Sylvia Olsen

No Time to Say Goodbye is a fictional account of five children sent to Kuper Island Residential School, based on the recollections of a number of Tsartlip First Nations people. The five are isolated on the small island and life becomes regimented by the strict school routine. In spite of the harsh realities of the residential school, however, the children rise above their pain and homesickness, finding adventure in escape, challenge in competition, and camaraderie with their fellow students.

Product Description: Based on the memories of Martin, this story introduces us to Joey, a happy Nuu-chah-nulth boy, eager to help and see the bright side of things. When he loses his beloved grandmother, though, the sun goes out in his world. Slowly, he realizes she has left something of herself behind in an important song, and he chooses to remember her with joy. Teachers Guide (opens in a new window) available.

On a fresh spring day, young Yetsa, her mother and her grandmother gather to prepare the sheep fleeces piled in Grandma’s yard. As they clean, wash and dry the fleece, laughter and hard work connect the three generations. Through Yetsa’s experience of each task, the reader joins this family in an old but vibrant tradition: the creation of Cowichan sweaters by Coast Salish knitters.