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laura_cs's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A trip to the city leads to a new mystery for the Mighty Muskrats!
Before leaving Windy Lakes for a week in the city, Chickadee asks the cousins' grandfather what he might like them to bring back from the trip. The answer is shocking: Grandpa would like to find his little sister. Charlotte was lost in the Sixties Scoop--when many Indigenous children were stolen from their families and reservations, taken to residential schools or adopted to white families as a form of forced assimilation. Chickadee and the other Muskrats don't know where to begin their search in the big, intimidating city. And when an old friend enters the picture, things become even more complicated. Is this case too big for the Muskrats?
Move over Boxcar Children and all other adolescent detectives, the Mighty Muskrats are making their mark on the genre and the world. Hutchinson doesn't flinch from addressing hard topics--the aforementioned Sixties Scoop, the deplorable treatment of Indigenous children in residential schools, poverty, racism, and more--and presents the information in a way for kids (and adults!) to comprehend easily, despite how large and heavy those topics may be. Chickadee, Atim, Otter and Samuel work together to find their missing auntie, echoing the real-world struggle of First Nations Canadians in finding their own lost family and--by proxy--lost culture and heritage.
Very interested to see what mysteries continue to await the Mighty Muskrats and what adventures they'll have in Windy Lakes and beyond!
A trip to the city leads to a new mystery for the Mighty Muskrats!
Before leaving Windy Lakes for a week in the city, Chickadee asks the cousins' grandfather what he might like them to bring back from the trip. The answer is shocking: Grandpa would like to find his little sister. Charlotte was lost in the Sixties Scoop--when many Indigenous children were stolen from their families and reservations, taken to residential schools or adopted to white families as a form of forced assimilation. Chickadee and the other Muskrats don't know where to begin their search in the big, intimidating city. And when an old friend enters the picture, things become even more complicated. Is this case too big for the Muskrats?
Move over Boxcar Children and all other adolescent detectives, the Mighty Muskrats are making their mark on the genre and the world. Hutchinson doesn't flinch from addressing hard topics--the aforementioned Sixties Scoop, the deplorable treatment of Indigenous children in residential schools, poverty, racism, and more--and presents the information in a way for kids (and adults!) to comprehend easily, despite how large and heavy those topics may be. Chickadee, Atim, Otter and Samuel work together to find their missing auntie, echoing the real-world struggle of First Nations Canadians in finding their own lost family and--by proxy--lost culture and heritage.
Very interested to see what mysteries continue to await the Mighty Muskrats and what adventures they'll have in Windy Lakes and beyond!
readmoreyall's review against another edition
4.0
Great fast book. I learned a lot and now I really want to read the first book. Thankful for this #ownvoices text!
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
3.0
First, I love that this mystery series exists at all. Kids from a First Nation reserve solving mysteries. Perfect. Tackling important issues while doing so? Even better.
I loved the first book in the series, where the kids seemed quite natural, and the mystery unfolded as it should.
This second book, however, felt a little stiff. The mystery of the missing auntie kept getting shoved back, to address other issues, such as how hard it is to be true to yourself in the city, vs the reserve. I was also a bit surprised that the kids didn't know quite as much about residency school, and were shocked at what they learned. But, perhaps this was done more for the audience to teach them about the horrors.
I did like that the bureaucracy was not filled with horrible people, at least not all of them were horrible.
I did like the part about riding the bus during rush hour. As a short person, it is hard to get around in an over crowded bus, and I too would probably have exited too soon, simply because I couldn't see out the windows.
I still love the concept of the series, and will continue to read them, as long as Michael writes them.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
I loved the first book in the series, where the kids seemed quite natural, and the mystery unfolded as it should.
This second book, however, felt a little stiff. The mystery of the missing auntie kept getting shoved back, to address other issues, such as how hard it is to be true to yourself in the city, vs the reserve. I was also a bit surprised that the kids didn't know quite as much about residency school, and were shocked at what they learned. But, perhaps this was done more for the audience to teach them about the horrors.
I did like that the bureaucracy was not filled with horrible people, at least not all of them were horrible.
