Beatrice Mosionier’s novel In Search of April Raintree is a ground-breaking work that depicts the struggles Métis families face in modern society. The story follows two sisters, April and Cheryl, who are separated from their parents and placed in the child welfare system at a young age. The story is told through the eyes of the elder sister, April. The sisters are placed in different homes, leading to vastly different childhood experiences. As they grow up, they lose contact with their parents and eventually each other. April, whose skin colour is lighter than Cheryl’s, hides her Métis identity to navigate her world more easily. When the sisters reconnect as adults, the reader is presented with how their separate upbringing and differing appearance profoundly affect their daily lives.

This edition marks the fortieth anniversary of the novel. There are several variations of this story, including April Raintree, which was adapted for the Manitoba education system in 1984.

Cautions / Content Warnings: Contains scenes of sexual assault, abuse, violence, suicide, substance abuse and the foster care system.
Other End Matter: Teacher’s guide
Images: None
Contributor Affiliation: Author Beatrice Mosionier (Métis), Foreword by katherena vermette (Red River Métis (Michif)), Afterword by Raven Sinclair (Cree/Assiniboine/Saulteaux from Gordon’s First Nation)
Bibliography: No
Index: No

Evaluator: Jackie L., Educator & Indigenous Voice Consultant, Indigenous Books for Schools

Beatrice Mosionier (formerly Culleton) was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba. The youngest of four children, she grew up in foster homes. Following the second suicide in her family, she decided to write a novel. First published in 1983, In Search of April Raintree has become a Canadian Classic.Mosionier's second novel is In the Shadow of Evil, now a re-edited version. A psychological thriller with many plot twists, it tells the story of a Metis woman, Christine, and of her experiences of prejudice, sexual abuse and foster homes in Canada. Her story is juxtaposed by the life struggles of a family of wolves at the fictional Shadow Lake. As with much of her works, this novel focuses on themes of self-forgiveness, power, healing, and how one must deal with the past before moving forward effectively.She has also written children's books, including Unusual Friendships: A Little Black Cat and a Little White Rat. Her most recent work is Come Walk with Me: A Memoir. Beatrice lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Beatrice Mosionier's profile page

KATHERENA VERMETTE is a Métis writer from Treaty One territory, the heart of the Métis nation, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Her first book, North End Love Songs (The Muses Company), won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. Her National Film Board short documentary, this river, won the Coup de Coeur award at the Montreal First Peoples Festival and a Canadian Screen Award.

Her first novel, The Break, was a national bestseller and won the Amazon.ca First Novel Award; the Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature; and three Manitoba Book Awards. It was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, and CBC’s Canada Reads. She is also the author of the children’s picture book series The Seven Teaching Stories and recently published the first book, Pemmican Wars, in the young adult book series A Girl Called Echo. Ms. Vermette’s second book of poetry, river woman, is forthcoming in the fall of 2018 from House of Anansi Press.

Katherena Vermette's profile page

Dr. Raven Sinclair (Ótiskewápíwskew) is Cree/Assinniboine/Saulteaux from Gordon’s First Nation. She is a survivor and expert on the Sixties Scoop, and has published extensively on the topic. Her work has been cited in publications such as the Canadian Encyclopedia and she has appeared as an expert on CBC's The National. She is an outspoken critic of the treatment of Indigenous people in the current child welfare system in Canada. She is a professor, filmmaker, author, and facilitator. Dr. Sinclair is currently a full professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Regina.

Raven Sinclair's profile page

[An] influential Indigenous novel, Beatrice Mosionier's story of resilience, sisterly love and identity paved the way for Indigenous storytellers.

CBC Books

[The] author’s seminal novel remains relevant even after 40 years. Heartbreaking and uplifting...a story that resonated mightily.

Windspeaker

As crafted by Mosionier, April’s history shines a light on a place and its iniquities; and it exposes a citizenry, composed of the kindhearted and cruel, whose own journey to civility is far from complete.

The British Columbia Review

Forty years on, In Search of April Raintree remains a groundbreaking novel.

Quill & Quire