School Statue Showdown — David Starr

A thought-provoking title that explores integrity in the era of truth and reconciliation. — Kirkus Reviews This mystery/adventure set in a small BC lumber town is a fictional account of an event that is similar to many across the country – a sudden conflict over a school name and the historic figure it recognizes. Educator and childrens’ novelist DAVID STARR builds a compelling fictional narrative using elements drawn from the history of resource exploitation at the expense of First Nations’ communities. In this book, the son of the owners of the town’s lumber mill goes to a school named after his grandfather. When his grandfather’s statue is splashed with paint as a protest, his best friend from the nearby reserve supports the protest. To defend his grandfather’s reputation, he digs into town history to learn more about his family. What he learns about the experience of the nearby First Nation community leads to a whole new understanding of his family’s legacy – and the town’s troubling past.