Nadia Sammurtok (Credit: Inhabit Media)

Dad, I Miss You, written by Inuit author and educator Nadia Sammurtok, is an emotional story about a young boy taken from his family and placed in a residential school. Told through the internal monologues of both the boy and his dad, the book gives the reader an intimate look at the harm caused by residential schools and the grief of both the children taken away and their families and home communities.

Sammurtok based the book on family stories of separation that provides Dad, I Miss You with a very specific emotional weight that is also broadly relatable. Readers may not have been sent to a residential school, or had family members attend, but the suffering in the words of both the boy and his father is evident, as is the fact that they are not the only ones experiencing this pain. Sammurtok, in a small number of pages, captures the ongoing harm and alienation Indigenous communities experience in Canada because of the residential school system. Although the boy returns to his home at the end of the book, his time away has affected his ability to speak his language, to hunt, and to participate in his community – he no longer feels like he belongs there. By focusing on the feelings of loss and longing in both parent and child, Sammurtok communicates the pain felt by many residential school survivors in a way that young readers can understand.

Illustration: Simji Park.

The book’s illustrations, by Korean artist Simji Park, are simple but evocative. The boy’s home and family are portrayed in rich, bright colours, while depictions of his time at residential school are dominated by grey tones and a muted colour palette. The use of pencil crayon as the main medium for Park’s illustrations emphasizes the boy’s young age.

In addition to the main story and an afterword, Dad, I Miss You includes a QR code that links to teaching materials that will help young readers understand the themes of the book and the history it engages. With its simple storyline and illustrations, this book is excellent for parents, teachers, and librarians looking for a resource that effectively communicates the impact of residential schools at a level appropriate for younger children.