Five Little Indians is the debut novel by Cree Canadian writer Michelle Good, published in 2020 by Harper Perennial.Angelica Haggert, "'The story I was intended to write': Michelle Good on forthcoming novel 'Five Little Indians'". Canadian Geographic, February 20, 2020. The novel focuses on five survivors of the Canadian Indian residential school system, struggling to rebuild their lives in Vancouver, British Columbia after the end of their time in the residential schools. It also explores the love and strength that can emerge after trauma.
The book received a number of awards, and was CBC's number one book in 2021. It was selected for and won the 2022 edition of Canada Reads, nominated by Christian Allaire, Ojibwe author and Vogue Fashion Editor.
Background Although the novel is predominantly fictional, some of its stories were based on real experiences of Good's mother and grandmother, who were survivors of the residential school system. Growing up, her mother talked about the traumatic histories and experiences of attending St. Barnabas Residential School in Onion Lake, Saskatchewan. These discussions influenced Good's work. The novel's development took more than a decade, beginning in 2011 when Good was a fine arts graduate student at the University of British Columbia. As part of the writing process, Good relied on psychological assessments of children who experienced physical and sexual abuse in order to accurately depict these events' long-term impacts on a person's life.
Reception Five Little Indians was CBC's number one book recommendation in 2021. The book also received positive reviews from the Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun, and Apple Books.
Amnesty International Book Club selected Five Little Indians for their book club in 2021.
Now named Five Little Indians one of the top ten novels of 2020. The Globe and Mail, CBC, Kobo, and Indigo also named the book in their lists of the best books of the year.
The novel was selected for the 2022 edition of Canada Reads, where it was defended by Christian Allaire."Meet the Canada Reads 2022 contenders". CBC Books, January 26, 2022. It won the competition on March 31.
Awards and honors YearAwardResultRef.2020Governor General's AwardsEnglish-language fictionHarperCollins/UBC Best New Fiction Prize—Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize—Scotiabank Giller Prize — 2021Amazon.ca First Novel Award — Vicky Qiao, "Five Little Indians by Michelle Good wins $60K Amazon First Novel Award". CBC Books, May 28, 2021.Amnesty International Book ClubReader's ChoiceSelectionBC and Yukon Book PrizeEthel Wilson Fiction PrizeJim Deva Prize for Writing that ProvokesCity of Vancouver Book Award—Forest of Reading Evergreen Award—Indigenous Voices Award Published Prose in English: FictionKobo Emerging Writer PrizeFiction2022Canada ReadsWritten Book
Television adaptation Five Little Indians has been optioned by Prospero Pictures for development as a limited television series. Shannon Masters, a screenwriter of Cree Métis and Ukrainian descent, will serve as writer and show runner alongside Martin Katz and Karen Wookey, who will serve as executive producers.Vicky Qiao, "Michelle Good's Five Little Indians to be adapted into limited TV series". CBC News, June 9, 2021.
Good has expressed hopes that the adaptation will make the story accessible to a broader range of people.
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