The raven fatty legs6/1/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() Complemented by archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton’s collection and striking artworks from Liz Amini-Holmes, this inspiring first-person account of a plucky girl’s determination to confront her tormentor will linger with young readers. 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. At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. In the face of such cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated and bravely gets rid of the stockings. In an instant Margaret is the laughingstock of the entire school. Intending to humiliate her, the heartless Raven gives gray stockings to all the girls - all except Margaret, who gets red ones. She immediately dislikes the strong-willed young Margaret. At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. 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. Though the book’s dedication page suggests that her experiences were deeply traumatic, that is not really reflected in this gentle, positive story. Eight-year-old Margaret Pokiak has set her sights on learning to read, even though it means leaving her village in the high Arctic. In Fatty Legs, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton and Christy Jordan-Fenton (Margaret’s daughter-in-law) present a memoir of young Margaret’s experiences at a northern residential school. ![]()
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