I did like the part about riding the bus during rush hour. As a short person, it is hard to get around in an over crowded bus, and I too would probably have exited too soon, simply because I couldn't see out the windows.
I still love the concept of the series, and will continue to read them, as long as Michael writes them.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
musicalpopcorn's review against another edition
5.0
The Mighty Muskrats are headed to the city where they are sure to learn a lot of lessons and try to find a missing auntie.
The second instalment in this series was different and less light-hearted than the first, but it was beautifully poignant. It wrote about really tough topics in an accessible way and is a great way for kids to learn about Canada’s relationship with our indigenous people, as well as dynamics between groups, and most importantly: the long road to truth and reconciliation.
This is a book I will strongly consider reading with my grade 5-6s in the library this year to engage them in modern issues facing Canadians as well as history.
The second instalment in this series was different and less light-hearted than the first, but it was beautifully poignant. It wrote about really tough topics in an accessible way and is a great way for kids to learn about Canada’s relationship with our indigenous people, as well as dynamics between groups, and most importantly: the long road to truth and reconciliation.
This is a book I will strongly consider reading with my grade 5-6s in the library this year to engage them in modern issues facing Canadians as well as history.
erinsbookshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jennybeastie's review against another edition
5.0
I'm really impressed with this book -- there aren't many books for kids that tackle the topic of indigenous adoption, and this does it very well. I also appreciate that the mighty muskrat books do a good job of portraying what it is like to be a young person who's parents aren't available for constant supervision. I can't remember the last time I read a book for this age group in which a group of older elementary kids were left on their own to explore a city. It's clear that the family members they are staying with are loving and attentive and are paying attention to the their comings and goings, but it reflects a level of independence and responsibility that many wealthier kids don't experience until they are older. There are some really scary moments that happen because of this situation, but just like I remember from being a kid in the 80s, there's a lot more expectation that you take care of yourself.
I also liked the storyline -- I liked that they managed to navigate several research and governmental systems in order to find their missing auntie. I was frustrated with the withholding behavior of one of the characters, and deeply moved by the eventual virtual meetup of the grandfather with his sister's adoptive family. This is not an easy story to read, but it is a very important one.
I also liked the storyline -- I liked that they managed to navigate several research and governmental systems in order to find their missing auntie. I was frustrated with the withholding behavior of one of the characters, and deeply moved by the eventual virtual meetup of the grandfather with his sister's adoptive family. This is not an easy story to read, but it is a very important one.
cayleigh_sorella's review against another edition
3.0
Read for School. Child's Lit [6/6]
This was good. It took me a hot second to gain momentum, but once in, I couldn't stop reading. That also may have been due to the fear of the Wi-Fi cutting at work. Anyways, I liked the modern setting and nameless city, and the different perspective on living in a city. This was different pro-Indigenous story than I'm used to.
This was good. It took me a hot second to gain momentum, but once in, I couldn't stop reading. That also may have been due to the fear of the Wi-Fi cutting at work. Anyways, I liked the modern setting and nameless city, and the different perspective on living in a city. This was different pro-Indigenous story than I'm used to.
homosexual's review against another edition
5.0
OOps forgot to say I got this as an ARC from Netgalley!
This book got me out of a reading slump and that is all I can ask for in a book.
5/5 stars is an easy rating to give this book because it deserves every star. I usually have to buffer my criticism of MG works, but for this one it was so good I don't have to do that at all.
Indigenous Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew is basically what I would pitch this as, and it does a great job doing exactly that and more. I didn't read the first book in the series (but I am definitely going to be getting it in the future), and I felt like this book is easy to jump into without having read the first one. There are references to the first book, but more so in the form of callbacks than like important plot information.
Basically the Muskrats are in the big city with the mission to go to the Ex... and find their grandpa's sister who went missing during the Sixties Scoop (when Canada was basically sending off First Nations kids to any white family that wanted to them, by stealing them from their real parents/family). It does a good job breaking down what residential schools were, and the Sixties Scoop is in a language that is easy to understand. This would be a great book to act as like an introduction to what both of those are. It covers them without going into the worst aspects off it or the nitty gritty, while still being realistic to what happened and being respectful about the situation (you know, not glossing over it or making it seem happier than it actually was).
