Little Shoes and Miya Wears Orange: Picture Books of Truth, Empathy, and Reconciliation

In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the need for truthful, age-appropriate stories that help children understand difficult parts of history. Two books that are doing powerful work in this realm are Little Shoes by David A. Robertson, and Miya Wears Orange by Wanda John-Kehewin (illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina). Each offers windows into the lived experience of Indigenous peoples, especially the realities of residential schools, and each invites young readers into reflection, empathy, and hope.

What These Books Are About

• Little Shoes by David A. Robertson - This book gently raises questions about residential schools — what they were, how they impacted children and families, and what it means for us today. Its approach is respectful, taking into account the sensitivity of the subject, and it allows children to connect personally with history.

• Miya Wears Orange by Wanda John-Kehewin - This story centers on the intergenerational effects of residential schools. Through Miya (a young girl) and her family, the narrative explores how the legacy of these schools continues to affect families, traditions, and everyday life. The book brings forward not just loss, but also resilience and the importance of remembering.

  
  

Why These Books Matter

Here are a few of the reasons why books like these are so important in classrooms and communities:

1. Truth-telling These stories help ensure that the painful, complex history of residential schools is not forgotten. For many children, especially non-Indigenous students, this history may be unfamiliar. These books provide accurate, humanized accounts that counter silence, myths, or mis-information.

2. Empathy & Connection By centering personal stories (through a child’s perspective, through intergenerational voices), both books help students see beyond abstract facts. They allow readers to empathize: to imagine what it might feel like to be a child separated from family, to experience loss of culture, or to live through ongoing generational trauma.

3. Cultural Identity & Healing For Indigenous students, seeing their stories reflected in literature validates their lives, their histories, and their cultures. These books provide opportunities for recognition and healing. For all students, they promote understanding, respect, and contribute to reconciliation.

4. Critical Thinking & Dialogue These stories open the door to rich discussions: What was it like for children who went to residential schools? How does that history affect people today? How do stories of resilience and survival change our understanding of communities? They help students think critically, ask questions, and grapple with difficult ideas in supportive environments.

5. Truth and Reconciliation In our journey toward reconciliation, these stories shine a light on the realities of residential schools. By sharing them, we take steps to acknowledge the past, build respect, and work toward a more just future.

   
   

Teaching & Literacy Resources You’ll Want

To help bring these books into the classroom with structure, reflection, and engagement, there are two excellent reading-response / literacy units you might consider:

• Little Shoes by David A. Robertson – Residential Schools / Orange Shirt Day Reading Response Unit This resource (for Grades 2-7) offers differentiated reading response pages aligned with strategies like critical thinking, making connections, meaning/inference, summarizing, visualization, problem & resolution, and questioning. It helps students reflect and engage with Little Shoes in meaningful ways.

  
  
  

  

  

  

• Orange Shirt Day and Miya Wears Orange – Reading Response & Literacy Activities For younger learners (Kindergarten through Grade 4), this unit supports literacy work connected to Miya Wears Orange. It includes differentiated reading response pages (making connections, inference, visualizing, summarizing, identifying problems and solutions), take-home mini-books, class book templates, extension activities, and even coloring pages. It’s designed to help students engage not only with the text but with broader themes around Orange Shirt Day and the ongoing legacy of residential schools.

  
  
  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  Closing Thoughts

  Little Shoes and Miya Wears Orange are more than just picture books. They are bridges — between histories that are sometimes silenced and the compassionate understanding young people need. They invite not just reading, but listening, learning, acknowledging. For educators, they are essential tools in weaving truth, respect, and hope into the curriculum.

  
  

  For an extensive currated book list and resources to support Orange Shirt Day and Residential School Stories follow this >>> link.