My Name Is Not Easy Debby Dahl Edwardson – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

My Name Is Not Easy Debby Dahl Edwardson

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book

58%

WISE Score

4.3

Amazon

A searing look at 1960s Native boarding schools where names, language, and culture were beaten out of kids—important but heavy.

My Name Is Not Easy Debby Dahl Edwardson

book

58%

WISE Score

4.3

Amazon

A searing look at 1960s Native boarding schools where names, language, and culture were beaten out of kids—important but heavy.

4.3

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Screenwise Verdict

This is an important book that tells a brutal truth about American history—the systematic destruction of Indigenous cultures through boarding schools. Debby Dahl Edwardson writes with authenticity and care, giving voice to multiple perspectives on survival and identity.

But let's be clear: this is not an easy or comfortable read. Priests beat kids for speaking Iñupiaq. Racism is everywhere. The emotional weight is significant. It's the kind of book that belongs in a middle or high school curriculum with discussion and context, not handed to a 10-year-old looking for a good story.

For the right reader at the right age, it's enriching and eye-opening. For a younger or more sensitive kid, it's going to be traumatic. Know your child and be ready to talk through what they're reading.

Age Fit

Best for ages 12-16 who can handle depictions of institutional abuse and cultural trauma. Mature 11-year-olds with parent support could read it, but younger kids will find the content too disturbing and the themes too complex.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The book depicts physical abuse (priests beating students), racism within and between Native cultures, and the trauma of cultural erasure at boarding schools. While these are real historical events told with care, the emotional tone is heavy and painful. Common Sense Media notes priests 'beat the students when they misbehave.' This isn't gratuitous, but it's far from emotionally comfortable or modeling kindness—it's documenting institutional cruelty.

Imaginative

The multi-perspective narrative structure (Luke, Amiq, Chickie, Junior) shows creative storytelling, and the book invites readers to imagine life in a 1960s Arctic village and boarding school. However, this is primarily a realistic historical novel about survival and injustice, not one that sparks creative play or exploration. It's well-crafted but not particularly imaginative in scope.

Safe

This book contains depictions of physical abuse by authority figures, racism, cultural trauma, and the psychological damage of forced assimilation. Common Sense Media explicitly mentions priests beating students. While age-appropriate for mature middle-grade and teen readers who can contextualize historical trauma, this is absolutely not safe for a younger child to pick up unexpectedly. The content requires preparation and discussion.

Enriching

Highly enriching for understanding Indigenous boarding school history, systemic racism, cultural identity, and resilience. Social Justice Books calls it 'powerful and graceful,' and the author (who has Iñupiaq heritage) tells a deeply personal family story. Readers gain empathy and historical insight into a dark chapter of American history that's often overlooked. The multiple perspectives build understanding of different experiences of marginalization.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Tells an essential piece of American history that's rarely covered in schools—the forced assimilation of Indigenous children
Multiple narrators (Iñupiaq, Indian, and white students) provide nuanced perspectives on racism and survival
Author has Iñupiaq heritage and tells a family story with authenticity and grace
Builds empathy and understanding for Indigenous experiences and the long-term trauma of cultural erasure
Strong 4.3 Amazon rating and praised by Social Justice Books for its power and beauty

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What to Watch For

Physical abuse by priests is depicted—students are beaten for speaking their native languages or misbehaving
Racism both between cultures and within Native communities is a central theme
The emotional tone is painful and heavy; this is about survival and trauma, not adventure
Best for readers who can handle historical injustice and have some emotional maturity
Will require parent guidance and conversation—not a pick-it-up-and-disappear kind of book

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the priests forbade the kids from speaking their own languages? What does language mean to who you are?"
"Luke, Amiq, Chickie, and Junior all had different experiences at the school. Whose story did you connect with most?"
"How do you think these boarding schools affected Native families for generations after?"
"What would you do if someone told you that you couldn't speak English anymore and had to give up everything familiar?"

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