I liked all the Muskrats so much, though I am biased to Chickadee. I felt that there was a decent cast to this group of characters and we learned a lot about how indigenous people ARE in big cities and present, and how that affects them. As well as seeing a lot about what the Truth & Reconciliation projects can do, when it works.
It also does a good job of having the Muskrats being really representative of First Nations kids, they aren't extremely wealthy but also aren't in the depths of poverty. Straight down the middle hitting right between both, which is a good way to be so it can resonate with more kids looking to find themselves in literature. The Muskrats are a great depiction of modern kids as they might not be extremely well off, but they still know what technology is and how it functions.
The only warning I would give is that there is a bullying scene, but it is very minor and doesn't get too intense.
Would highly recommend to anyone who is looking to diverse-ify their library or their own bookshelves, as it is still entertaining even to a grown adult.
This book got me out of a reading slump and that is all I can ask for in a book.
5/5 stars is an easy rating to give this book because it deserves every star. I usually have to buffer my criticism of MG works, but for this one it was so good I don't have to do that at all.
Indigenous Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew is basically what I would pitch this as, and it does a great job doing exactly that and more. I didn't read the first book in the series (but I am definitely going to be getting it in the future), and I felt like this book is easy to jump into without having read the first one. There are references to the first book, but more so in the form of callbacks than like important plot information.
Basically the Muskrats are in the big city with the mission to go to the Ex... and find their grandpa's sister who went missing during the Sixties Scoop (when Canada was basically sending off First Nations kids to any white family that wanted to them, by stealing them from their real parents/family). It does a good job breaking down what residential schools were, and the Sixties Scoop is in a language that is easy to understand. This would be a great book to act as like an introduction to what both of those are. It covers them without going into the worst aspects off it or the nitty gritty, while still being realistic to what happened and being respectful about the situation (you know, not glossing over it or making it seem happier than it actually was).
I liked all the Muskrats so much, though I am biased to Chickadee. I felt that there was a decent cast to this group of characters and we learned a lot about how indigenous people ARE in big cities and present, and how that affects them. As well as seeing a lot about what the Truth & Reconciliation projects can do, when it works.
It also does a good job of having the Muskrats being really representative of First Nations kids, they aren't extremely wealthy but also aren't in the depths of poverty. Straight down the middle hitting right between both, which is a good way to be so it can resonate with more kids looking to find themselves in literature. The Muskrats are a great depiction of modern kids as they might not be extremely well off, but they still know what technology is and how it functions.
The only warning I would give is that there is a bullying scene, but it is very minor and doesn't get too intense.
Would highly recommend to anyone who is looking to diverse-ify their library or their own bookshelves, as it is still entertaining even to a grown adult.
goldfishreads's review against another edition
4.0
Another awesome Mighty Muskrats Mystery! I’m really enjoying these so far and am looking forward to more of them coming out, and gaining more recognition for the tough issues it discusses in age-appropriate language and through storytelling.
While the last book focused more on the environment, this one’s focus was on the Sixties Scoop and residential schools. The Mighty Muskrats attempt to find their grandfather’s long lost sister whom he lost after they attended residential school as children. The children take a trip to the big city where they learn the struggles of living in the city such as poverty and violence, and they learn how government systems use red tape and ambiguous procedures to make it difficult for First Nations and Indigenous people to find their lost relatives in the adoption system.
Another recommended read to use in classrooms to learn about these topics but also to bring humanity to these historical events in Canada’s history.
While the last book focused more on the environment, this one’s focus was on the Sixties Scoop and residential schools. The Mighty Muskrats attempt to find their grandfather’s long lost sister whom he lost after they attended residential school as children. The children take a trip to the big city where they learn the struggles of living in the city such as poverty and violence, and they learn how government systems use red tape and ambiguous procedures to make it difficult for First Nations and Indigenous people to find their lost relatives in the adoption system.
Another recommended read to use in classrooms to learn about these topics but also to bring humanity to these historical events in Canada’s history.