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Fatty Legs
The moving memoir of an Inuit girl who emerges from a residential school with her spirit intact.
Eight-year-old Margaret Pokiak has set her sights on learning to read, even though it means leaving her village in the high Arctic. Faced with unceasing pressure, her father finally agrees to let her make the five-day journey to attend school, but he warns Margaret of the terrors of residential schools.
At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. She immediately dislikes the strong-willed young Margaret. Intending to humiliate her, the heartless Raven gives gray stockings to all the girls -- all except Margaret, who gets red ones. In an instant Margaret is the laughingstock of the entire school.
In the face of such cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated and bravely gets rid of the stockings. Although a sympathetic nun stands up for Margaret, in the end it is this brave young girl who gives the Raven a lesson in the power of human dignity.
Complemented by archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton's collection and striking artwork from Liz Amini-Holmes, this inspiring first-person account of a plucky girl's determination to confront her tormentor will linger with young readers.
Eight-year-old Margaret Pokiak has set her sights on learning to read, even though it means leaving her village in the high Arctic. Faced with unceasing pressure, her father finally agrees to let her make the five-day journey to attend school, but he warns Margaret of the terrors of residential schools.
At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. She immediately dislikes the strong-willed young Margaret. Intending to humiliate her, the heartless Raven gives gray stockings to all the girls -- all except Margaret, who gets red ones. In an instant Margaret is the laughingstock of the entire school.
In the face of such cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated and bravely gets rid of the stockings. Although a sympathetic nun stands up for Margaret, in the end it is this brave young girl who gives the Raven a lesson in the power of human dignity.
Complemented by archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton's collection and striking artwork from Liz Amini-Holmes, this inspiring first-person account of a plucky girl's determination to confront her tormentor will linger with young readers.
156 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
171 people are currently reading
3643 people want to read
About the author
Christy Jordan-Fenton
7 books46 followersChristy Jordan-Fenton was born on a farm in rural Alberta. Her only dreams were to be a cowgirl, to dance with Gene Kelly and to write stories. As a youngster, she barrel-raced, rode on cattle drives, witnessed dozens of brandings, and often woke up on early spring mornings to find lambs, calves, and foals taking refuge in the bathroom.
Her parents divorced when she was seven, and she moved to town. She remembers the strange noise of the traffic at night and would describe the experience like moving to a foreign country. Luckily, she was blessed with a stepfather who loved the outdoors and often took her and her brother on day-long bike rides, and fishing and camping trips. From a young age, she was very aware of how his experiences as a Native affected both his life and the lives of her step-siblings. She has been passionate about Native rights ever since.
Christy attended a rural high school in Ontario with a population of 500 students collected from six different communities. She preferred a dance studio to the classroom and composed volumes of poetry during math classes. She also managed to read nearly every book by Mordecai Richler before graduating. Most of these were read by stealth during lectures.
Having had her head filled with too many lost generation romantic notions, she joined the infantry reserve and spent the next few years traveling from base to base. She was then accepted to Norwich University (VT) in the Corps of Cadets to study Peace, War and Diplomacy. While there, she was part of the Mountain Cold Weather Special Operations Company, played rugby, and often rode crazy carpets down the school’s ski hill.
She was awarded a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship and used it to study at the University of Queensland in Australia. She then returned to the United States where she worked developing a leadership challenge program for disadvantaged youth, and taught wilderness survival; however, unable to shake the travel bug, she left to spend a year in South Africa. Her fondest memories are of reading stories to street children at night.
Western Canada called her home and she traveled across the prairies working in the oil patch and riding bucking horses, before meeting her husband and settling down. They now live on a farm outside of Fort St. John, B.C., and have three small children, a handful of chickens, two rabbits, three dogs, a llama, and enough horses to outfit a small town.
A desire to raise her children with a healthy sense of self-esteem brought her back to her passion for Native issues. She is eternally grateful to her Inuvialuit mother-in-law for sharing her residential school experiences and was thrilled when the opportunity came for her to write about them in Fatty Legs (Fall 2010).
For Christy, dreams do come true. She is a student of natural horsemanship, is a performing cowgirl poet, and her work has appeared in Jones Ave., a quarterly devoted to poetry and reviews. She is currently working on several children’s stories, a novel for adults, and a short story collection. She has yet to dance with Gene Kelly.
Her parents divorced when she was seven, and she moved to town. She remembers the strange noise of the traffic at night and would describe the experience like moving to a foreign country. Luckily, she was blessed with a stepfather who loved the outdoors and often took her and her brother on day-long bike rides, and fishing and camping trips. From a young age, she was very aware of how his experiences as a Native affected both his life and the lives of her step-siblings. She has been passionate about Native rights ever since.
Christy attended a rural high school in Ontario with a population of 500 students collected from six different communities. She preferred a dance studio to the classroom and composed volumes of poetry during math classes. She also managed to read nearly every book by Mordecai Richler before graduating. Most of these were read by stealth during lectures.
Having had her head filled with too many lost generation romantic notions, she joined the infantry reserve and spent the next few years traveling from base to base. She was then accepted to Norwich University (VT) in the Corps of Cadets to study Peace, War and Diplomacy. While there, she was part of the Mountain Cold Weather Special Operations Company, played rugby, and often rode crazy carpets down the school’s ski hill.
She was awarded a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship and used it to study at the University of Queensland in Australia. She then returned to the United States where she worked developing a leadership challenge program for disadvantaged youth, and taught wilderness survival; however, unable to shake the travel bug, she left to spend a year in South Africa. Her fondest memories are of reading stories to street children at night.
