April Raintree - by Beatrice Mosionier (Paperback)

About the Book

Powerless in a broken system, sisters April and Cheryl are separated and placed in different foster homes. Despite the distance, they remain close, even as one sister embraces her Métis identity and the other tries to leave it behind. This edition has been revised specifically for grades 9-12.

Book Synopsis

Memories. Some memories are elusive, fleeting, like a butterfly that touches down and is free until it is caught. Others are haunting. You'd rather forget them, but they won't be forgotten. And some are always there. No matter where you are, they are there, too.

In this moving story of legacy and reclamation, two young sisters are taken from their home and family. Powerless in a broken system, April and Cheryl are separated and placed in different foster homes. Despite the distance, they remain close, even as their decisions threaten to divide them emotionally, culturally, and geographically. As one sister embraces her Métis identity, the other tries to leave it behind.

Will the sisters' bond survive as they struggle to make their way in a society that is often indifferent, hostile, and violent?

Based on the adult novel In Search of April Raintree, this edition has been revised specifically for students in grades 9 through 12. Great ideas for using this book in your classroom can be found in the Teacher's Guide for In Search of April Raintree and April Raintree. A copy of the guide is available for download on the Portage & Main Press website.

Review Quotes

The telling of this story is a wakeup call to the need for Indigenous children to feel value and validity in their sense of identity. It's about what happens to those who can't. There is a sadness buried between the lines, and yet it is a story of resiliency, of healing, and of triumph. Every child should read this.--Hon. Murray Sinclair

The first time I ever saw a copy of April Raintree was on orientation day of my teacher education program in 1984. We were handed a copy of the book and were asked to read it and come prepared to discuss it with our peers. April Raintree opened my eyes and heart to issues such as Aboriginal children and families being separated from each other, culture, and identity. The book as has rich story for students and educators and has a dynamic voice of hope and reconciliation.

--Helen Robinson-Settee, Director, Aboriginal Education Directorate, Manitoba Education and Training

About the Author

Beatrice Mosionier was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba. The youngest of four children, she grew up in foster homes. After a short time living in Toronto, where she attended college, she returned to Winnipeg. Following the death of two sisters to suicide, Beatrice decided to write In Search of April Raintree. First published in 1983, it has become a Canadian classic and launched the Manitoba literacy initiative On the Same Page in 2008. Beatrice has written more books of fiction, a play, a short film, and her memoir. She previously worked as publisher of Pemmican Publications. Beatrice lives in Manitoba with her husband.