SuitabookBlackbird calling
Laura Swart
- Reading
- Read together or check in afterwards about how the story presents prejudice and cultural learning; invite your child to share what felt clear or surprising without expecting one right response.
- Themes
- Community prejudice and division: The girl encounters a divide between townspeople and Indigenous people, and her brother’s stories reflect conflicts and attitudes in the town. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Cultural learning and identity: The girl befriends Gloria, a Blackfoot girl, and encounters Aboriginal stories and culture through visits with her friend’s Niʹis. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Prejudice between townspeople and Indigenous people is part of the story, described as occurring in often-hostile environments; the extent and detail of this hostility are unclear.