Western Canada called her home and she traveled across the prairies working in the oil patch and riding bucking horses, before meeting her husband and settling down. They now live on a farm outside of Fort St. John, B.C., and have three small children, a handful of chickens, two rabbits, three dogs, a llama, and enough horses to outfit a small town.
A desire to raise her children with a healthy sense of self-esteem brought her back to her passion for Native issues. She is eternally grateful to her Inuvialuit mother-in-law for sharing her residential school experiences and was thrilled when the opportunity came for her to write about them in Fatty Legs (Fall 2010).
For Christy, dreams do come true. She is a student of natural horsemanship, is a performing cowgirl poet, and her work has appeared in Jones Ave., a quarterly devoted to poetry and reviews. She is currently working on several children’s stories, a novel for adults, and a short story collection. She has yet to dance with Gene Kelly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
May 27, 2024
A gentle, youth-appropriate introduction to Indigenous residential schools with subtleties that could open the door to further discussions and learning.
I did enjoy this first-hand experience but I can also see the unfavorable points and criticisms touched on in other reviews. This is one girl's memories and lived experiences, and as such offers a limited, but worthwhile, view into this subsociety as a part of Indigenous heritage.
I would recommend this to younger readers, while more advanced readers should supplement with other materials to gain a more complete depiction of the realities of residential schools.
I did enjoy this first-hand experience but I can also see the unfavorable points and criticisms touched on in other reviews. This is one girl's memories and lived experiences, and as such offers a limited, but worthwhile, view into this subsociety as a part of Indigenous heritage.
I would recommend this to younger readers, while more advanced readers should supplement with other materials to gain a more complete depiction of the realities of residential schools.
October 13, 2010
This is the story of an Inuit girl and her experiences in a residential school. Margaret Pokiak decides at age 8 that she must learn to read. And the only way that she will be able to learn to read is to attend the residential school that is many miles away from her home village in the arctic. Her father and older sister, who have both attended the school, try to convince her to stay at home and learn the native way instead, but she insists. At the school, she encounters the Raven, a nun who immediately takes a dislike to Margaret and her strong will and courage. She begins to intimidate Margaret, putting her in red stockings unlike the rest of the girls and meting out harsher punishments to her. But through it all, Margaret remains strong. A sympathetic nun sticks up for her and eventually Margaret finds her way back to her family.
The book softens the story to a level that children will be able to handle, focusing more on the emotional and mental hardship than physical abuse. The humiliation of Margaret by the Raven will resonate with children as will the harsh conditions and poor food. Married to these in the book is the loss of culture and language, which is as horrible as the treatment.
Margaret is an amazing girl with her self-possession, her courage and her faithfulness to herself and her culture. She is brave beyond belief as she enters a foreign culture and comes away having shown them what being human is all about. The book is simply written, allowing the story to carry through. The illustrations are strong, depicting the harsher times at the school. Historical photographs are worked into the book, tying it firmly to history and the true story it is based on.
This book is definitely worth having in a public library. It offers a clear view of residential schools nicely paired with a young girl’s naive desire for education. Large font, plenty of interspersed images, and a short length will have reluctant readers interested as well. Appropriate for ages 8-11.
The book softens the story to a level that children will be able to handle, focusing more on the emotional and mental hardship than physical abuse. The humiliation of Margaret by the Raven will resonate with children as will the harsh conditions and poor food. Married to these in the book is the loss of culture and language, which is as horrible as the treatment.
Margaret is an amazing girl with her self-possession, her courage and her faithfulness to herself and her culture. She is brave beyond belief as she enters a foreign culture and comes away having shown them what being human is all about. The book is simply written, allowing the story to carry through. The illustrations are strong, depicting the harsher times at the school. Historical photographs are worked into the book, tying it firmly to history and the true story it is based on.
This book is definitely worth having in a public library. It offers a clear view of residential schools nicely paired with a young girl’s naive desire for education. Large font, plenty of interspersed images, and a short length will have reluctant readers interested as well. Appropriate for ages 8-11.
October 26, 2017
Love! I wish this book had been around when I was a kid.
October 1, 2024
“Do you see this rock? It was once jagged and full of sharp, jutting points, but the water of the ocean slapped and slapped at it, carrying away its angles and edges. Now it is nothing but a small pebble. That is what the outsiders will do to you at the school.”
Olemaun Pokiak (OO-lee-mawn) wants to learn to read just like her big sister, so when she turns eight she begs her parents to send her to the same school where her sister learned to read. What she doesn’t know is that it’s a residential school run by Belgian nuns and priests. Her parents try to change her mind, but Olemaun is stubborn. Reluctantly, they give in and Olemaun leaves her home on Banks Island and makes the 5-day journey to Aklavik, NWT. Upon arrival her hair is cut, her traditional clothing is removed and her name is changed to Margaret. She is the object of the nun’s ridicule and nicknamed ‘Fatty Legs’. You’ll have to read about this brave young girl who stood her ground and ended up teaching the nuns a lesson!
“Be careful what birds you choose to pluck from their nests. A wren can be just as clever as a raven.”
“My curiosity had lead me far away, and now here I was, after two years, satisfied that I now knew what happened to girls who went down rabbit holes.”
What’s a residential school, you say?
In 1831 John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, set up federally funded, church-run residential schools for Indigenous children. His goal was to “take the Indian out of the child,” what we now call forced assimilation. In actuality, it was a form of cultural genocide and it has sent ripples throughout generations and caused intergenerational trauma. Between 1831 and 1996, there were 130 of these residential schools in Canada. Until recently, the childrens’ stories of their experiences have been lost or stolen. This is one shines light on a dark chapter of our country’s history.
