
This sad and beautiful picture book tells a fictionalized story about the days before the author and his siblings were taken away to residential schools for Native American children. It feels like the author is using the story to try to recapture a time of freedom, innocence, family, and community that he lost when he was taken away. My 11yo said he liked it but that the ending was abrupt.
November 8, 2021
This book shows the importance of family, land, storytelling and gratitude to Indigenous families and how much of their lives were damaged when the children were taken to residential schools. This book is based on a true story and you get to see pictures of Lawrence at the end which grows the connection.
November 17, 2023
For what this is age group wise I think it’s the perfect jumping off point in educating kids on the history of the residential schools. What it was like and what/who they took kids from. It doesn’t get into the gruesomeness but it does touch on the disconnection that happened.
June 7, 2019
Beautiful book about the last summer before being taken away to a residential school. Moving, sad. Picture book format, but also chapters/high text.
August 16, 2020
A beautiful and sad book about a native Canadian child learning from his elders and nature at age 10 until he's taken away to an Indian Residential School in Alberta.
October 4, 2021
Heartbreaking memoir of Cree Indian family in 1944.
August 9, 2024
Gorgeous illustrations! An appropriate introduction to Indian boarding schools for middle grade readers, focusing on rich native traditions and then sudden loss.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews