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Nathan
Ten-year-old Nathan has a number of demons to confront and overcome. One of them is the school bully who delights in tormenting Nathan wherever he comes upon him and that can happen in unexpected and unpredictable ways. Another challenge is that Nathan's Grampa is suffering from the early onset of Alzheimer's, and because Nathan is devoted to his grandfather, they both have to navigate this difficult new challenge in the family's life. Grampa moves in with Nathan, his mother and father, and together they try to figure out how things are going to work from here on in. Finally, Grampa introduces Nathan to a part of his heritage he knew nothing about until now: a First Nations link with a great-grandmother, now long gone, whose story of hope inspires Nathan to overcome his own worries.
- GenresCanada
152 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 25, 2017
On the school yard, Adam is the bully in Nathan's life. With his beloved grandfather, Alzheimer's is the culprit, slowly robbing the experience and knowledge Nathan has only recently begun to explore.
As he and his new friend, Max, explore their surroundings, the menace of Adam's bullying hangs over them. But when he sees Adam being smacked by his father, he can no longer see his nemesis as just a one-sided bully. His life is not suddenly easier, but it is moving toward maturity.
Grampa moves in with the family, bringing Nathan's First Nations heritage from out of sight to front and center. When he listens to his grandfather's stories, and those of an elder who talks with his class, he learns crucial lessons in confidence and self-awareness. But he has some hard challenges ahead before he can internalize those lessons and turn his schoolyard nightmare around.
Nathan is not a story about the impact of residential schools or institutional racism. It is, rather, a gentle story about growing into a greater understanding of just how complex life is and how to deal with that. The detail of the boys' explorations, Grampa's stories and special connection with Nathan, and the guidance of loving parents round out this special story. Be sure to read the interview in the back to learn more about Ouriou's motivation for writing a story that rings true.
As he and his new friend, Max, explore their surroundings, the menace of Adam's bullying hangs over them. But when he sees Adam being smacked by his father, he can no longer see his nemesis as just a one-sided bully. His life is not suddenly easier, but it is moving toward maturity.
Grampa moves in with the family, bringing Nathan's First Nations heritage from out of sight to front and center. When he listens to his grandfather's stories, and those of an elder who talks with his class, he learns crucial lessons in confidence and self-awareness. But he has some hard challenges ahead before he can internalize those lessons and turn his schoolyard nightmare around.
Nathan is not a story about the impact of residential schools or institutional racism. It is, rather, a gentle story about growing into a greater understanding of just how complex life is and how to deal with that. The detail of the boys' explorations, Grampa's stories and special connection with Nathan, and the guidance of loving parents round out this special story. Be sure to read the interview in the back to learn more about Ouriou's motivation for writing a story that rings true.
Displaying 1 of 1 review