I appreciated the photo scrapbook and maps to accompany this account.
Olemaun Pokiak (OO-lee-mawn) wants to learn to read just like her big sister, so when she turns eight she begs her parents to send her to the same school where her sister learned to read. What she doesn’t know is that it’s a residential school run by Belgian nuns and priests. Her parents try to change her mind, but Olemaun is stubborn. Reluctantly, they give in and Olemaun leaves her home on Banks Island and makes the 5-day journey to Aklavik, NWT. Upon arrival her hair is cut, her traditional clothing is removed and her name is changed to Margaret. She is the object of the nun’s ridicule and nicknamed ‘Fatty Legs’. You’ll have to read about this brave young girl who stood her ground and ended up teaching the nuns a lesson!
“Be careful what birds you choose to pluck from their nests. A wren can be just as clever as a raven.”
“My curiosity had lead me far away, and now here I was, after two years, satisfied that I now knew what happened to girls who went down rabbit holes.”
What’s a residential school, you say?
In 1831 John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, set up federally funded, church-run residential schools for Indigenous children. His goal was to “take the Indian out of the child,” what we now call forced assimilation. In actuality, it was a form of cultural genocide and it has sent ripples throughout generations and caused intergenerational trauma. Between 1831 and 1996, there were 130 of these residential schools in Canada. Until recently, the childrens’ stories of their experiences have been lost or stolen. This is one shines light on a dark chapter of our country’s history.
I appreciated the photo scrapbook and maps to accompany this account.
March 20, 2015
1. Twin Text: Tuk and the Whale by Raquel Rivera Copyright 2008
2. Rationale: Fatty Legs tells the tale of a young Inuit girl named Olemaun who is desperate to learn to read in English. Her family lives on Banks Island in the Arctic Ocean. She was so desperate to learn, she was willing to go to the Catholic run schools further south of her home. This would mean leaving her family and submitting to the harsh treatment of the nuns. Olemaun’s parents were set against sending their stubborn daughter away and told her of the many hardships she would have to endure. At the age of eight, it was clear Olemaun would not be pacified and she was allowed to go. The book details the clash of the two cultures and how Olemaun survives with her Inuit spirit in tact. Tuk and the Whale is a tale of an Inuit boy named Tuk who lives on Baffin Island and how his life could be effected by European whalers invading their territory in search of the bowhead whale. The library book summary states, “…this early chapter book inspires discussion about communication between two groups of people with entirely different world views…” Both books examine what happens when different cultures meet and how native and Europeans struggle to exist in the same space. Tuk and the Whale is historical fiction and is acclaimed for it’s accurate portrayal of time and place.
3. Text Structure: Description, chronological sequence, and cause and effect: This intermediate non-fiction text is a combination structures. It is a narrative of events in order of the time they happened, yet it is very descriptive and provides pictures and definitions along the way.
4. Strategy Application: I would use these twin texts in a study on Point of View. Each text is told from the point of view of Olemaun and Tuk. It would be a valuable exercise to consider the points of view of the other characters in the story. The point of view of the children’s parents, as well as the Europeans would be a great way to research westward expansion and all the problems it entailed for the native peoples with whom they came in contact.
2. Rationale: Fatty Legs tells the tale of a young Inuit girl named Olemaun who is desperate to learn to read in English. Her family lives on Banks Island in the Arctic Ocean. She was so desperate to learn, she was willing to go to the Catholic run schools further south of her home. This would mean leaving her family and submitting to the harsh treatment of the nuns. Olemaun’s parents were set against sending their stubborn daughter away and told her of the many hardships she would have to endure. At the age of eight, it was clear Olemaun would not be pacified and she was allowed to go. The book details the clash of the two cultures and how Olemaun survives with her Inuit spirit in tact. Tuk and the Whale is a tale of an Inuit boy named Tuk who lives on Baffin Island and how his life could be effected by European whalers invading their territory in search of the bowhead whale. The library book summary states, “…this early chapter book inspires discussion about communication between two groups of people with entirely different world views…” Both books examine what happens when different cultures meet and how native and Europeans struggle to exist in the same space. Tuk and the Whale is historical fiction and is acclaimed for it’s accurate portrayal of time and place.
3. Text Structure: Description, chronological sequence, and cause and effect: This intermediate non-fiction text is a combination structures. It is a narrative of events in order of the time they happened, yet it is very descriptive and provides pictures and definitions along the way.
4. Strategy Application: I would use these twin texts in a study on Point of View. Each text is told from the point of view of Olemaun and Tuk. It would be a valuable exercise to consider the points of view of the other characters in the story. The point of view of the children’s parents, as well as the Europeans would be a great way to research westward expansion and all the problems it entailed for the native peoples with whom they came in contact.
March 19, 2018
Not my usual fare, but I'm really glad that I read it. My ten year old niece recommended it and she was right - an interesting and educational story about an important and dark chapter in Canadian history that we have yet to truly make up for.
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October 6, 2021It feels a bit weird assigning this a rating because I rate things by my expectations, which is a bit of a weird framing for a children’s book.
This is a well known and powerful story that is executed well and hopefully many children read. It’s interesting having this in the conversation with other books about residential schools, because this is necessarily framed for children. It does a great job being informative but also tries not to scare kids, I think. The schools are far worse than the experience depicted here. We’re still finding mass graves. It’s great there is a story like this that is meant to inform children. Maybe the absolute bullshit we were sold at my school about indigenous relations and Canadian history, in general, has been replaced with something approaching the truth. At least kids will be aware of that atrocity if they can have this book (and others).
