A Child is a Piece of Paper by Lance Crossley

Raw… gritty…no single adjective can sufficiently describe the intensity of A Child is a Piece of Paper, Lance Crossley’s stark novel.

The year is 1960. Six-year-old Wanisin Blackwill and his older sister, Mitena, are forced to leave their Indian reserve outside of Fort Hope to attend a Catholic-run live-in school for Native American children. Once at the school, Wanisin and Mitena become Wally and Mabel, their former lives beaten out of them due to the relentless ministrations of their headmaster, Father Paxton. Childhood innocence is quickly replaced by humiliation, constant fear, and something much worse until the only recourse is escape – which ultimately leads to dire consequences…

Crossley has written a very powerful work of fiction. His dialogue is sparse and serves to underscore the profound impact of his narrative. The images he paints are vivid, and the emotions visceral, especially as they center on his main protagonist. Wally’s years of relentless abuse as a child become the cornerstone of his abusive habits as an adult and one cannot help but cry for little Wanisin, the sweet little boy who once was.

Poignant and painful, A Child is a Piece of Paper is one of those stories that will stay with you long after the last page has been read.

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