When We Were Alone
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Winner of the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award!
A young girl notices things about her grandmother that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long, braided hair and beautifully coloured clothing? Why does she speak Cree and spend so much time with her family? As the girl asks questions, her grandmother shares her experiences in a residential school, when all of these things were taken away.
Also available in a bilingual Swampy Cree/English edition. Download the free teacher guide on the Portage & Main Press website.
David A. Robertson
David A. Robertson is a two-time Governor General's Literary Award winner and has won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and the Writers' Union of Canada Freedom to Read Award. He has received several other accolades for his work as a writer for children and adults, a podcaster, a public speaker, and a social advocate. He was honoured with a Doctor of Letters from the University of Manitoba in 2023 and a Doctor of Laws from both the University of Lethbridge in 2025 and Queen’s University in 2026. He is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg.
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