This is a well known and powerful story that is executed well and hopefully many children read. It’s interesting having this in the conversation with other books about residential schools, because this is necessarily framed for children. It does a great job being informative but also tries not to scare kids, I think. The schools are far worse than the experience depicted here. We’re still finding mass graves. It’s great there is a story like this that is meant to inform children. Maybe the absolute bullshit we were sold at my school about indigenous relations and Canadian history, in general, has been replaced with something approaching the truth. At least kids will be aware of that atrocity if they can have this book (and others).
May 4, 2013
I wish this book was double the length, because I wanted more details. Nonfiction story about the far far north and Canadian missionaries taking kids from their native homes and putting them in religious schools. Our main character actually begs to go, because she wants to learn to read. Her parents try to stop her, but she is relentless. Of course it is terrible, and then she wants to leave. I thrive on detail in these stories, and this slim volume delivers some, I just wanted more.
October 10, 2022
This first hand true account of life at residential school in the Yukon is intended for young children, likely aged 8-11 years of age. It is told from the perspective of eight year old Olemaun who begs her father to permit her to attend the school so she can learn to read, despite the attempts of her sister to dissuade her. Her sister explains the poor treatment she received at the hands of the mean nuns, not to mention the difficult work, and the bad food. But Olemaun insists on going and finds out for herself that her sister was right.
Olemaun is renamed Margaret by the nuns, who cut her hair upon arrival, and assign her chores for the summer before school begins in the fall.
The story, I’m quite certain downplays the abuse Margaret receives, likely keeping in mind its intended audience. Instead it focuses on the hard life, the poor living conditions, the loss of her culture and language. Margaret is a feisty strong-willed and strong-minded young girl and occasionally gives the nuns grief by her stubborn attitude and non-compliant nature. One nun punishes her for that, while another often sticks up for her, and encourages her not to lose her challenging spirit with the occasional nod or wink when the mean nun is not looking.
Her parents were unable to bring her home for the summer after the first year of school, but it was not the case that she was not permitted to leave. So she remained at the school for a second year before she finally was able to reconnect with her family. And then, she lost the ability to communicate with her mother in her native language and her mother spoke very limited English.
While this short story covers her first two years of residential school it portrays the difficult and tragic atmosphere she has to endure while at the same time recognizing that not all the nuns and students could be painted with the same brush. This story ends upon her return home after the two years. I understand, (from other sources), that she returned to residential school later accompanying her younger sisters when attending residential school was a necessity to receiving government benefits.
It is simply written, yet it provides an interesting account of her first two years at residential school in the 1940s. It also offers explanations of Inuvialuit culture recounted in Margaret’s mind as she translates to English ways and words. It instilled in Margaret a true appreciation for her native culture that the very young sometimes don’t recognize. This book is the first time I have read any positive snippets of the residential school experience, and although it doesn’t make the national tragedy any less disgraceful it certainly discloses that not all the caretakers were totally heartless.
The book also has beautiful illustrations and a “scrapbook” of photographs.
This would be a valuable educational piece to introduce to young children this part of the tragic Canadian history.
Olemaun is renamed Margaret by the nuns, who cut her hair upon arrival, and assign her chores for the summer before school begins in the fall.
The story, I’m quite certain downplays the abuse Margaret receives, likely keeping in mind its intended audience. Instead it focuses on the hard life, the poor living conditions, the loss of her culture and language. Margaret is a feisty strong-willed and strong-minded young girl and occasionally gives the nuns grief by her stubborn attitude and non-compliant nature. One nun punishes her for that, while another often sticks up for her, and encourages her not to lose her challenging spirit with the occasional nod or wink when the mean nun is not looking.
Her parents were unable to bring her home for the summer after the first year of school, but it was not the case that she was not permitted to leave. So she remained at the school for a second year before she finally was able to reconnect with her family. And then, she lost the ability to communicate with her mother in her native language and her mother spoke very limited English.
While this short story covers her first two years of residential school it portrays the difficult and tragic atmosphere she has to endure while at the same time recognizing that not all the nuns and students could be painted with the same brush. This story ends upon her return home after the two years. I understand, (from other sources), that she returned to residential school later accompanying her younger sisters when attending residential school was a necessity to receiving government benefits.
It is simply written, yet it provides an interesting account of her first two years at residential school in the 1940s. It also offers explanations of Inuvialuit culture recounted in Margaret’s mind as she translates to English ways and words. It instilled in Margaret a true appreciation for her native culture that the very young sometimes don’t recognize. This book is the first time I have read any positive snippets of the residential school experience, and although it doesn’t make the national tragedy any less disgraceful it certainly discloses that not all the caretakers were totally heartless.
The book also has beautiful illustrations and a “scrapbook” of photographs.
This would be a valuable educational piece to introduce to young children this part of the tragic Canadian history.
June 15, 2022
Read this with my granddaughter. Enlightening book; great for introducing a new perspective on how indigenous people were mistreated
July 11, 2016
The true story of Olemaun, an Inuit child who, longing to read like her older sister begged her father to be sent to school. Eventually he gives in, sending her to a residential school in Northern Canada. Her dreams are crushed when she realizes that much of what is considered education at the school is to simply do chores.
Olemaun is under the direct care of a nun she calls The Raven, who abuses her authority over the children, singling Olemaun out for special humiliation whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Being a resilient child Olemaun learns to read and hides herself in stories, her favorite being Alice in Wonderland. She feels like she has gone down a rabbit hole too. She finds a special ally in Sister MacQuillan, who oversees the other nuns. She is very kind and when she realizes how Olemaun is being treated she intervenes. After two years Olemaun rejoins her family and must re-assimilate into her own culture.
Large print and short chapters make this a goods choice for an earlier chapter book for children. Due to the content children will need some adult input to fully understand the history. This book should be followed by reading A stranger at Home, which focuses on the story of Olemaun’s struggle to return home and become part of her family and culture once more. Combined the two books paint the full picture of why the residential schools were so very wrong. I would rate Fatty Legs four stars when read with A Stranger At Home, but by itself only 3 as it focuses more on the indignities Olemaun suffered without much hope, or context for a young reader who doesn’t truly understand what these children suffered. When read together the books tell the complete story coming to a honest, bitter sweet ending as we see Olemaun coming to terms with what her world is becoming and determining to remain strong for her family though it all.
The art work is simple and charming and should appeal to most children. There are photos of Olemaun’s family throughout the book.
Olemaun is under the direct care of a nun she calls The Raven, who abuses her authority over the children, singling Olemaun out for special humiliation whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Being a resilient child Olemaun learns to read and hides herself in stories, her favorite being Alice in Wonderland. She feels like she has gone down a rabbit hole too. She finds a special ally in Sister MacQuillan, who oversees the other nuns. She is very kind and when she realizes how Olemaun is being treated she intervenes. After two years Olemaun rejoins her family and must re-assimilate into her own culture.
Large print and short chapters make this a goods choice for an earlier chapter book for children. Due to the content children will need some adult input to fully understand the history. This book should be followed by reading A stranger at Home, which focuses on the story of Olemaun’s struggle to return home and become part of her family and culture once more. Combined the two books paint the full picture of why the residential schools were so very wrong. I would rate Fatty Legs four stars when read with A Stranger At Home, but by itself only 3 as it focuses more on the indignities Olemaun suffered without much hope, or context for a young reader who doesn’t truly understand what these children suffered. When read together the books tell the complete story coming to a honest, bitter sweet ending as we see Olemaun coming to terms with what her world is becoming and determining to remain strong for her family though it all.
The art work is simple and charming and should appeal to most children. There are photos of Olemaun’s family throughout the book.
September 29, 2018
I borrowed this from the library at the First Nations school I work at. We are taking our Grade 5/6 class to a play based on the book next month.
I thought it was a powerful memoir and at times it brought me to tears. The whole residential school system that ran in Canada from 1880-1996 infuriates me and this tragic story is no different.
I’m reading A Stranger at Home ( the sequel) next. I hope that Olemaun finds some healing back at home although judging by the title it suggests not.
I thought it was a powerful memoir and at times it brought me to tears. The whole residential school system that ran in Canada from 1880-1996 infuriates me and this tragic story is no different.
I’m reading A Stranger at Home ( the sequel) next. I hope that Olemaun finds some healing back at home although judging by the title it suggests not.
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December 5, 2022I read this in pieces, and can't really rate it yet for the experience I'd have reading it with more attention/focus. But the story was definitely interesting and I thought the ending was very touching. It's quite accessible in terms of language.
November 26, 2025
4.5/5
Another read for school/work!
Another read for school/work!
March 7, 2016
An terrific and unusual book exploring the treatment of Inuvialuit and other Inuit children at a residential school in the Northwest Territory in the 1940's. It's told by Olemaun, whose name was changed to "Margaret", who is dying to learn to read and follow in her sister's footsteps, even though her sister discourages her from going to school. How bad could it be?
Turns out it could be very bad. The nuns, in large part, needed students to earn government funds; students were sometimes forcibly taken from their homes. The teachers weren't interested in education as much as assimilation and training a menial work force.The students' uniforms not warm, nothing like their sensible Mother Hubbard parkas. Their braids are summarily cut off, regardless of whether they can braid their own or not. One of the teachers is downright cruel, forcing students to respond to a language they don't know, making them scrub floors and empty "honey buckets". She seems to single Olemaun out, trying to break her spirit, giving her stockings that are at first too short, and later, thick and red, earning her the the hated nickname "Fatty Legs". Only Olemaun's stubborn determination and the support of one kind nun gets her through the year--actually two years, when weather prevents her parents from coming to get her after her first year.
Short (84p), with large type and sometimes moody/spooky, sometime vibrant painted illustrations, and an afterword with personal and archival photos, this is a unique portrait of a girl overcoming oppression and achieving her goals.
Turns out it could be very bad. The nuns, in large part, needed students to earn government funds; students were sometimes forcibly taken from their homes. The teachers weren't interested in education as much as assimilation and training a menial work force.The students' uniforms not warm, nothing like their sensible Mother Hubbard parkas. Their braids are summarily cut off, regardless of whether they can braid their own or not. One of the teachers is downright cruel, forcing students to respond to a language they don't know, making them scrub floors and empty "honey buckets". She seems to single Olemaun out, trying to break her spirit, giving her stockings that are at first too short, and later, thick and red, earning her the the hated nickname "Fatty Legs". Only Olemaun's stubborn determination and the support of one kind nun gets her through the year--actually two years, when weather prevents her parents from coming to get her after her first year.
Short (84p), with large type and sometimes moody/spooky, sometime vibrant painted illustrations, and an afterword with personal and archival photos, this is a unique portrait of a girl overcoming oppression and achieving her goals.
October 8, 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.
Margaret Pokiak (in collaboration with her daughter-in-law) recounts some of her experiences in the Catholic residential school in Aklavik, NWT. Unlike many aboriginal children, Margaret begged her father for the opportunity to attend school -- she had a burning desire to learn to read. Margaret's story is a good introduction to the residential school topic. The story does not dwell on the devastating effects of the residential school system, but rather reveals the courage and indomitable spirit of a young eight-year-old girl. A good start for young readers to delve into this ugly part of Canadian history.
Margaret's dedication "For my late husband, Lyle who helped me to work through the many fears I carried with me from residential school" reminds the reader that she left unsaid much of the bad and dealt with her interesting tale of having to wear red stockings when the other girls all had nice new black stockings.
Margaret Pokiak (in collaboration with her daughter-in-law) recounts some of her experiences in the Catholic residential school in Aklavik, NWT. Unlike many aboriginal children, Margaret begged her father for the opportunity to attend school -- she had a burning desire to learn to read. Margaret's story is a good introduction to the residential school topic. The story does not dwell on the devastating effects of the residential school system, but rather reveals the courage and indomitable spirit of a young eight-year-old girl. A good start for young readers to delve into this ugly part of Canadian history.
Margaret's dedication "For my late husband, Lyle who helped me to work through the many fears I carried with me from residential school" reminds the reader that she left unsaid much of the bad and dealt with her interesting tale of having to wear red stockings when the other girls all had nice new black stockings.
December 9, 2017
As a nonfiction children's chapter book, Fatty Legs tells the story of Olemaun (Margaret) Pokiak as she heads off to residential school in the far north of Canada. I recently read Righting Canada's Wrongs: Residential Schools by Melanie Florence, which made use of the illustrations and stories from Fatty Legs, and it piqued my interest. I was not disappointed.
In a straightforward manner, Fatty Legs exposes the trials of the residential school system in a way that is easy for children to understand. It brings the emotions to life, as well as bringing forth a type of childhood that most of us have never known. As it is told in a chapter book format, it is meant more for the younger end of middle grade readers. The illustrations are gorgeous, and often chilling.
I thought this was an excellent telling of a true story of a terrible system. There is a picture book adaptation, When I Was Eight, that I intend to start right away. If there were a more adult adaptation, I would definitely be interested in that as well.
In a straightforward manner, Fatty Legs exposes the trials of the residential school system in a way that is easy for children to understand. It brings the emotions to life, as well as bringing forth a type of childhood that most of us have never known. As it is told in a chapter book format, it is meant more for the younger end of middle grade readers. The illustrations are gorgeous, and often chilling.
I thought this was an excellent telling of a true story of a terrible system. There is a picture book adaptation, When I Was Eight, that I intend to start right away. If there were a more adult adaptation, I would definitely be interested in that as well.
March 18, 2022
This book opened my eyes to the practice of residential schools in Canada.
For me it is just a starting point as there are not a lot of details of the atrocities and resulting trauma that occurred. This may be because the book is aimed at younger readers. But it may be that Olemaun only felt able to share some information. The book begins with a note on the Right to Silence, stressing that many residential school survivors do not wish to talk about or revisit their experiences.
Olemaun is described as being strong spirited and unwilling to be broken. Yet the school succeeded in stripping her language and her culture from her. After just 2 years she has forgotten her native language and literally can't stomach her favorite foods. I can't even imagine what was done to an 8 year old child who would have been proficient in a language to wipe it from her memory.
I plan on reading her second book and some of the other titles mentioned in the foreword.
For me it is just a starting point as there are not a lot of details of the atrocities and resulting trauma that occurred. This may be because the book is aimed at younger readers. But it may be that Olemaun only felt able to share some information. The book begins with a note on the Right to Silence, stressing that many residential school survivors do not wish to talk about or revisit their experiences.
Olemaun is described as being strong spirited and unwilling to be broken. Yet the school succeeded in stripping her language and her culture from her. After just 2 years she has forgotten her native language and literally can't stomach her favorite foods. I can't even imagine what was done to an 8 year old child who would have been proficient in a language to wipe it from her memory.
I plan on reading her second book and some of the other titles mentioned in the foreword.
October 8, 2015
This book has an important perspective, and there were certainly things I liked about it, but some things just didn't sit right. I'm guessing there were oddities created by the necessity of fitting a real story into a narrative structure. The biggest one for me was that the one "good" nun, who eventually puts an end to the harassment our protagonist endures, doesn't do anything until the very end. She's not good if she didn't do anything about blatant cruelty for almost two years! She's also bad!
February 3, 2022
i read this for my literacy class while discussing the importance of historical picture books for children and adults, and i think this is a great example of how the artwork and author’s story interact
December 27, 2022
I never heard of this before reading the book. This is one of many ugly things that has happened in history.
February 26, 2022
Somehow I got on a boarding school kick and it seems boarding schools in stories are never painted in an altruistic light. Ever. But who wants to read about a kind, caring boarding school where everything is puppies and rainbows?!
This is the true story of 8-year old Olemaun, an Inuvialuit girl who is sooo desperate to learn to read that she begs her parents to send her to the "outsider" boarding school across the Beaufort Sea. This is the same school that her older sister, Ayouniq, had attended for four years. Ayouniq warns Olemaun that the nuns are mean. They will cut her braids off, and they make the girls work rather than learn most of the time. Olemaun does not care. She's already learned a lot about hunting, trapping, and curing foods. Now she wants to read! Her reluctant parents finally relent, with warnings that once she is there, the waters may freeze, preventing passage back anytime soon.
So, armed with new stockings to keep her legs warm under her uniform, soap, a comb, a toothbrush and toothpaste, she is taken to the school where a dark-cloaked, beak-nosed nun scrabbles her away from her father before she can even say goodbye.
Just as Ayouniq had predicted, first Olemaun's braids are cut off. The nuns change her name to "Margaret" and her new, soft, grey stockings are snatched and she is given big, red, wooly ones that make her already longer/larger legs look even bigger, and the other girls call her "fatty legs." She is not allowed to speak her own language. Their meals are bland compared to her mother's greasy, salty dishes. What's worse is that there is no classroom learning until the ice freezes in the fall. Until then - they are to work. And work Olemaun does, especially hard, thanks to the beak-nosed nun's disdain for her. She cleans the smelly "honey buckets" (toilets), the classrooms, the chicken coop and goes to bed exhausted.
Finally, the short summer is over and school is in session. Olemaun looks forward to being taught by the kind nun in the white habit, Sister MacQuillan, but upon entering the classroom, she sees that she is to learn from the mean, beak-nosed nun. Olemaun's determination only grows stronger as she works hard to learn as much as she can in the year she plans to stay. But then her year is up and her father's warning comes to fruition - the sea does not thaw and she has to stay until the next spring. In the meantime, she comes up with a plan for those horrible red socks - one that will ensure they are gone forever.
Eventually, Olemaun/Margaret makes it home and she is overjoyed to be there hunting and fishing with her parents and siblings again; however, in the "after the story" section, the reader learns that she DOES return to the school when her three little sisters want to go and she decides not to let them go it alone.
I've read worse horror stories about boarding schools. At least there isn't any physical abuse happening here, but excessive child labor and stripping the children of their identities are forms of abuse in their own right.
The book has a lot of interesting side pieces such as actual photos throughout intertwined with emotion-provoking illustrations. Also included is a helpful glossary of words of the Inuvialuit language.
This is the true story of 8-year old Olemaun, an Inuvialuit girl who is sooo desperate to learn to read that she begs her parents to send her to the "outsider" boarding school across the Beaufort Sea. This is the same school that her older sister, Ayouniq, had attended for four years. Ayouniq warns Olemaun that the nuns are mean. They will cut her braids off, and they make the girls work rather than learn most of the time. Olemaun does not care. She's already learned a lot about hunting, trapping, and curing foods. Now she wants to read! Her reluctant parents finally relent, with warnings that once she is there, the waters may freeze, preventing passage back anytime soon.
So, armed with new stockings to keep her legs warm under her uniform, soap, a comb, a toothbrush and toothpaste, she is taken to the school where a dark-cloaked, beak-nosed nun scrabbles her away from her father before she can even say goodbye.
Just as Ayouniq had predicted, first Olemaun's braids are cut off. The nuns change her name to "Margaret" and her new, soft, grey stockings are snatched and she is given big, red, wooly ones that make her already longer/larger legs look even bigger, and the other girls call her "fatty legs." She is not allowed to speak her own language. Their meals are bland compared to her mother's greasy, salty dishes. What's worse is that there is no classroom learning until the ice freezes in the fall. Until then - they are to work. And work Olemaun does, especially hard, thanks to the beak-nosed nun's disdain for her. She cleans the smelly "honey buckets" (toilets), the classrooms, the chicken coop and goes to bed exhausted.
Finally, the short summer is over and school is in session. Olemaun looks forward to being taught by the kind nun in the white habit, Sister MacQuillan, but upon entering the classroom, she sees that she is to learn from the mean, beak-nosed nun. Olemaun's determination only grows stronger as she works hard to learn as much as she can in the year she plans to stay. But then her year is up and her father's warning comes to fruition - the sea does not thaw and she has to stay until the next spring. In the meantime, she comes up with a plan for those horrible red socks - one that will ensure they are gone forever.
Eventually, Olemaun/Margaret makes it home and she is overjoyed to be there hunting and fishing with her parents and siblings again; however, in the "after the story" section, the reader learns that she DOES return to the school when her three little sisters want to go and she decides not to let them go it alone.
I've read worse horror stories about boarding schools. At least there isn't any physical abuse happening here, but excessive child labor and stripping the children of their identities are forms of abuse in their own right.
The book has a lot of interesting side pieces such as actual photos throughout intertwined with emotion-provoking illustrations. Also included is a helpful glossary of words of the Inuvialuit language.
March 9, 2023
i think this is an age-appropriate book to teach residential schools to grades four to six, but it SHOULD be contextualized that this isn't representative of all IRS experiences. also, to mention the importance of critical literacy, and reading texts written by indigenous authors.
+ can connect with the breadwinner/i am malala with themes of education
+ could talk about fatphobia
+ can connect with the breadwinner/i am malala with themes of education
+ could talk about fatphobia
October 7, 2021
What an amazing book. I am so glad I read it after having read people of the Deer. Now I want to read Danielle Daniel's new book Daughters of the Deer. This book is also essential for recommending other good reads for children that I hope to read in the near future as well!
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December 25, 2022grade 6 (or was it 3?) novel study vibes where i was in another book group or whaaaaaaaaa?
my first time seeing the kids wanting to go to residential school and not being dragged there.
also, if some of the upik live in the eastern most part of russia, does that mean they are indigenous russian people and not canadian or american? or do we just call those colonial borders and they don’t count? like how does that work?
december 24, 2022 (after fight club)
my first time seeing the kids wanting to go to residential school and not being dragged there.
also, if some of the upik live in the eastern most part of russia, does that mean they are indigenous russian people and not canadian or american? or do we just call those colonial borders and they don’t count? like how does that work?
december 24, 2022 (after fight club)
May 1, 2025
Is it possible to read Fatty Legs and not be terribly upset at the nuns and the treatment of these children?
I like the glimpses into the life of Olemaun before she was thrust into the world of the outsiders. I loved learning the little details of everyday life, such a ptarmigan balloon! It was also very compelling to think about how disorienting and unnatural the ways of the outsiders would be to someone as young as our narrator.
I also appreciated the similes and use of metaphor taken from nature, such as calling the nuns a Raven and Swan, or her grey stockings making her legs like those of gray-legged wolf.
Because I am adult reader, I do wish I had more information about these residential schools and maybe this book will inspire me to read more
I like the glimpses into the life of Olemaun before she was thrust into the world of the outsiders. I loved learning the little details of everyday life, such a ptarmigan balloon! It was also very compelling to think about how disorienting and unnatural the ways of the outsiders would be to someone as young as our narrator.
I also appreciated the similes and use of metaphor taken from nature, such as calling the nuns a Raven and Swan, or her grey stockings making her legs like those of gray-legged wolf.
Because I am adult reader, I do wish I had more information about these residential schools and maybe this book will inspire me to read more
June 22, 2025
reads like sitting around a bonfire listening to an Elder share a story - which is exactly what it is♥️
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February 7, 2012For over 60 years, Olemaun (Margaret) Pokiak kept a secret. Now, in this vivid memoir, aided by her daughter-in-law, she tells a story of courage and determination. Intent on learning to read, the eight-year-old Inuvialuit (Western Inuit) girl persuades her father to let her attend a residential school in 1944 in Aklavik, Northwest Territories. Her father worries that her spirit will be worn down, but Olemaun knows herself to be proud and resilient. Her strength is tested at the school by a nun (whom she privately nicknames the Raven) who targets her right from the start, forcing her to wear red stockings that draw the other girls’ taunts. Readers will cheer for Olemaun / Margaret and delight in the solution she finds to thwart her tormentor.
The young girl’s quest for education and her coming to terms with a cruel adversary and a kind advocate have all the elements of folktale. The text is rich in verbs, physical detail and imagery, which would make the book an excellent read-aloud. Outsiders flit about the north, plucking children from their homes. The powerful illustrations — with their play of light and dark, and the mask-like face of the Raven — contribute to the folkloric, universal quality of the tale. A scrapbook of photos featuring Arctic family and school life enriches the book and roots it in reality. A map and explanatory footnotes, as well as a final chapter on residential schools, expand and provide a context for the story.
Like Shi-shi-etko and Shin-chi’s Canoe — and the memoirs of Larry Loyie — this book helps younger readers understand of the lasting impact of residential schools.
Reviewed by Brenda Halliday in Canadian Children's Book News (Winter 2011, Vol. 34, No. 1)
The young girl’s quest for education and her coming to terms with a cruel adversary and a kind advocate have all the elements of folktale. The text is rich in verbs, physical detail and imagery, which would make the book an excellent read-aloud. Outsiders flit about the north, plucking children from their homes. The powerful illustrations — with their play of light and dark, and the mask-like face of the Raven — contribute to the folkloric, universal quality of the tale. A scrapbook of photos featuring Arctic family and school life enriches the book and roots it in reality. A map and explanatory footnotes, as well as a final chapter on residential schools, expand and provide a context for the story.
Like Shi-shi-etko and Shin-chi’s Canoe — and the memoirs of Larry Loyie — this book helps younger readers understand of the lasting impact of residential schools.
Reviewed by Brenda Halliday in Canadian Children's Book News (Winter 2011, Vol. 34, No. 1)
January 4, 2024
Essentially a children's book, the messages inside should be heard by everyone.
Unlike most of the other children who lived in the Arctic, eight year old Olemaun Pokiak was not forced to go to residential school (or kidnapped, as some were). She begged to go so that she could learn to do the thing she wanted most...to read. After arriving at the school, her hair was sheared, her name was changed to Margaret and she was forced to learn English. She also became the focus of a cruel nun's intentions, who she called the Raven, and was forced to do menial and degrading jobs. Ultimately this is the story of a little girl's empowerment.
This 10th anniversary edition is beautifully illustrated and filled with photographs of Olemaun and her family.
This has been on my TBR list for some time. I was able to buy a new copy at a store closing, at 80% off the retail price. Score!!!
Unlike most of the other children who lived in the Arctic, eight year old Olemaun Pokiak was not forced to go to residential school (or kidnapped, as some were). She begged to go so that she could learn to do the thing she wanted most...to read. After arriving at the school, her hair was sheared, her name was changed to Margaret and she was forced to learn English. She also became the focus of a cruel nun's intentions, who she called the Raven, and was forced to do menial and degrading jobs. Ultimately this is the story of a little girl's empowerment.
This 10th anniversary edition is beautifully illustrated and filled with photographs of Olemaun and her family.
This has been on my TBR list for some time. I was able to buy a new copy at a store closing, at 80% off the retail price. Score!!!
August 31, 2013
A short memoir about the experiences of Olemaun Pokiak when she convinces her father to allow her to attend the boarding school for Inuit children run by Catholic nuns n the 1940s. Olemaun's name is changed to Margaret. Her braids are shorn; her warm native clothes taken away, and she is forced to wear the school's uniform. The nuns receive money from the government for each child attending school, so students were "plucked" from their homes to go to school. Students were made to do hard labor both to get the school ready to learn in, but to maintain the upkeep of the school and the students. Margaret is especially singled out by a nun called "The Raven," and made to do extra work because of her stubbornness.
I feel the history and message here make this a valuable book, even though it could be better written. I am surprised to learn that this treatment was still the norm in the 1940s. Margaret is probably slightly younger than my father. I think of stories like this happening in the 1800s.
This story has recently been retold as a picture book called When I Was Eight by the same author. I think the picture book is better done.
I feel the history and message here make this a valuable book, even though it could be better written. I am surprised to learn that this treatment was still the norm in the 1940s. Margaret is probably slightly younger than my father. I think of stories like this happening in the 1800s.
This story has recently been retold as a picture book called When I Was Eight by the same author. I think the picture book is better done.
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